Best Online Colleges for 2017

Each year, a growing number of students choose to take college and university courses online. According to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 5.75 million students ― more than 25% of the nation’s collegiate population ― enrolled in distance-learning courses in the fall of 2014. More than 2.8 million of the 5.75 million students enrolled exclusively in online courses. Online learning programs offer students the opportunity to earn a degree from an accredited institution while maintaining other responsibilities. The online format is ideal for students with childcare duties and full-time jobs. With many web-based options available, it’s important to choose the school that best meets your educational and career goals.
Affordability is a major factor for many college students. During the 2014-15 academic year, the average student attending a four-year university paid more than $25,000 in annual tuition and other college-related expenses. Commuting and room-and-board are not common expenses for online students, but four years of coursework still adds up to a significant investment.
Unsurprisingly, many students prioritize affordability when they begin their college search. And as online education gains even greater prominence, many cost-conscious students begin by looking for the cheapest online colleges in terms of tuition costs. It’s a fair place to start, considering how much students save by foregoing room and board and commuting costs.
There is a critical difference between ‘affordable’ online colleges and ‘cheap’ online colleges. The list below attempts to distinguish the former from the latter. Our new College Affordability Score takes several factors into account, including tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students, financial aid opportunities, four-year graduation rates, median graduate salary, and student loan default rates. Based on those factors, we have created a list of online colleges and universities that offer robust educational programs at the lowest overall cost to students. The results of our ranking are detailed in the school profiles below.

University of Florida

Based in Gainesville, University of Florida is a renowned public university, consistently ranked as one of the top in the nation. UF is also one of the best value colleges in the country, as 56% of students graduate with no student loan debt. The school is a recent entrant into online education -- Florida launched its online platform in 2014 -- but UF has already established itself as one of the most affordable online colleges in the region. Undergraduates can choose from a range of online degree programs, from biology and business administration to nursing and sports management.

Brigham Young University-Idaho

BYU-Idaho was founded in 1888 in association with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Known as Ricks College until 2001, BYU-I changed its name when it became a four-year university. The school offers 11 online bachelor’s programs, including healthcare administration, software engineering, and web design. Striving to keep faith-based higher education affordable for all students, BYU-I is one of the cheapest online colleges in Idaho and the country, offering affordable tuition and several financial aid opportunities. For students who want the convenience of online education without sacrificing a sense of campus community, the school maintains active community resources, including social media, a large alumni network, and weekly online devotionals that students can listen to or watch.

 Utah State University

With more than 28,000 students, USU is one of the largest universities in the state. The school has offered distance education programs in some form for more than a century, and it’s no surprise that USU earns praise as one of the best and cheapest online colleges in the region. Forbes has ranked the school as the second-best value in the West, and annual tuition at USU is half as expensive as comparably ranked schools. Online students at USU can pursue one of seven undergraduate degrees, including liberal arts, economics, family life studies, and psychology. The school also offers a range of online minors, such as folklore, history, and gender studies.

Appalachian State University

Built on a sprawling campus in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, ASU has upheld a commitment to environmental sustainability and diverse education since its founding in 1899. ASU has been ranked as a top value college by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, and the school is also one of the most affordable online colleges in the region. Online undergraduate degrees at ASU are offered as degree completion programs, providing upper level coursework for students who have already completed an associate degree. Students with an associate from any accredited North Carolina Community College can transfer their credits seamlessly, while those transferring from other institutions can have their credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis.