Search for an online AI degree and you find 120 programs with "AI" in the name. They do not teach the same thing. Some build neural networks from scratch. Others teach managers how to buy and govern AI tools. This report sorts them by the course titles each program names, so you can tell which is which before you apply.
How Many Online AI Degrees Require Deep Learning?
Of the 60 programs in our data that list course titles, 19 name at least one deep learning or neural network course. Another 21 name machine learning but no deep learning, and 20 center on strategy, applications and governance. That gives you 40 programs on the technical track and 20 on the business and leadership track.
- Names a deep learning course
- Names machine learning only
- Focuses on strategy and applications
Program pages, verified September 2026. n = 60 programs that list course titles.
The split follows level. 16 of 17 master's programs with course titles name machine or deep learning, and 10 name deep learning. Certificates are looser: 7 of 37 name deep learning, 13 name machine learning only, and 17 focus on strategy and applications. Bachelor's, associate and doctoral programs add 6 more, with 2 naming deep learning.
Which Online AI Programs Focus on Business and Leadership?
20 programs list courses centered on strategy and applications, and 17 of them are certificates. 8 carry business, leadership or management in the program name. The course lists run to AI strategy, ethics, governance, product management and industry applications such as health, cyber defense and supply chains.
These programs fit a manager who needs to evaluate AI vendors, set policy or lead AI projects without training a model. Programs that teach transformers fit a different goal. The course list tells you which is which, because two programs with similar names can serve different careers.
Two schools account for 8 of the 20. Old Dominion University has 5 certificates in this group and Carnegie Mellon University has 3. Old Dominion's certificates share two core courses, AI Methods and Models and AI Ethics and Policy, so the pattern reflects one school's catalog design. Capitol Technology University's research master's and PhD list research-method courses, which also place them here.
The AI for business and management ranking lists programs that are built for this audience on purpose.
How Much Do Online AI Degrees and Certificates Cost?
Total tuition climbs with level: a median of $10,500 for a certificate, $32,463 for a master's and $58,800 for a bachelor's. Per credit, certificates ($925) and master's programs ($995) sit close together, because certificates are short but sold at graduate rates.
| Level | Programs | Median Cost per Credit | Median Total Tuition | Total Tuition Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 54 | $925 (n=35) | $10,500 (n=47) | $5,004 to $25,452 |
| Master's | 49 | $995 (n=25) | $32,463 (n=36) | $9,990 to $81,000 |
| Bachelor's | 14 | $490 (n=5) | $58,800 (n=5) | $44,856 to $67,800 |
| Associate | 1 | $268 (n=1) | $17,420 (n=1) | $17,420 |
| Doctorate | 2 | $980 (n=2) | $58,800 (n=2) | $58,800 |
Master's totals run from $9,990 to $81,000, an eightfold spread for the same degree name. The cheapest online AI programs and the best online master's programs are ranked on cost and outcomes.
Program pages, verified September 2026. Certificates with a published total tuition and listed course titles.
Certificates that name a machine or deep learning course are priced higher, with a median of $14,160 for machine learning (13 programs) and $15,909 for deep learning (4 programs), against $7,944 for the 17 focused on strategy and applications. The deep learning group is small, so read that figure as a hint.
Among master's programs, the 9 that name deep learning and publish a total have a median of $37,500.
Do Online AI Programs Require Math and Programming?
64 programs publish admission text. In that text, 16 name a math prerequisite (calculus, linear algebra, probability, statistics or similar), 15 name programming, and 13 name both. Another 11 say any degree field or any background is accepted.
Program pages, verified September 2026. n = programs with admission text and listed course titles.
The deep learning programs ask the most up front: 6 of 14 name math and 6 name programming. Strategy and applications programs rarely do (1 of 14 for math). If a program does not ask for calculus up front, read its first-term courses to see how much math they assume.
What This Means for You
Match the course list to your goal. If you want to build models, look for machine learning and deep learning by name, and expect to need calculus, linear algebra and Python. The AI engineering degree ranking and the machine learning degree ranking start there.
If you want to lead AI projects, a business and leadership certificate is built for that, and it costs less. If you want a machine learning engineer job, choose the technical track. The AI degree versus computer science guide explains where that line sits, and the AI degree without coding guide covers the no-code route.
