Going Back to School to Earn a Second Bachelor’s Degree
Those with a bachelor’s degree who want to expand their career opportunities sometimes return to school to earn an additional bachelor’s degree. Pursuing a second bachelor’s degree can be quicker, easier, and cheaper than pursuing a master’s degree. It can also allow professionals to switch career paths or earn college credit for skills they developed in an area other than their first degree.
If you are considering going back to school for a second bachelor’s degree, review this guide to learn what to expect.
Popular Online Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Can You Get Two Bachelor’s Degrees?
You can go back to school for a second bachelor’s degree, and in fact, earning that degree can be a great way to help you switch careers. Typically, your school will transfer most or all of your general education and elective credits into your second degree, so the only courses you take are in your new major. You might also pursue two undergraduate majors simultaneously.
Want to earn two bachelor’s degrees at the same time?
Check out our guide to dual degree programs.
Reasons to Pursue a Second Bachelor’s Degree
Upskill within your current field.
Due to industry changes, professionals might find themselves in a career that challenges them to develop new skills to keep up with the demands of their careers.
Get a promotion.
Earning a second bachelor’s degree allows professionals to stand apart from their coworkers, and it can give them a leg up for promotions, especially since a second degree adds more skills, knowledge, and experience to their resume.
Obtain credit for specific skills.
Professionals typically develop new skills over their careers that they did not study during their first bachelor’s program. In these situations, they earn a second bachelor’s degree to give them tangible credit for skills they can use to their advantage.
Transition to a new field.
Professionals may find themselves complacent in their careers, facing the desire to switch paths. In many cases, switching careers might require professionals to earn a degree they do not currently possess, compelling them to go back to school.
How Long Does a Second Bachelor’s Degree Take?
You can earn a second bachelor’s degree in 1-2 years. You’ll probably need to complete at least 30-36 credits, the equivalent of all your major courses, and your new school will give you credit for the core and elective courses you’ve already completed. This approach is called a block transfer. When pursuing a totally different second major, a block transfer can save you a lot of time in school.
For example, some universities offer accelerated bachelor’s programs in nursing (ABSNs) for people already holding a four-year degree. These ABSNs let new graduates qualify to sit for their nursing licensure exam in as little as 15 months by only requiring nursing and related courses.
Second Bachelor’s vs. Master’s: Which Degree Is Right for You?
Some students opt for a second bachelor’s degree while others decide to pursue a master’s degree. Compare the two education paths below:
Second Bachelor’s Degree
- Requires 30-36 undergraduate credits (or higher depending on the school’s credit policies)
- Costs $30,613 per year on average (NCES)
- The average starting salary for bachelor’s-holders is $58,862 (NACE)
- May qualify graduates for entry-level or basic technical roles
- May qualify you for initial professional licensure
Master’s Degree
- Requires 33-36 graduate credits (more in some fields)
- Costs $29,960 per year on average (NCES)
- The average starting salary for master’s-holders is $72,105 (NACE)
- May qualify graduates for management or advanced technical roles
- May require that you already hold a license in the field
Can You Receive Financial Aid for a Second Bachelor’s Degree?
You can receive financial aid for a second bachelor’s degree. However, you may find fewer funding options than you had when you went to college the first time. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular forms of financial aid:
- Student Loans: Second-degree students are eligible for most public and private student loans unless they have already met the aggregate loan limit. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine how much you can borrow.
- Pell Grants: If you have already earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree, you do not qualify for a Pell Grant.
- GI Bill®: If you are a military veteran or service member, you can use any money left in your GI Bill to pay for a second degree, whether undergraduate, graduate, or professional.
- Scholarships: Private organizations establish their own funding requirements. Check with your scholarship provider about their rules regarding second degrees.
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Switching Colleges: Should I Choose a Different School?
Students do not always choose to pursue a second degree at the same school they attended for their first degree. Why? The original school may not offer the program they want to pursue; it may feature high tuition rates, or the student simply may want to start anew somewhere else.
Returning students opting for a different school should pay attention to these factors:
Accreditation
Only accredited institutions can accept federal financial aid. If you want to transfer credits, sit for a professional licensure exam, or apply to graduate school, you must hold a degree from an accredited college. Finally, if you plan to seek licensure in some fields, such as nursing, make sure your degree also holds programmatic accreditation.
College Applications
Before applying to a program, students should ensure they know the college’s application and admission requirements to determine if they qualify for acceptance.
Affordability
Before pursuing a second degree, students should review tuition costs and determine the most affordable option. They might compare bachelor’s programs to other bachelor’s and master’s programs.
