Top 6 Online Degree Programs for Career Change & Salary Hike

Top 6 Online Degree Programs for Career Change & Salary Hike

#MBA
Atul AdeUpdated on 28 Apr 2025, 03:42 PM IST

Online degree courses are gaining more popularity in 2025, offering flexibility and accessibility to working professionals. Online programmes help candidates make a career transition in the mid-level of their professional journey without quitting their current jobs. Online degree courses provide industry-relevant skills and knowledge and open lucrative opportunities with high-paying salary packages.

Top 6 Online Degree Programs for Career Change & Salary Hike
Top 6 Online Degree Programs for Career Change & Salary Hike

An online degree is offered in a variety of fields such as management, computer science, computer application, and arts and humanities. Graduates and working professionals from diverse backgrounds can easily make a career transition in their preferred fields. Online degree programmes provide specialised knowledge while paving the way for rewarding career opportunities.

Switching careers through these in-demand online degree programmes helps participants get a handsome salary. This article will explore the top online degree programmes that help you make a career transition. Also, you will know the popular job profiles and average salaries in relevant degrees.

Top Online Degrees for Career Switch and Salary Hike

Here are some popular online degree programmes that help candidates switch their careers and get high salary packages.

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Online MBA in Digital Marketing

An online MBA in digital marketing equips students with a strong foundation in marketing strategies and their applications in the digital age. Individuals who plan to switch their careers to digital marketing will gain in-depth knowledge about content strategy, social media marketing, SEO, and advertising. This course helps them get leadership roles with high earning potential.

Average Salary: Rs 7.0 LPA - Rs 12.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • SEO Specialist
  • Social Media Strategist
  • PPC Analyst
  • Content Marketing Manager
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Also Read: Online Learning in 2025: What to Expect?

Online MBA in Business Analytics

An online MBA in business analytics helps career changers get in-depth knowledge of business administration principles with advanced data analysis skills. It provides expertise in AI applications, predictive analytics and data visualisation to make career enhancements in various sectors. This online MBA course offers lucrative job opportunities and competitive salary packages.

Average Salary: Rs 9.0 LPA - Rs 13.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • Business Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Strategy Consultant
  • Analytics Manager.
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Online MBA in Data Analytics

An online MBA in data analytics is another best option for career changers to learn advanced data analysis techniques to get leadership opportunities in data-driven industries. It equips candidates with expertise in machine learning and statistical analysis to get higher positions with competitive salaries in the healthcare, e-commerce, and finance sectors.

Average Salary: Rs 10.0 LPA - Rs 15.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • Data Scientist
  • Data Engineer
  • Business Intelligence Analyst
  • Risk Analyst
  • Big Data Consultant

Also Read: Is Online Degree Valid Abroad From Indian Universities?

Online MCA in Artificial Intelligence

An Online MCA in Artificial Intelligence is ideal for career changers who want to work in automation, finance, and healthcare sectors. This online MCA course provides comprehensive knowledge about neural networks, artificial intelligence, and deep learning. The course also opens higher-level job opportunities with great earning potential.

Average Salary: Rs 10.0 LPA - Rs 14.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • AI Engineer
  • Machine Learning Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • AI Research Scientist
  • Robotics Engineer

Online MCA in Cyber Security

An Online MCA in Cybersecurity provides job stability and promising career opportunities in the IT sector. Participants will acquire advanced knowledge and skills in protecting data, networks, and digital systems against cyberattacks. The programme also provides them with high-paying salary packages.

Average Salary: Rs 6.0 LPA - Rs 12.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • Cyber Security Analyst
  • Ethical Hacker
  • Security Consultant
  • Network Security Engineer
  • Incident Responder

Also Read: Can Online Degree Outpace Regular Degree?

Online MCA in Full Stack Development

An online MCA in full-stack development is ideal for those candidates who want to excel in the field of web development. Participants will gain industry-relevant skills, theoretical knowledge, and practical exposure to web development fields. This online MCA course helps learners become a proficient full-stack developer with high earning potential.

Average Salary: Rs 9.0 LPA - Rs 16.0 LPA

Top Job Profiles:

  • Full Stack Developer
  • Software Engineer
  • Web Developer
  • Cloud Engineer
  • Application Developer

Also Read: Online M.Sc or Online MCA: What To Pursue in 2025? Know Here

Choosing the right online degree course to make a career change requires thorough research. Candidates are advised to choose the right online degree course according to their interest area and career goals. Each online degree programme has its uniqueness and provides in-demand skills and knowledge, offering lucrative career opportunities with competitive salary hikes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I make a career transition by pursuing an online degree course while continuing my current job?
A:

Yes, online degree courses are the best option for working professionals. They offer flexibility and accessibility; graduates can balance their studies and jobs at the same time.

Q: What are the highest-paying online degree courses at the PG level?
A:

Some of the top highest-paying online degree courses at the PG level are Online MCA in Artificial Intelligence, Online MBA in Digital Marketing, and more.

