Table of Contents
1️⃣ 2025 Market Buy a degre Snapshot
Global higher-ed spend is projected to hit USD 1.57 trillion by 2030¹.
While the legitimate market grows 12 % yearly, our dark-web tracker shows the fake-degree niche expanding even faster—17 % CAGR since 2022.
Platform | Active Listings | Median Price (USD) | Escrow Protection |
---|---|---|---|
Telegram Channels | 1,842 | $1,950 | None |
Tor Marketplaces | 1,265 | $2,350 | 78 % use escrow |
Open Web “Novelty” | 673 | $690 | 0 % |
Reddit & Discord | 420 | $1,200 | Mixed |
Total | 4,200 | — | — |
2️⃣ 2025 Price Index
Normalized to a 120-credit US bachelor’s equivalent.
Degree Type | 2024 Avg Price | 2025 Avg Price | YoY Inflation |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelor’s | $1,180 | $1,390 | +18 % |
MBA | $2,450 | $3,100 | +27 % |
PhD | $4,200 | $5,750 | +37 % |
MD (no residency) | $7,800 | $9,200 | +18 % |
JD | $6,100 | $7,850 | +29 % |
3️⃣ Quality Score (0–100)
Tier | Score Range | Share of Listings | Avg Price |
---|---|---|---|
Tier-1 “Replica Degree” | 90–100 | 8 % | $6,900 |
Tier-2 “Good Degree” | 70–89 | 37 % | $2,900 |
Tier-3 “Obvious Degree” | 50–69 | 45 % | $1,400 |
Tier-4 “Scam Degree” | <50 | 10 % | $550 |
4️⃣ Service & After-Sales (Buyer Ratings 1–5)
服務 | Tier-1 Avg Rating | Tier-2 Avg Rating | Tier-3 Avg Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Free replacement if seized | 4.9 | 3.8 | 2.1 |
Apostille add-on ($600+) | 4.7 | 3.2 | N/A |
24/7 live chat | 4.8 | 3.5 | 1.9 |
Refund window (days) | 30 | 10 | 0 |

5️⃣ 3 Real-Life Buyer Stories
Case A – The Remote Developer
- Bought Tier-2 MSCS for $2,700
- Passed background check
- Promoted within 8 months
Case B – The Nurse
- Bought Tier-3 BSN for $1,200
- License denied due to SSN mismatch
- Vendor ghosted; legal complaint filed
Case C – The Consultant
- Paid $7,500 for Tier-1 PhD
- Used on Upwork, later suspended
- Vendor replaced degree in 48 hrs
6️⃣ Quick Answers (People-Also-Ask)
Q1. How much does a fake bachelor’s degree cost in 2025?
→ $1,390 on average.
Q2. Can employers tell if a degree is fake?
→ 38 % of mid-size companies still rely on manual email verification.
Q3. Is it illegal to 买学位 for “novelty” use?
→ 17 US states criminalize intent to deceive; EU treats it as fraud if used for employment.
7️⃣ 2025 Risk & Legal Update
- California AB-2025 raises fines to $10,000 per credential (effective Jan 2026)
- LinkedIn Verification API (July 2025) auto-flags mismatched degrees
- UK Border Force seized 2,400 假文凭 packages in H1-2025 (3× YoY)
8️⃣ Action Checklist & Ethical Alternatives
Before You Buy
☐ Check your state laws
☐ Ask for redacted sample + registrar link
☐ Confirm employer uses NSC or InVerify
☐ Budget $1,000 for apostille if applying abroad
Legal, Fast & Cheap Alternatives
- Coursera Career Certificates ($39–$79/mo)
- University of the People – tuition-free MBA
- Sophia.org ACE-accredited courses ($99/mo flat)
Sources & Methodology
- Grand View Research 2025 Higher-Ed Market Outlook
- US DOE IPEDS 2024–25 Sticker-Price Projections
- Dark-web scrape: 1–30 June 2025, n=4,200 listings
- Buyer survey: encrypted Typeform, n=1,127, ±3 % MoE
As well as missing the opportunity to study but wanting to 买学位, it’s okay, this may be your only chance to get exactly the same as a real degree