Technical schools provide an opportunity to start your studies for a robotics career with an associate's degree in electronics or computer technology. Generally, these are commuter schools, so the cost of attending is significantly less than for a traditional university. After you've obtained an associate's degree, you may be able to continue at the same school to obtain your bachelor's degree or you may need to transfer to complete your undergraduate studies. DeVry University and ITT Technical Institute both offer associate's and bachelor's degrees.
According to the website Degree Directory, undergraduate programs in robotics are relatively rare. Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh offers a robotics minor, which is generally combined with a mechanical or electrical engineering degree. Carnegie Mellon also offers a five-year combined bachelor's and master's degree program. Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts offers the first undergraduate Robotics Engineering degree.
Other schools are more focused on graduate programs. For example, the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania in Pennsylvania offers five master's programs and a Ph.D program. Another example is the University of Utah's Mechanical Engineering School of Computing, which offers two tracks -- a master's degree and a Ph.D. in computing and robotics or a master's and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and robotics.
Although there isn't a completely online robotics engineering degree, you can pursue a degree in electrical or mechanical engineering to prepare for a robotics career. All levels of engineering study are available, from undergraduate to Ph.D. For example, DeVry University offers both traditional and online degrees. Grantham University also offers an online bachelor's degree in engineering.