For an online degree, probably not much difference. Laptops, being portable, are great for students AT a college or university. But online students would not benefit.

Some advantages a desktop might have:

1. Easily open the case to learn about the innards.

2. Gernerally more upgradeable than a laptop.

3. Usually more disk space.

4. Usually able to boot multiple operating systems from different devices. (Could be useful for learning the different OSes, etc.)

Good luck to you!

It would be faster and cheaper to start with your A+ cert and start doing helpdesk. You will have to start there anyway.

Noone will hire someone who just has their CIS.