As the cost of a formal college degree continues to skyrocket, more and more people are on the hunt for alternatives. Support for education remains popular, but the institutions that charge tens of thousands per year are not. Thanks to the availability of self-learning websites on the internet, finding a college-level education for a lower price is easier than one might think.

Ironically, some of the best self-learning resources are the free courses offered by universities. The same universities that charge obscene amounts for a formal degree are giving some of their resources away for free. Aggregate sites like Coursera also collect the best courses among universities for easy selection. Beyond formal higher learning institutions, the field of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) is growing in size. Courses such as those found on LinkedIn Learning are free for anyone to enroll in. Additionally, tools for self learning include Codecademy and SkillShare.

The knowledge is out there! The trick is acquiring in a way that employers and peers will acknowledge. Many of the resources listed above do provide certification for a low cost, and companies as famous as Tesla are coming around to the idea that a college degree is not required for every job. After certification concerns, the most important part of self-taught education is finishing it well. Here are some tips to keep on course: minimize distractions by working in a quiet place, remind yourself why you want to learn, and set goals you can achieve with reasonable effort.

The need for alternatives to college education isn’t only felt among young adults. People of all ages can benefit from continuing education. Of those surveyed, 42% of Americans use free online resources to retrain for work. Maintaining a modern education is the key to staying employable in the current economy.

Learn more about how to get a college level education online for free in the infographic below:

Source: CollegeCliffs