Business & Finance
Three-year college degrees expand across the US as affordability concerns mount
Reduced-credit bachelor's programs aim to cut higher education costs, though critics warn about credential quality and licensing hurdles.
The short version
- Colleges across 26 states have introduced three-year bachelor's degree programs that require as few as 90 credit hours instead of the traditional 120.
- Proponents argue the compressed schedules reduce tuition expenses and help non-traditional students enter the workforce sooner.
- Faculty advocates and researchers caution that reduced-credit degrees may complicate graduate admissions, licensing, and employer recognition.
Key facts
- As of spring 2026, at least 119 reduced-credit programs have been announced across 26 U.S. states, according to research by the RAND Corporation.[Associated Press]
- The new programs allow students to graduate with as few as 90 credit hours, compared to the standard 120 credit hours required for traditional four-year degrees.[Associated Press]
- Accreditation changes in 2023 led by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities enabled institutions such as Ensign College and Brigham Young University-Idaho to launch reduced-credit tracks.[Associated Press]
- Private nonprofit colleges offer roughly 75% of these programs, with the highest concentrations found in business and computer science fields.[Associated Press]
- Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors, criticized the initiative, arguing the programs cut corners and diminish the value of college credentials.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain how widely employers will accept 90-credit degrees compared to traditional four-year credentials.[Associated Press]
- RAND notes that there are currently no standardized graduate school admissions policies for applicants holding three-year degrees, potentially requiring supplementary coursework.[Associated Press]
- State professional licensing boards may not accept reduced-credit degrees in fields requiring specific minimum credit thresholds, such as certified public accounting or out-of-state teaching.[Associated Press]