Kaplan University Transfer (Career & ROI Guide)
Kaplan University coursework may transfer to Purdue Global, but no course is guaranteed to count toward a current degree. Request an official, course-by-course review and a written degree plan before enrolling. Then compare your remaining credits, time, and total cost with the career requirements and likely earnings for your target occupation.
Student debt makes that check important. The Federal Reserve reported $1.77 trillion in U.S. student loan debt in the fourth quarter of 2024. That national figure does not predict what you will owe, but it shows why transfer students should focus on the cost still ahead, not just the money already spent.
Kaplan University became Purdue University Global in 2018. That history does not mean old Kaplan courses automatically meet today’s Purdue Global degree requirements. Your transcript, course content, target program, and current rules all matter. I look at transfer plans as both an academic question and a financial one: How much of the degree will your prior study actually replace, and what will it take to finish?
Purdue Global Admissions and Transfer-Credit Evaluation
A transfer-credit evaluation is the school’s formal review of your prior courses and other eligible learning. It identifies what may count toward a chosen program. It is not the same as admission, and accepted credit may not satisfy a specific major requirement.
Start by choosing a target program. Transfer decisions depend on what you plan to study, so an evaluation without a specific degree may not tell you how much work remains. Ask Purdue Global for its current process and the documents needed for an official review.
Gather your Kaplan transcript and records from every other college you attended. If course titles or descriptions do not show what you learned, ask whether the school will review syllabi or course descriptions. Include relevant licenses or other records only if the program says they may be considered.
Purdue Global’s published undergraduate policy generally allows transfer credit to cover up to 75% of a bachelor’s degree. Treat that as a ceiling, not a promise. The school must evaluate each course, and program rules can limit how credit applies. A course may be accepted but count only as an elective, or it may not match a required course at all.
Ask for a written review that shows each decision and its effect on the degree. Then ask an adviser to confirm the current catalog year, remaining requirements, and expected course sequence. Keep a copy: it is the basis for comparing cost and completion time.
| Ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Course-by-course transfer results | Shows which prior courses are accepted |
| Degree audit or program plan | Shows whether credits meet specific degree requirements |
| Remaining credit count | Helps estimate tuition and time still needed |
| Residency and major-course rules | Identifies work that must be completed at Purdue Global |
| Review of missing records | Shows whether syllabi or other documents could help |
General undergraduate admission is not governed by one universal GPA cutoff for every applicant and program. Requirements may differ by program and background. Confirm current prerequisites, transcripts, and any selective-admission rules before applying. If the evaluation depends on documents you have not yet sent, ask what is still needed and whether the result may change.
Degree Curriculum, Prerequisites, and Completion Requirements
A degree audit is a map of the courses and other requirements you still need to complete. It should show how accepted credit fits the current program, not just how many credits transferred. Use that map to estimate the real workload, cost, and time to graduation.
Read the audit requirement by requirement. Look for general education, major courses, electives, and any upper-division work. Upper-division courses are advanced courses, often tied closely to a major. A transfer course may be valid college credit yet fail to replace one of these specific requirements.
Check residency rules, which set how much study you must complete through the degree-granting school. Also ask about prerequisites and course sequencing. A prerequisite is a course or other condition you must meet before taking a later course. If required courses run in a fixed order or are offered at limited times, your completion date may be later than a simple credit count suggests.
For programs tied to a regulated job, review clinical, lab, internship, capstone, or licensing requirements. These can affect both timing and cost. Program accreditation and institutional accreditation are different checks: confirm the school’s current status in the Higher Learning Commission directory, then verify any separate program accreditation or state licensing rules that matter for your career.
Before you commit, ask for a plan that answers these questions:
- Which accepted courses meet named degree requirements?
- Which courses count only as electives, if any?
- How many courses must be taken at Purdue Global?
- Are there prerequisites, labs, clinical hours, or field placements?
- What is the expected course sequence and completion range?
- Could a change in program or catalog year affect the evaluation?
How to read a transfer result
A simple total can hide important limits. Suppose a review accepts many credits, but several apply only as electives. If you still need most major courses and all required in-residence work, the number of accepted credits may not cut your time as much as expected.
This is why I focus on “credits applied to the degree,” not just “credits accepted.” Ask the adviser to distinguish the two in writing. If the plan changes after you enroll, request an updated audit before making a financial decision.
Academic Success, Student Support, and Online Learning Experience
Online study can offer scheduling flexibility, but it still takes regular study time, reliable access to course materials, and a plan for asking questions. Before enrolling, learn how your program is taught and what support is available. Do not assume online means self-paced or easy to fit around work.
Ask how courses are organized, when assignments are due, and whether classes have set start dates or live sessions. Confirm how to contact instructors and academic advisers, and what help is available for writing, tutoring, technology, and career planning. Ask whether services differ by program or student status.
Make a realistic weekly schedule before you register. Include work, family care, travel, and time for reading and assignments. If your program includes clinical work, labs, internships, or other in-person requirements, confirm where they take place and how you arrange them. Those details can affect your ability to finish on time.
Review satisfactory academic progress, or SAP, before using financial aid. SAP is the school’s standard for maintaining aid eligibility, often based on measures such as grades and pace of completion. Read Purdue Global’s current policy and ask how withdrawals, repeated courses, or a change in enrollment could affect your status. Prior aid eligibility does not guarantee future aid.
A low-risk next step is to speak with an adviser and a current student or graduate from the same program, if you can. Ask practical questions about course workload, support response times, and required placements. Treat personal accounts as useful context, not as proof of typical results.
