Coursera Pricing – Is it worth paying for this course

In recent years, the popularity of online learning has boomed. More of us are looking for flexible and remote ways to work and learn, so what better way than to enroll in an online course? 

If you’ve ever considered remote learning, you’ve probably come across Coursera. Coursera is one of the most popular online learning platforms in the world, with over 92 million users currently enrolled.

However, if you want to get accredited, you’ll have to pay to learn with Coursera. So, how much can you expect to pay to study, and is Coursera pricing worth it? 

What Is Coursera? 

Coursera is a renowned online learning platform that’s open to anyone.

Whether you want to study a short course, gain a certificate, or earn your degree, you can study online with Coursera and be tutored by registered instructors and professionals across the world. 

Coursera has partnered with over 275 universities and companies to offer its students high-quality, flexible, and relevant courses, and you’ll need no previous experience to enroll.

Some of Coursera’s biggest partners include Google, Yale, Imperial College London, IBM, and the University of Michigan. 

Although you’ll have to pay to study most Coursera courses, they also offer plenty of free courses, and users can even get started with a free trial.

Although it’s open to everyone, Coursera also has a few dedicated plans, including Coursera for Business, Coursera for Campus, and Coursera for Government, to help businesses, governments, and institutions build their hiring ecosystems, upskill and reskill, and open new career paths for their students and employees. 

Coursera: Course Information

If you’re considering studying with Coursera, you’ll have plenty of free and paid courses to choose from. To date, Coursera provides courses in the following areas: 

• Data Science: 425 Courses
• Business: 1095 Courses
• Computer Science: 668 Courses 
• Health: 471 Courses 
• Social Sciences: 401 Courses
• Personal Development: 137 Courses 
• Arts and Humanities: 338 Courses 
• Physical Science and Engineering: 413 Courses
• Language Learning: 150 Courses 
• Information Technology: 145 Courses 
• Math and Logic: 70 Courses 

According to the Coursera Impact Report (2020), around 87% of students learning for professional development experience career benefits such as promotions, a raise, and even go on to start new careers. 

The Coursera Learning Experience 

So, you’re considering learning with Coursera. What exactly does the learning process look like, and what should you expect from your Coursera course? 

Like most other learning platforms, Coursera provides its students with plenty of comprehensive video content to get them started.

Most of your modules will be broken down into comprehensive videos featuring quizzes, informational sheets, and assignments to help you consolidate your knowledge. 

Perhaps best of all, most Coursera courses are self-paced, so you can dip in and out of your studies when you like.

This makes Coursera a popular option for professionals looking to gain extra accreditations in their free time with minimal commitment.

So, although your course may have a suggested schedule and deadline, these are not strictly enforced.

Following the guidelines can help add some structure to your learning journey, but it can also be molded to suit you. 

All video lectures are pre-recorded, so you won’t have to attend any video lectures in real time.

You can also benefit from student discussion forums where you can share your ideas and experiences with other students and get extra help from your peers. 

How Much Does Coursera Cost? 

Although there are plenty of free courses available with Coursera, most courses will cost. But how much can you expect to pay when you study with Coursera? Let’s take a closer look at their pricing plans below. 

Coursera’s pricing plans vary between courses, and they offer several learning options, including specializations, professional certificates, guided projects, subscriptions, full degrees, and more. 

Here’s a more comprehensive breakdown of Coursera pricing:

Guided Projects 

Coursera started offering guided projects in 2020 – these projects give learners a chance to engage in practical projects which demonstrate their skills to employers.

Hands-on projects can include using applications such as Google Sheets for business. 

Guided projects can take learners around 2 hours to complete, and they’re mostly offered for specialties such as data science or computer science. 

Although 94 of these courses are free to study, most start at around $9.99. The price for guided projects can go much higher; for more information, check out the Coursera website.

Specializations 

Specializations are a series of courses (between 3-10) that focus on helping students master a specific skill.

Specializations are usually offered for specific business applications like Python, and like all other courses, they’re entirely self-paced. 

To study a specialization, you’ll have to enter a subscription and pay $39 a month. These specializations can take up to 6 months to complete, depending on the length of the course.

If you’re studying a specialization for the first time, you can start a one-week free trial and cancel at any time or before the trial ends if you decide this option isn’t right for you.

Once you complete your specialization, you’ll get an accredited certificate to share with your employers or your learning institution.  

Professional Certificates 

Next up, we have professional certificates. These work in a similar way to specializations, and you’ll have to enter a subscription of $39 a month to study.

You’ll also need to prepare to commit to your studies for up to 6 months, depending on the length of the course. 

Like specializations, you’ll get a one-week free trial to try out your studies, and you can cancel at any time if you need to. 

With these courses, the quicker you study, the less you pay – so, if your course is only three months long, you’ll pay less than you would for a 6-month course.

So, if you want to save cash, choose a shorter course or study for more hours in the week.  

MasterTrack Certificates 

Now we have MasterTrack certificates. These certificates are usually offered by partner universities, and you’ll receive an accredited certificate to go towards your degree once you’ve finished. 

Most students need to commit between 4-7 months to study for a MastertTrack certificate, and they’ll cost you more than our other options.

MasterTrack certificates start at around $2,000, and you’ll have plenty of payment options to choose from, including one-off payments or payment plans – whatever your budget, you can find a plan to suit your needs. 

Note: MasterTrack courses have limited spaces, so you’ll need to enroll in your studies as soon as possible to get a space. 

Degrees

Last but not least, we have degrees. If you want to earn your degree, you can choose to do it through Coursera, where you’ll benefit from fully-remote, flexible, and self-paced learning.

Studying your degree through Coursera can often be cheaper than enrolling with a specific institution, too. 

Note: Degrees can require much longer commitments, with many taking between 2-7 years to complete. You’ll be able to choose from Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs, and each Coursera degree is partnered with a leading university across the world. Some of Coursera’s most renowned universities are based in both America and the UK. 

Coursera Memberships 

You can also choose a Coursera membership, such as Coursera plus, to study with. Let’s take a brief look at these memberships below. 

Coursera Plus 

With Coursera plus, you’ll pay $59 a month to access unlimited courses. If you want to study more than one course at a time, this is a great option for you.

Most students realistically aren’t able to enroll in more than five courses at a time due to time constraints, but if you’re considering more than one, this may be the most cost-effective option. 

Coursera Business

The business plan is designed for teams and businesses. If you’re a business owner, you can buy a Coursera membership for your employees and allow them to take courses at any time. The two Coursera business plans are: 

Coursera Enterprise 

Enterprise plans are for institutions with more than 125 users. Prices are tailored to an organization’s needs, so for more information, contact Coursera directly. 

Coursera Team Plan 

With the team plan, you’ll pay almost $400 per user per year, and you can buy this plan for between 5-125 users.

You can access unlimited courses at any time to help your employees reskill, upskill, and feel empowered. 

The Bottom Line 

Coursera is one of the world’s leading online platforms.

Although there are plenty of free courses available, you can also enroll in plenty of paid courses, including full degrees, to help you excel in your education or professional opportunities. 

Coursera is open to students of all abilities and all ages, meaning there’s something for everyone, regardless of their skills or ambitions. 

Whether you want to study for fun or gain an accredited degree or certificate to enhance your career, Coursera has plenty of affordable options for learners at all levels. So, what are you waiting for? Start your Coursera journey today!