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August 18, 2026 Cost stops a lot of adults before they ever apply, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re figuring out how to pay for college as an adult or wondering how to afford going back to school, start by looking beyond the sticker price. Grants, employer tuition benefits and financial aid can lower what you pay, while transfer credit can help you avoid paying to repeat coursework you’ve already completed.
The goal is to understand the full cost of your degree and the funding available to you, then build a plan around what you actually need to pay.
Start With What You Already Have
The biggest mistake adults make is calculating the cost of a bachelor’s degree as if they’re starting from scratch. Many aren’t. If you’ve already earned college credit, you’re paying for the coursework that remains rather than all 120 credit hours required for a bachelor’s degree, which can change the math significantly.
Online degree completion can also reduce some of the costs that come with returning to campus. You can keep working while you study, avoid relocating or paying for campus housing and choose a program that fits around your existing responsibilities. At ECU, online degree completion programs are designed for working adults, with flexible courses that let you keep earning while you keep learning.
The potential payoff is worth considering, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers with a bachelor’s degree earned median weekly wages of $1,543 in 2024, compared with $1,020 for workers with some college but no degree. That difference adds up to more than $27,000 over a year.1
You’re also far from alone in returning to school. The National Student Clearinghouse reports that 37.6 million working-age adults have college experience but no credential.2 For many of those students, going back to school means building on education they’ve already started rather than beginning from scratch.
Look at Every Source of Funding
Financial aid is one piece of the equation, but adults have several ways to reduce what they pay for college. Start by completing the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for federal, state and institutional aid, then look at employer benefits, scholarships and other assistance available through your school or state.
Students age 24 and older generally qualify as independent students for federal financial aid purposes, meaning parent income typically isn’t required on the FAFSA. That can make the financial aid process different for an adult student than it is for a traditional college freshman.
Filing early can also expand your options. Some state and institutional aid is awarded before the federal deadline, so submitting the FAFSA as soon as possible can help you access available funding.
For eligible North Carolina students, the Next NC Scholarship can provide at least $5,000 per year toward the cost of attending an eligible UNC System university, with some students receiving more based on their financial circumstances. Eligibility generally includes North Carolina residency, household adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less, meeting Student Aid Index requirements and enrollment in an eligible undergraduate program. There is no separate scholarship application. The FAFSA serves as the application.
Ask Your Employer to Help Pay
Your employer may already offer a benefit that can make going back to school more affordable. Under IRS Section 127, employers can provide up to $5,250 per year in tax-free educational assistance to eligible employees.3
Check with your HR or benefits team about tuition reimbursement, educational assistance, workforce development funding and professional development benefits. Even partial employer assistance can make a meaningful difference when combined with grants, scholarships or other financial aid.
Reduce the Cost Before You Pay It
One of the most effective ways to lower the cost of a bachelor’s degree is to avoid paying for coursework you don’t need to repeat. If you’ve attended college before, your previous coursework may satisfy degree requirements or reduce the number of credits you need to complete. Some programs may also award credit for learning gained through work, military service or professional experience.
Research from CAEL and WICHE found that students who use prior learning assessment can save between $1,500 and $10,200 and finish their degrees months sooner.4 These savings don’t come from additional financial aid. They come from receiving credit for knowledge and coursework you’ve already earned.
Build a Plan From Multiple Sources
For many adult students, the most practical approach is to combine several sources of funding and savings rather than relying on one. Grants and scholarships don’t require repayment. Employer assistance can cover part of your tuition. Transfer credit can reduce the number of courses you need to take. Federal student loans can help cover the remaining balance when other options aren’t enough.
| Funding Source | Repayment Required? |
| Pell Grant | No |
| Next NC Scholarship | No |
| Employer Tuition Assistance | No |
| Transfer Credit Savings | No |
| Federal Student Loans | Yes |
Start by identifying the money you don’t have to repay, then determine what remains. That gives you a clearer picture of what you actually need to finance.
What About Student Loans?
Student loans can still play an important role in paying for college when grants, scholarships, employer benefits and other sources don’t cover the full cost. Federal loans generally offer protections that private loans may not, including income-driven repayment options.
Beginning July 1, 2026, new federal borrowers entered an updated repayment system that includes the Repayment Assistance Plan for eligible borrowers.5 Before borrowing, calculate the amount remaining after grants, scholarships, employer benefits and any savings from transfer credit. That balance is the amount you need to plan for, rather than the full published cost of the degree.
Why ECU Works for Adult Students
Going back to school requires a financial plan, but it also requires a program that fits the life you’re already managing. Online degree completion programs give adult students a way to continue working and meeting personal responsibilities while making progress toward a bachelor’s degree.
ECU’s Flight Path programs are designed specifically for degree completers, with 100% online courses and no set class times. Transfer-friendly policies can apply previous college coursework toward your degree and academic advisors help identify the most efficient path based on the credits you already have. Online students also have access to faculty, advising, career services and student support throughout the program.
The degree you earn is the same ECU credential awarded to on-campus students, with no distinction on the diploma. ECU’s online programs have been named among Newsweek’s America’s Top Online Colleges in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and U.S. News ranks ECU’s online programs among the top in North Carolina and the top 20% nationally across multiple disciplines.7
For adults asking how to afford going back to school, the answer starts with understanding all the resources available and choosing a degree path that makes those resources go further. At ECU, the focus is on helping students build forward from the education and experience they already have while earning a respected degree on a schedule that works for their lives.