Changing careers? A certificate lets you test the material for a median of $10,500 before you commit to a master's at $32,463. See the AI certificate ranking and best online AI degrees for options.
Every Online AI Program in the Data
All 120 programs, grouped by level. A blank course-tier cell means no course titles are in our data for that program, so it is left out of the tier counts.
| Program | School | Level | Course Tier | Credits | Cost per Credit | Total Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied AI and Machine Learning Graduate Certificate | Boston University | Certificate | Deep Learning | 16 | $14,850 | |
| AI-Driven Leadership Master's Certificate | Brandeis University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $1,220 | $14,640 |
| Applied Machine Learning & Engineering Master's Certificate | Brandeis University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $1,220 | $14,640 |
| Software Engineering with Artificial Intelligence Master's Certificate | Brandeis University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $1,220 | $14,640 |
| Online Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering Fundamentals | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Deep Learning | $16,968 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering: Digital Twins & Analytics | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | $16,968 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in AI Product Management Essentials | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | $16,968 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Foundational AI & ML for Business | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Machine Learning | $16,968 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Generative AI & Large Language Models | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Machine Learning | $25,452 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Machine Learning & Data Science | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Machine Learning | $25,452 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Managing AI Systems | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | $22,320 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering With AI | Carnegie Mellon University | Certificate | Machine Learning | $14,160 | ||
| Graduate Certificate in Generative AI and Machine Learning for Business | Georgia State University | Certificate | Deep Learning | $464 | ||
| Online Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence | Grand Canyon University | Certificate | 20 | $610 | $12,200 | |
| Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate (Online) | Harvard University | Certificate | $14,320 | |||
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (Online) | Indiana University-Bloomington | Certificate | Deep Learning | 12 | ||
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence | Johns Hopkins University | Certificate | ||||
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Advanced Artificial Intelligence | Maryville University of Saint Louis | Certificate | 12 | $875 | $10,500 | |
| Online Certificate in Artificial Intelligence | New Jersey Institute of Technology | Certificate | 12 | |||
| Business AI Graduate Certificate | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $7,153 | |
| Graduate Certificate in AI Applications | Northeastern University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 16 | $328 | $5,248 |
| Online Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate | Ohio University-Main Campus | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 9 | $862 | $7,758 |
| AI in Business Strategy and Operations Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| AI in Cyber Defense Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| AI in Data Science Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| AI in Education and Learning Technologies Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| AI in Healthcare Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| AI in Supply Chain Operations Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| Trustworthy AI Online Certificate | Old Dominion University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $662 | $7,944 |
| Graduate Certificate in AI Engineering | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 12 | $1,048 | $12,576 | |
| Graduate Certificate in AI Strategy, Leadership, and Business Impact | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,048 | $9,432 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Business and Innovation | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,089 | $9,801 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Digital Transformation | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,089 | $9,801 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Artificial Intelligence | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,089 | $9,801 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Natural Language Processing | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,089 | $9,801 | |
| Graduate Certificate in People Analytics and AI | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Certificate | 9 | $1,048 | $9,432 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Foundations in AI for Technical Professionals (Online) | Purdue University-Main Campus | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $950 | $11,400 |
| Graduate Certificate in Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (Online) | Purdue University-Main Campus | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 9 | $950 | $8,550 |
| Graduate Certificate in Machine Learning and AI | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Certificate | Deep Learning | 9 | $2,210 | $19,890 |
| Applied AI and Decision Analytics, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Saint Louis University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 9 | $810 | $7,290 |
| Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | Saint Louis University | Certificate | Machine Learning | 9 | $810 | $7,290 |
| Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate | Stanford University | Certificate | $21,086 | |||
| Enterprise AI Graduate Certificate | Stevens Institute of Technology | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 9 | $583 | $5,247 |
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (Online) | The University of Texas at Austin | Certificate | 12 | $417 | $5,004 | |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Graduate Certificate | University of Central Florida | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 9 | $1,234 | $11,107 |
| Graduate Certificate in Applied AI in Finance | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Certificate | 12 | $1,145 | $13,740 | |
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Business | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Certificate | Machine Learning | 12 | $1,145 | $13,740 |
| Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate (Coursera) | University of Colorado Boulder | Certificate | Deep Learning | 12 | $525 | $6,300 |
| Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Business | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 12 | $925 | $11,100 |
| Machine Learning Graduate Certificate | University of Nebraska at Omaha | Certificate | Deep Learning | 12 | ||
| Artificial Intelligence Graduate Academic Certificate | University of North Texas | Certificate | 12 | |||
| Graduate Certificate in AI in Business | University of Rochester | Certificate | Strategy and Applications | 7.5 | $7,500 | |
| Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate | University of South Florida | Certificate | ||||
| Graduate Certificate in AI and Machine Learning for Engineering (Online) | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Certificate | Machine Learning | 16 | $1,061 | $16,976 |
| Online Master of Education in AI and Education | Boston University | Master's | 30 | $30,000 | ||
| Online Master of Science in AI in Business | Boston University | Master's | 32 | $25,000 | ||
| Online Master of Science in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence | Boston University | Master's | 30 | $25,000 | ||
| Online Master of Science in Enterprise AI | Boston University | Master's | 30 | $25,000 | ||
| Online Master of Science in Software Engineering for Artificial Intelligence | Boston University | Master's | 30 | $25,000 | ||
| Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Artificial Intelligence | Capitol Technology University | Master's | Deep Learning | 36 | $665 | $23,940 |
| Master of Research (MRes) in Artificial Intelligence | Capitol Technology University | Master's | Strategy and Applications | 30 | $665 | $19,950 |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online) | Christian Brothers University | Master's | 34 | |||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI) | City University of Seattle | Master's | Deep Learning | $775 | ||
| Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Columbia University in the City of New York | Master's | 30 | $2,700 | $81,000 | |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | DePaul University | Master's | Deep Learning | 48 | $1,003 | $48,144 |
| Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | Drexel University | Master's | 45 | $1,400 | $63,000 | |
| Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence for Product Innovation (Online) | Duke University | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $2,555 | $76,650 |
| Professional Master's Degree Program in Artificial Intelligence | Florida Atlantic University | Master's | Machine Learning | 30 | $800 | $24,000 |
| Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | George Washington University | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $37,500 | |
| Online Master of Professional Studies in Artificial Intelligence Management | Georgetown University | Master's | 30 | $1,752 | $52,560 | |
| Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Grand Canyon University | Master's | 46 | $610 | $28,060 | |
| Master of Artificial Intelligence (M.A.S.) | Illinois Institute of Technology | Master's | 30 | |||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (online) | Iowa State University | Master's | ||||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Johns Hopkins University | Master's | Machine Learning | 30 | $56,200 | |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Maryville University of Saint Louis | Master's | 33 | $875 | $28,875 | |
| M.S. in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence | Montclair State University | Master's | ||||
| Online M.S. in Artificial Intelligence | New Jersey Institute of Technology | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $1,284 | $38,520 |
| Master of Professional Studies in Applied AI (Online) | Northeastern University | Master's | $30,500 | |||
| Master of Professional Studies in Applied AI Connect (Online) | Northeastern University | Master's | $71,079 | |||
| Business Analytics and Applied AI | Oregon State University | Master's | 45 | $965 | $43,425 | |
| Master of Artificial Intelligence, AI Engineering Option | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Master's | 30 | $1,089 | $32,670 | |
| Master of Artificial Intelligence, Applied and Generative AI Option | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | Master's | 30 | $1,089 | $32,670 | |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online) | Purdue University-Main Campus | Master's | 30 | $950 | $28,500 | |
| Applied AI and Decision Analytics | Saint Louis University | Master's | Machine Learning | 30 | $810 | $24,300 |
| Artificial Intelligence in Medicine | Saint Louis University | Master's | Machine Learning | 30 | ||
| MS in Artificial Intelligence (Special Session) | San Jose State University | Master's | 33 | $1,022 | $33,726 | |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Distance) | Texas A&M University-College Station | Master's | 30 | |||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online) | The University of Texas at Austin | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $333 | $9,990 |
| Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, MS | University of Alabama at Birmingham | Master's | ||||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence for Business | University of Arizona | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $1,250 | $37,500 |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | University of Bridgeport | Master's | Deep Learning | 30 | $1,100 | $33,000 |
| Master of Engineering in AI with Science and Engineering Applications | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Master's | 30 | |||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Management | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Master's | Machine Learning | 30 | $1,160 | $34,800 |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Coursera) | University of Colorado Boulder | Master's | 30 | $15,750 | ||
| Online Master of Engineering with a Concentration in AI and Machine Learning | University of Illinois Chicago | Master's | 36 | $896 | $32,256 | |
| Artificial Intelligence, MS | University of Michigan-Dearborn | Master's | 30 | |||
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | University of North Texas | Master's | Machine Learning | 33 | ||
| Master of Science in Engineering in Artificial Intelligence (MSE-AI Online) | University of Pennsylvania | Master's | Deep Learning | $38,590 | ||
| Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence (Online) | University of San Diego | Master's | 30 | $995 | $29,850 | |
| Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Master's | ||||
| Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | West Virginia University | Master's | 30 | $805 | $24,150 | |
| Online Master of Science in Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning | Western Governors University | Master's | ||||
| Master of Health Science in Medical Artificial Intelligence | Yale University | Master's | $51,100 | |||
| Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online Option) | Angelo State University | Bachelor's | ||||
| Online Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | Bachelor's | 120 | |||
| Online Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | Bachelor's | 183 | |||
| Artificial Intelligence in Organizations, BS | Dakota State University | Bachelor's | 120 | $374 | $44,856 | |
| Artificial Intelligence, BS | Dakota State University | Bachelor's | 120 | $374 | $44,856 | |
| Computer Science Bachelor of Science Completion Program, Artificial Intelligence Concentration | Full Sail University | Bachelor's | Deep Learning | |||
| Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online Option) | Grand Canyon University | Bachelor's | 120 | $490 | $58,800 | |
| Online Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence | Indiana University-Bloomington | Bachelor's | 120 | |||
| Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Indiana University-Indianapolis | Bachelor's | ||||
| Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Concentration in Artificial Intelligence | South College | Bachelor's | 184.5 | |||
| Online Bachelor of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Bachelor's | 120 | $565 | $67,800 | |
| Artificial Intelligence (B.S.) | University of Advancing Technology | Bachelor's | Deep Learning | 120 | ||
| Online Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence | University of Maryland Global Campus | Bachelor's | Strategy and Applications | 120 | $499 | $59,880 |
| Online Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering | Western Governors University | Bachelor's | ||||
| Artificial Intelligence Engineer | Wayne Community College | Associate | Machine Learning | 65 | $268 | $17,420 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Artificial Intelligence | Capitol Technology University | Doctorate | Strategy and Applications | 60 | $980 | $58,800 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Machine Learning | Capitol Technology University | Doctorate | Machine Learning | 60 | $980 | $58,800 |
How We Counted Online AI Degrees by Course Title
Sources and dates. Every figure comes from the official program page of each school, read between September 30 and October 1, 2026. The set is the 120 online programs from 67 schools on this site. 60 programs from 37 schools list course titles; those 60 make up the course-tier counts.
Course tier rule. A program is "deep learning" if any course title it names contains "deep learning" or "neural network". It is "machine learning" if no title names deep learning but one contains "machine learning" or "ML". It is "strategy and applications" if it lists titles and none match. We read titles only. A course called "AI Methods and Models" may teach machine learning and still sits in that group.
What the titles are. The lists are the courses a school names on its program page, not a full catalog. A program that lists four titles may require ten courses. Treat the figures as "names a course" and not "has no course".
Cost. Cost per credit and total tuition are the school's published figures and are counted only where one exists (68 programs for cost per credit, 91 for total tuition). Medians use those programs only, and each n appears beside the figure.
Prerequisites. We scanned admission text for calculus, linear algebra, probability, statistics and math proficiency, and for Python, Java, SQL, programming or data structures. Clauses that only list acceptable degree fields, and clauses that say a background is not required, were not counted as prerequisites. "Any background" counts programs that say any degree field or no technical background is needed.
Duplicates. Each program is one row, so schools with several certificates, such as Old Dominion, appear several times. The data holds no launch years, so this report does not compare older and newer programs.
Cite This Report
Use this citation and link back to the report page.
Rupe, T. (2026, October 6). What Online AI Degrees Teach: Course Analysis of 60 Programs. Online AI Degree. https://onlineaidegree.com/reports/what-online-ai-degrees-teach/
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