Google career certificates are no longer just an alternative to college — they’re also now a way for college students to boost their earning potential, while lowering the cost of obtaining a degree.

The challenge: On average, people with bachelor’s degrees earn $27,000 more per year than people whose highest level of education is a high school diploma.

However, students can expect to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars per year earning their degrees through a traditional four-year program, and about two-thirds of students end up taking out loans to help pay that cost.