Is a WGU (Western Governors University) Online Degree WORTH It?

WGU (Western Governors University) was one of the first fully online universities to establish itself in the late 1990s as the internet became more accessible to Americans at the time.

What started off as a meeting between 19 US Governors (primarily Western states...hence the name), resulted in what is now a 20+ year history of leadership in online education and serving communities that may otherwise have been neglected by the traditional university model.

Even with the popularity of online learning and the many degree options out there today, there may still be questions as to the worth of a degree from WGU, or other online universities for that matter.

Having experienced both traditional brick and mortar universities as well as online programs, I can attest to the incredible value that can be had from the online model.

In this video, I'll walk you through some of the finer points of WGU, what their educational philosophy is like, tuition structure, programs offered, as well as accreditations.

For those of you looking for an AFFORDABLE and FLEXIBLE path to a degree, watch THIS video first to learn a bit more about WGU to see if it is right for YOU!

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[RichardWalls]

🙌🙌🙌 QUESTION: What is YOUR opinion of WGU? If you've attended, what was your experience like and how did it impact your career? Let me know in the comments below! 👇👇👇

[anikianauzinor]

I currently go to WGU and I absolutely love it. I was skeptical in the beginning but I spoke with my state education department and they highlighted that WGU was listed as an accredited and license college. I started in June and will be finished by the end of the year.

[Thadon]

Yezzzir! It’s founded by 19 governors from 19 different states and is one of the largest non-profit online universities in America 🇺🇸, based on enrollment. Bill Gates even calls WGU one of the most innovative companies on the globe 🌍. It’s not easy either, you need a “B” to pass at WGU, and you have to be able to motivate yourself, as there’s no hand holding there. All students that accelerate either have a background or prior experience in their area of study. At one point, the employment rate after graduation was 81% vs a 74% national average. So yes, if you’re looking for a school with affordable, high quality degrees👨🏿‍🎓, Western Governors University is most definitely worth it!

[shanaedraper]

I love WGU! It’s no cake walk but it’s been worth every penny. It takes a lot of self-discipline and time management.
You really have to understand the material to pass an exam.

I am about 2 weeks out from finishing my Bachelors in Human Resource Management! 🙌🏽

WGU is definitely for the self-starters.

[anmbiosnik]

I have had experience in IT business management for the past 3-4 years, the only thing I was missing was a degree so I was constantly lowballed on salary, started my WGU journey in IT management and have been getting offered $50 hr plus salaries ! This university is great for people that have that experience but no degree for the final touch

[garnet]

I’m so glad to see that WGU is a good school. I currently am a medical biller at the company I work at and they are expanding in the next couple of years, so I want to get my BS in Accounting.

[stevenjshedd]

I got my bachelors in business from WGU in 7 months. I’m almost done with the MBA now after four months. If you’re experienced and need a degree to move up at work I can’t say enough how great this school has been for me. I will say the vast majority of students don’t accelerate the programs and they are not a cake walk. Experience and networking get you job opportunities so keep in mind you will probably have more networking at a traditional college. If you’re like me with decent experience but no credentials probably a good route to look at. I was able to promote from manager to director because of my degree.

[korg]

I only found WGU this year and absolutely wish I found it sooner. Cloud computing bach, 100% an "at my own pace" learner. I have learned so much this year and it's incredibly helpful for putting me into a mindset ready to start my career in IT, it already has helped me land a better paying job and I haven't even graduated yet. Tuition is a total steal for the amount of CU's you can get plus the cost of certifications and training, and of course you get a degree out of it to check that box.

[tanyarsandoval]

I start my degree program at WGU on Oct 1. I am both excited and scared. This video helped ease my fears and doubts if I picked the right school and path. Which it sounds like I did!! Thanks so much.

[stevennunez]

I went to wgu and got my Master of Science in Management and Leadership and got my degree in just 64 days. Keep in mind I already had an mba from another institution, and i was doing work every single day for the 64 days.

[blackwater]

I understand people's complaints about WGU. They enroll with the expectations that it would be like any other college where the professor holds your hand the entire time. WGU treats you like a professional adult, as they should, because most of it's demographic are working adults. They won't tell you what to do, how to study and when to take the exam. Everything is mostly your decision with some considerations of course you need to meet. I am an independent learner, and I do like learning things even outside the scope of the class and just not for the sake of passing an exam. So the learning style works well for me.

Compared to the experience I had with my brick and mortar community college which I also took 100% online (mainly due to Covid), essentially they are both comparable. I felt that I was treated more like a child in my community college understandably because the majority of the students were fresh H.S grads. They give you extra "stuff" to do just to keep up with the curriculum which I find a hassle at times. WGU does have some extra class activities (which are not mandatory) mainly to consolidate your understanding on the topic, but those don't count towards your final grade.

Some alumni say, "it's just good for ticking the bachelors degree box and not really good for learning " which is true in some cases only because they rushed through the degree with the prior minimum required knowledge to pass it. Those are students that have a couple of years working in the field under their belt and It's their fault for not taking advantage of the opportunity and taking the time to learn.

[liladne]

Completed my undergrad degree at WGU in 7 months and got accepted for a Masters at University of Michigan where I am now currently studying. Best thing I did in my life was attending to WGU. I only had 9 credits transferred from my previous school, and studied almost everyday for about 5-6 hours a day to attain the degree. To top it off I received a Pell Grant and my degree only cost 3500 in total. The fact that you have a mentor for the 1st six months is also huge because it helps you strategize and keep motivated. Best value for the money hands down ♡

[paulevans]

As a "seasoned" learner, I don't find that I need to spend the money on the "college experience", WGU goes to the heart of the matter. Time is money.

[gregorystalls]

Definitely considering the MBA in IT Management, glad to know it’s accredited

[prometheusp]

I went through their ADN to BSN bridge program and had a great experience. I'm currently in the process of enrolling in their IT program and have found the process to be very decent. (After 11 years in nursing and seeing how hospitals responded to COVID I just can't anymore. I would rather stick my head in a wood chipper than continue in nursing)

[williamschpilman]

I'm an RN with over 30 years in the healthcare industry (various clinical settings). I graduated from WGU MBA (Healthcare track) program back in 2016. Granted, I went this route because my employer had a great tuition reimbursement benefits. At the end of the program it cost me very little out of pocket. My advise to those who want their MBA to be a sort of stand-alone degree, go traditional business school route, because your MBA school ranking matters. However, if you are getting an MBA (like me), in addition to your professional career, go with WGU. I have no regrets. The degree is legit. The university is with all bells and whistles as far as their accreditation is concerned.

[sumtingwong]

The transferring of credits is largely up to the Policy of the school your transferring them to, many brick-and-mortar schools do not like to transfer online credits. That being said, if you HAVE NOT signed up yet, check with the other schools that are you planning on transferring the credits from WGU to and ask them specifically about this, this is just as important.

[windell]

I checked the graduation rate - attendance - cost and post degree income and employment stats and was impressed.. It beat out the Schools in my area and was more up to date. The cost was within 1k to 2k of the other schools which is (in Student loan terms VERY little). I don't have time to wait and the other schools herded students like cattle and were slow to address issues. Networking and IT Security are my goals.. Good luck folks

[Frissdas]

It's a checkbox. Just like every other degree. Unless you're a lawyer, MD or some type of chemical/ mechanical engineer you might as well go the wgu route.

[hallertyler]

If you don’t have a degree and you want one fast, yes.