Best Online Colleges

Over the past 10 years, online schools have evolved significantly so that many are now accredited and even offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. Because there are so many schools to choose from, it’s difficult to tell which are considered to be among the best. So let’s take a look at what many consider to be the top 10 schools based on curriculum, faculty and the overall educational experience.

1. Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University was ranked by the Online Education Database (OEDb) as the #1 school for online studies in the country based on eight criteria, including acceptance rate, financial aid, graduation rate, peer Web citations, retention rate, scholarly citations, student-faculty ratio and years accredited. NSU was also listed on Princeton Review’s list of The Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, making it a top choice for students looking to study online.

2. Regent University

Regent University was established in 1978 as one of the nation’s academic centers for Christian thought and action. But in recent years, the school added an online component that is now recognized as one of the best in the country. Receiving a high ranking with OEDb for its quality educational opportunities, students have access to over 70 graduate and undergraduate degree-seeking opportunities.

3. Champlain College

Champlain College was established in 1878; however, its online component has been added within the past 15 years. Since that time, the school has excelled as an online institution and now offers a number of certificate and degree programs, including internet marketing, forensic accounting, healthcare management, criminal justice and health informatics.

4. Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa University is an accredited institution widely-recognized for its quality education. It is just as well known for its flexible options for students of all types, both traditional and non-traditional. Currently, the school offers 17 majors in post-secondary degree programs that available to learners worldwide, along with five certificate programs and three master’s degree programs. Studies include business, computers and IT, health and medicine, nursing, social sciences and criminal justice.

5. Walden University

Walden University has been around for over 35 years and has made major contributions in online education. Recently, the university merged with National Technological University and has made it a practice of recruiting world-class scholars for faculty to make the online experience top-notch for students.

6. Liberty University

Ranked #6 on OEDb’s list of top online colleges, Liberty University has become one of the most recognized schools for online education and is currently the largest evangelical university in the world. The school currently has 20,000 students enrolled from 50 states and seven countries and offers very reasonable tuition. Not to mention that the course selection is vast, ranging from criminal justice, psychology and nursing to business, education and religion.

7. Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University has made an undeniable impression in the online education realm, which is why it holds a rank as one of the top online colleges in the country according to OEDb. The school offers a number of online undergraduate programs, as well as distinctive MBA programs offered through the Ken Blanchard College of Business. There are also graduate degrees available in education and public safety. The options are endless, which is why so many students decide to attend this online school.

8. University of Phoenix

The University of Phoenix is perhaps the most well-known online university in the country, offering students well-rounded access to dozens of programs at the associates, bachelors, masters and Ph.D. levels. Currently, it is one of the world’s largest universities with over 300,000 students. Because it is so expansive and also accredited, it is well respected by employers of all disciplines.

9. Kaplan University

Kaplan is another popular choice among online universities and is ranked in the top 25 of the best colleges in the nation according to OEDb. The campus has been in existence since 1937; however, the online component is more recent. Of course, this hasn’t stopped it from making its mark in this realm. With dozens of online accredited programs to take advantage of, students get their money’s worth and more at Kaplan.

10. Everest University Online

Everest’s educational system includes Everest Institute, Everest College and Everest University, through which you can take online classes and obtain associates, bachelors and masters degrees. One reason that the school system is so popular is that it allows students who work full time to take classes at their leisure and on their own schedule. With over a dozen accredited programs to take advantage, it’s no wonder that Everest made OEDb’s list of the top online schools.