Location
When considering pursuing a second degree, students should keep in mind that their education can impact their living situation, and it might change their in-state or out-of-state qualifications.
Education Requirements
Each career boasts its own unique education requirements. Students can review the education requirements for prospective careers to determine if they have the appropriate educational background.
Most Common Fields for Returning Students
The following table contains 2017 data derived from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) outlining the six fields with the most returning students who identified as full-time, non-first-time students at four-year universities.
| Undergraduate Field of Study | Percent of Students That Are Non-First-Time, Full-Time |
|---|---|
| Business Management / Administrative Services | 37% |
| Education | 31% |
| Biological Sciences / Life Sciences | 29% |
| Mathematics | 29% |
| Physical Sciences | 25% |
| Engineering | 14% |
Discover the best programs in these fields
Q&A: How Earning a Second Degree Helped Me
Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, has more than 35 years of federal government and nonprofit organization PR experience, followed by more than 15 years of undergraduate- and graduate-level college teaching experience.
In 2017, he retired from his full-time position as the associate professor of communication/public relations at Curry College, moved with his wife to Tampa, and now serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa. In the course of his professional career, Kirk has provided PR services for healthcare and member services organizations such as the Blood Bank of Hawaii and Boston-based Medical Area Service Corporation, and he has provided consulting services for both the Manila and the Singapore Red Cross divisions. He also managed communications programs for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force in Vietnam, the Republic of the Philippines, and Air Force and Army installations in the U.S.
Passionate about continuing professional development, Kirk was one of only two full-time college professors in Massachusetts to be inducted into the Public Relations Society of America’s prestigious College of Fellows and to earn his accredited in public relations credential.
Q: Why did you choose to earn a second degree?
A: I had no idea when I graduated from high school what I wanted to do. I toyed with the notion of becoming a forest ranger, but that didn’t go over too well with my mother. By the time I graduated high school, I had already spent two summers as a highway engineering intern in my home state of Georgia and thought I wanted to get an engineering degree. I then went off to Auburn University and proceeded to fail virtually every introductory engineering course I took! I switched to English, transferred to the University of Georgia, and (more or less) breezed through, graduating with a BA in English thinking I would eventually get a job teaching somewhere. This was 1968 though, and a “little” activity called the Vietnam War dictated that I complete my military service before anything else.
I wound up spending eight years in the Air Force, and as I rose (slowly) through the ranks and gained more supervisory responsibilities, I recognized I was much more interested in the intricacies of running a business. (I also had spent two years in Vietnam teaching English as a second language and came to the realization that I really wasn’t interested in teaching as a career!)
Luckily, the Air Force bases where I was stationed had college extension programs. I enrolled in a business management program, and over the course of the next four years, I completed the requirements for a BS in business management. I then continued my studies and earned an MBA with a specialty in marketing.
Q: Did you attend the same school or choose to enroll somewhere different?
A: I enrolled somewhere else. I was fortunate that Golden Gate University, from which I earned the two business degrees, had extension programs at every Air Force base where I was stationed, including Clark Air Base in the Philippines. At every base, the instructors were business professionals who focused on and taught “real life” courses. (This actually was a guide for me much later when I, myself, segued from professional life to professorial life.)
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced while earning your second degree?
A: The one major challenge was being able to fit courses and coursework into my Air Force work routine. Fortunately, all of the courses at every base were offered at night. (Note: This was the late 1970s and early 1980s, so online courses didn’t exist. But correspondence courses, done via snail mail, were an option that Golden Gate University offered.)
A second challenge for me was constantly relocating — eight years of service and seven Air Force bases! I wasn’t able to establish any meaningful relationships with instructors.
Q: How has your life or career been impacted since earning your second degree?
A: As a public relations professional, I worked closely with senior management at various organizations. My knowledge of business management practices enabled me to communicate with my superiors on their level using their language.
One side story: When I relocated to Hawaii and joined the Blood Bank of Hawaii as their communications director, I was tasked with developing a plan explaining how I was going to spend my quarter-of-a-million-dollar budget in the coming year. Two days after being given the assignment, I handed a completed, comprehensive budget plan to our CFO. He was amazed! According to him, I was the FIRST Blood Bank PR person who (a) understood what a budget was all about and (b) could actually create one!
Q: What is your top piece of advice for someone considering pursuing a second bachelor’s degree?
A: I tell my students (and anyone else who will listen) to (a) take time and figure out what you really want to do, and (b) identify the academic program that will enable you to realize your goal. Don’t rush it; this is a serious investment of time and money. Make the most of the opportunity!
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