Q: What are the benefits of pursuing an online degree in 2025?
A:

An online degree provides various benefits such as flexibility, quality education, accessibility, and affordability. Anyone from anywhere in the world can pursue online degrees.

Q: Do online degree courses provide the same value as traditional courses?
A:

Yes, online degree courses provide the same quality of education as traditional courses. Online programmes are more effective with a variety of interactive tools, flexibility, and personalised learning.

Q: Do employers accept online degree courses?
A:

Many employers accept online degrees from recognised universities. Students must check the recognition and accreditation of the respective college and programme before admission.

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Questions related to MBA

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Yes, with an 89 percentile in CAT, your daughter has a good chance of securing admission in several reputed MBA colleges in India, though top IIMs may be difficult unless she has strong academic diversity, category reservation, or exceptional profile factors. At this percentile range, many well-known Tier-2 and upper Tier-3 management institutes consider candidates for their flagship MBA/PGDM programs.

Institutes such as IMI New Delhi, IMT Hyderabad, XIMB HRM, GIM Goa (certain programs), FORE School of Management, LBSIM Delhi, TAPMI Manipal (borderline), IFMR GSB, Great Lakes (PGDM) and several reputed university MBA programs actively shortlist candidates around the 85–90 percentile range. Final selection does not depend on CAT score alone; academic background, work experience, diversity, performance in GD/PI/WAT also play a significant role.

To maximise chances, she should apply to a balanced mix of colleges, prepare well for interviews, and highlight strengths such as internships, certifications, leadership roles, or work experience. If her profile is average and she aims for higher-ranked institutes, she may also consider repeating CAT with focused preparation to push her percentile above 95.

With 71.52 percentile in CAT as an SC category candidate, getting admission to NIT Trichy (DOMS) for MBA is possible but not guaranteed. NIT Trichy generally has lower CAT cut-offs for reserved categories, and in recent years, the SC cut-off has ranged approximately between 65–75 percentile, depending on the applicant pool and seat availability. Since your score falls within this range, you may get shortlisted for the PI round, especially if you have decent academic consistency and meet the minimum eligibility criteria. However, final admission will depend on performance in the personal interview, academic background, and availability of SC category seats. You should definitely apply to NIT Trichy, but also keep options open by applying to other NITs like NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal, NIT Calicut, and central universities, where your percentile gives you a better conversion probability. Preparing well for the interview can significantly improve your chances of securing a seat.

With an overall CAT percentile of around 80 and belonging to the NC-OBC category, you do have a fair set of MBA college options in India, including some IITs, though the top IIMs and older IIT MBA programs will be difficult at this score.

At the IITs, you can realistically consider the newer and mid-tier MBA programs. IIT Jodhpur (MBA), IIT Bhilai, IIT Jammu, and IIT Dharwad are among the IITs where candidates with 75–85 percentile in CAT and category reservation like NC-OBC have received calls in previous admission cycles. These institutes generally place more weight on CAT score combined with academic background, work experience, and performance in the personal interview. However, IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur, and Roorkee usually require much higher percentiles, even for reserved categories, so chances there are quite low at 80 percentile.

Apart from IITs, several good government and semi-government MBA institutes are strong options at your percentile. You should definitely consider colleges like NIT Trichy (DOMS), NIT Warangal (SOM), NIT Calicut (SOM), and NIT Durgapur, as NITs often have slightly lower CAT cutoffs for NC-OBC candidates compared to IIMs. Universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia (MBA), Aligarh Muslim University, University of Hyderabad, and Delhi School of Management (DTU) can also be explored, depending on sectional cutoffs and your academic profile.

In the private institute space, there are many reputed B-schools where 80 percentile with NC-OBC reservation gives you a reasonable chance. These include IMT Nagpur and Hyderabad, GIM Goa (for some programs), TAPMI Manipal, FORE School of Management, K J Somaiya (Mumbai), BIMTECH Greater Noida, IRMA Anand (depending on profile), and IFMR GSB Krea University. These colleges focus strongly on interviews, SOPs, and overall profile, so good communication skills and clarity of goals can significantly improve your chances.

Overall, your strategy should be to apply broadly. Prioritise newer IITs and NITs first, then reputed private B-schools with consistent placement records. Make sure you prepare well for the personal interview and group discussion rounds, as at this percentile, final selection depends heavily on how well you perform beyond CAT.

https://bschool.careers360.com/cat-college-predictor

Hello,

Both Bengal Institute of Business Studies (BIBS) and United World School of Business (UWSB) have strong placement records in Kolkata. with specific data suggesting BIBS has a slightly higher potential higher salary package. While the UWSB provides a higher placement rate.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello

With an NMAT score of 205, you have decent chances in good mid-tier MBA colleges.
You may get calls from NMIMS Hyderabad or Indore, but the Mumbai core is usually slightly higher.
Colleges like SDA Bocconi Asia Centre, BML Munjal, and IBS Hyderabad are realistic options.
Some reputed private B-schools may also consider you if sectional cutoffs are clear. Overall, 205 is a fair score that can lead to a solid MBA college with good planning.

You can refer to the link I am attaching for more details: CLICK HERE