If you want to finish your degree faster and cheaper, credit-by-exam and alternative credit sources are your best friends. But which option is right for you? Let’s compare.
Cost: $93 per exam (as of recent pricing — check the College Board site for current rates). Military service members can take them for free through DANTES.
How it works: You study on your own, schedule a test at a testing centre, pass the exam, and earn 3–6 credits per test.
Best for: General education requirements. If you’re knowledgeable in a subject already, you can knock out a class in an afternoon.
Acceptance: Widely accepted. About 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for CLEP. But always check your specific school’s policy and minimum score requirements.
Cost: Similar to CLEP. Free for eligible military members.
How it works: Same as CLEP — study, test, earn credit.
Best for: Subjects not covered by CLEP. Also strong in business and technology subjects.
Acceptance: Accepted by many schools but slightly fewer than CLEP. Always verify with your school.
Cost: About $99 per month for unlimited courses. If you hustle, you can complete several courses in a single month.
How it works: Complete coursework (readings, quizzes, projects) at your own pace. No proctored exams for most courses.
Best for: People who learn well from coursework rather than high-stakes exams. Also great for people who can dedicate significant time in a short period.
Acceptance: Accepted by many schools that honour ACE credit recommendations. SNHU, WGU, Purdue Global, and Thomas Edison are among those known to accept Sophia credits. But not all schools do, so check first.
STUDY.COM
What it is: Similar to Sophia. Online courses with ACE credit recommendations.
Cost: Around $199–$299 per month (depending on the plan) with a limited number of credits per month.
How it works: Watch video lessons, take quizzes, pass a proctored final exam.
Best for: People who prefer video-based learning. Wider course selection than Sophia.
Acceptance: Similar to Sophia. Accepted by many schools but always verify.
Cost: About $99 per month plus per-course fees.
How it works: Complete online coursework and exams.
Best for: Students at StraighterLine partner schools, where credit transfer is guaranteed.
SO WHICH ONE SAVES YOU THE MOST MONEY?
If you just need to pass a test and you know the material: CLEP or DSST. At $93 per exam for 3–6 credits, this is the cheapest option per credit.
If you’re military: CLEP and DSST are free. Use them aggressively.
If you need to learn the material but can work fast: Sophia at $99/month is excellent value if you can complete 3–4 courses in a month. That’s potentially 9–12 credits for $99.
If you prefer structured video courses: Study.com is more expensive monthly but has a larger catalogue.
What’s your experience with these options? Let us know which ones worked best for you.
CLEP (COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAMME)
What it is: Standardised exams offered by the College Board (the same people who make the SAT). There are 34 exams covering subjects like English Composition, Biology, U.S. History, and College Mathematics.Cost: $93 per exam (as of recent pricing — check the College Board site for current rates). Military service members can take them for free through DANTES.
How it works: You study on your own, schedule a test at a testing centre, pass the exam, and earn 3–6 credits per test.
Best for: General education requirements. If you’re knowledgeable in a subject already, you can knock out a class in an afternoon.
Acceptance: Widely accepted. About 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for CLEP. But always check your specific school’s policy and minimum score requirements.
DSST (DANTES SUBJECT STANDARDISED TESTS)
What it is: Similar to CLEP but covers additional subjects, especially useful for military personnel. Subjects include ethics, cybersecurity, technical writing, and more.Cost: Similar to CLEP. Free for eligible military members.
How it works: Same as CLEP — study, test, earn credit.
Best for: Subjects not covered by CLEP. Also strong in business and technology subjects.
Acceptance: Accepted by many schools but slightly fewer than CLEP. Always verify with your school.
SOPHIA LEARNING
What it is: An online course platform where you complete self-paced courses and earn college credit through ACE (American Council on Education) recommendations.Cost: About $99 per month for unlimited courses. If you hustle, you can complete several courses in a single month.
How it works: Complete coursework (readings, quizzes, projects) at your own pace. No proctored exams for most courses.
Best for: People who learn well from coursework rather than high-stakes exams. Also great for people who can dedicate significant time in a short period.
Acceptance: Accepted by many schools that honour ACE credit recommendations. SNHU, WGU, Purdue Global, and Thomas Edison are among those known to accept Sophia credits. But not all schools do, so check first.
STUDY.COM
What it is: Similar to Sophia. Online courses with ACE credit recommendations.
Cost: Around $199–$299 per month (depending on the plan) with a limited number of credits per month.
How it works: Watch video lessons, take quizzes, pass a proctored final exam.
Best for: People who prefer video-based learning. Wider course selection than Sophia.
Acceptance: Similar to Sophia. Accepted by many schools but always verify.
STRAIGHTERLINE
What it is: Online courses designed to transfer to partner colleges.Cost: About $99 per month plus per-course fees.
How it works: Complete online coursework and exams.
Best for: Students at StraighterLine partner schools, where credit transfer is guaranteed.
SO WHICH ONE SAVES YOU THE MOST MONEY?
If you just need to pass a test and you know the material: CLEP or DSST. At $93 per exam for 3–6 credits, this is the cheapest option per credit.
If you’re military: CLEP and DSST are free. Use them aggressively.
If you need to learn the material but can work fast: Sophia at $99/month is excellent value if you can complete 3–4 courses in a month. That’s potentially 9–12 credits for $99.
If you prefer structured video courses: Study.com is more expensive monthly but has a larger catalogue.
THE CRITICAL STEP
Before you invest time and money in any of these, contact your school’s transfer or credit evaluation office and confirm exactly which credits they’ll accept. Get it in writing if possible. Nothing is worse than passing five CLEP exams and finding out your school only accepts two of them.What’s your experience with these options? Let us know which ones worked best for you.