A career in the medical industry is a great choice. Those careers are hit less during a recession- because people will still need to see doctors. Medical transcription is also a good choice, especially if you are wanting to work from home.

I do know that Career Step takes payments. I think they will split your tuition into 4 payments. Their course is about $1700 I think. They are an excellent medical transcription school. They are AHDI approved and the partner with top employers in the medical transcription industry. (Which is good because when employers see Career Step on your resume, they will know that you got quality training!) They can even help you in your job search if you get their platinum course.

I found a link to a demo of their course that may be worth checking out. Then you can see what their course is like! http://www.careerstep.com/demo-mt/?uid=a1403

Good luck!

I think you have thought this through very well and have weighed your options appropriately. My best recommendation would be to contact a number of colleges to find the best fit for you and your needs (tuition, schedule, career opportunities, etc.). Too often people enroll in the first school they find rather than taking the time to find the best school for them. Taking that time now could save you a lot of time, money and frustration if you choose the wrong school.
This site has some good info on regionally accredited online degree programs in the medical field and some colleges that offer them to help expand your search:
http://www.ecollegefinder.org/online-health-care-management-bachelors-degrees.aspx
I think you can enter your info on there for any colleges you are interested in and they will send you more info for free. Good Luck!