Career Pathways, Employment Outcomes, and Degree ROI
Return on investment, or ROI, compares the cost of education with its possible financial and career benefits. For a transfer student, the useful figure is the remaining cost to finish—not the full sticker price or the money already spent. Career value also depends on whether the program meets the requirements of your target job.
First, identify the occupation you want and the credential it requires. Some roles require a specific degree, license, or exam; others may value experience or skills more than a particular major. Check current job postings and the relevant state licensing board where needed. For wage and job outlook context, use the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, while remembering that national figures are not personal salary forecasts.
Then calculate the cost still ahead. Include tuition, required fees, books, equipment, travel, and any likely licensing or certification costs. Subtract grants or employer support only after confirming eligibility and renewal terms. Review your aid offer and net-price estimate, and use the current federal school code listed by Purdue Global when completing the FAFSA. Aid eligibility and renewal depend on current rules and your circumstances.
| Scenario | What to calculate | Decision question |
|---|---|---|
| Many credits apply to required courses | Remaining tuition, fees, and terms | Does the shorter plan reduce cost and time? |
| Many credits count only as electives | Major courses still required, plus residency | Is the program still competitive with alternatives? |
| A license or clinical placement is required | Tuition plus placement and exam costs | Can you meet the rules in your state and schedule? |
| Employer help may be available | Confirmed contribution and conditions | Does support depend on staying with the employer? |
Here is a planning example, not an actual student outcome. A transfer student receives a written plan showing which Kaplan courses meet requirements and which do not. The student totals the remaining courses and fees, checks the expected sequence, and compares that figure with two other accredited programs. If one option accepts more credits but still requires the same major courses and time, the higher transfer-credit count alone is not a reason to choose it.
For a simple comparison, calculate:
Remaining education cost = tuition and required fees + books, equipment, travel, and required career costs − confirmed grants and employer support.
Next, compare that total with expected completion time and the job’s credential rules. Consider borrowing separately. Divide expected annual student debt payments by realistic annual earnings after graduation to estimate a debt-to-income burden. Use conservative earnings assumptions and include the possibility of delayed employment. This ratio is a planning tool, not a guarantee of affordability or employment.
I also compare more than one outcome. Check current wages for the target occupation and location, entry requirements, and job openings. BLS data can offer national or regional context, while College Scorecard may help compare reported outcomes by school or program where data are available. Measures differ, and neither source can promise what a particular graduate will earn.
A Step-by-Step Plan Before You Enroll
A transfer decision is strongest when you can trace it from transcript to degree plan to budget. Follow the same order each time: define the career goal, confirm the program rules, price the remaining work, and then decide whether the expected benefit fits your needs and risk level.
- Prepare your records. Collect Kaplan and other college transcripts, course descriptions or syllabi, and relevant licenses. Make a list of programs that may lead to your target occupation.
- Request an official evaluation. Choose a specific Purdue Global program and ask for a course-by-course review. Confirm whether more documents are needed.
- Check degree fit. Get a current degree audit. Separate credits accepted from credits applied to requirements, and note residency, prerequisites, and any clinical or licensing conditions.
- Build a full budget. Estimate remaining tuition, fees, materials, and career-related costs. Review aid, SAP, employer support, and the rules for keeping aid.
- Compare alternatives. Ask other accredited schools to evaluate the same records for a similar program. Compare total remaining cost, time, program requirements, and career fit.
- Save the evidence. Keep the evaluation, audit, catalog details, aid offer, and adviser answers. Recheck them if you change program or if your start date is delayed.
The main warning is straightforward: transfer acceptance is not the same as degree progress. Enroll only after you understand which courses count, what remains, and what the full path is likely to cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Kaplan University become Purdue Global?
Yes. Kaplan University became Purdue University Global in 2018. That history does not make every Kaplan course automatically equivalent to a current Purdue Global course.
Will all my Kaplan credits transfer?
No. Purdue Global must evaluate your records, and program requirements can affect how credits apply. Request an official review for your chosen degree.
Can transfer credit cover 75% of a bachelor’s degree?
Purdue Global’s published undergraduate policy generally allows up to 75% through transfer credit. This is a maximum, not a guarantee that your courses will qualify or meet specific requirements.
What documents should I send?
Start with official transcripts from Kaplan and every other college. Ask whether course descriptions, syllabi, or other records are needed to review specific classes.
Does accepted credit always shorten my degree?
No. A course may be accepted but apply only as an elective, or fail to meet a required major course. Review the degree audit and remaining course sequence.
Is Purdue Global institutionally accredited?
Purdue Global is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Check the HLC directory for current status, and separately confirm any program accreditation or licensing rules relevant to your career.
How do I estimate the cost of finishing?
Use the written degree plan to count remaining courses, then add tuition, fees, books, equipment, travel, and required career costs. Subtract only aid or employer support you have confirmed.
Will my prior financial aid carry over?
Do not assume it will. Review current aid eligibility, SAP rules, renewal terms, and your aid offer with Purdue Global’s financial aid office.
How can I tell whether a degree is worth the cost?
Compare remaining cost and completion time with the job’s actual credential requirements and relevant wage data. Use BLS and College Scorecard as context, not as a promise of personal earnings.
What should I do if the transfer result seems wrong?
Ask which course requirement was not met and whether a syllabus or other record could support another review. Request the explanation and any revised degree plan in writing.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Benjamin Carter. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
