Picking the right school and the right program can be tricky. All online colleges are not created equal. Some won’t accept credits transferred from other schools. Others are not accredited at all. You could spend the time and money to take classes only to find out later that you can’t use the credits to get the degree you want at the school you were accepted to or that your employer won’t recognize a degree because it’s from the wrong program.
20 Cheapest Regionally Accredited Online Colleges
| School Name | Accrediting Agency | Annual Tuition (2019) |
| Lone Star College System | SACS COC | $5,564 |
| United States University | WSCUC | $6,480 |
| Western Governors University | NWCCU | $6,670 |
| American Public University System | HLC | $7,324 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | SACS COC | $7,490 |
| Minot State University | HLC | $7,592 |
| Delta State University | SACS COC | $7,671 |
| Bellevue University | HLC | $7,851 |
| Iowa Central Community College | HLC | $8,200 |
| Western Carolina University | SACS COC | $8,277 |
| Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | HLC | $8,290 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | HLC | $8,379 |
| Colorado State University Global | HLC | $8,400 |
| Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | HLC | $8,448 |
| Waldorf University | HLC | $8,700 |
| Nicholls State University | SACS COC | $8,991 |
| Trident at AIU | WSCUC | $9,240 |
| Jackson State University | SACS COC | $9,445 |
| West Texas A&M University | SACS COC | $9,541 |
| University of Phoenix | HLC | $9,552 |
When choosing a college, it is essential to find one with great teachers and a program that gives you the education you want. However, expensive colleges will leave you with a mountain of debt that won’t be easy to get rid of any time soon. The following colleges are some of the cheapest around but that doesn’t mean they have skimped on quality. With a host of programs to choose from, there is something here for everyone.
Great Basin College
This online college has an institutional and specialized accreditation through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With tuition at $2,805 a year, it’s no wonder it was rated as the most affordable online college available by SR Education Group. Their list of available fully online programs includes early childhood development, land surveying, graphic communications, and RN-BSN.
Brigham Young University – Idaho
This non-profit college is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Although it is run by the LDS, it accepts both LDS and non-LDS students. They offer 350 online courses with seven online associate degrees and eleven bachelor’s degrees. This school also received an institutional accreditation with eight programs getting specialized accreditation as well. Tuition is around $3830 per year, making them an affordable option for the more conservative college applicant.
The University of Texas of the Permian Basi
With tuition at $5,250 a year and an institutionalized accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, UT of Permian Basin is an excellent choice for the online learner. In addition to their institutional accreditation, they also received specialized accreditation for at least eight of their programs, including a bachelor of arts or music, education, nursing, and social work. They even have some degrees that can be earned in as little as eight weeks.
Self-Paced Regionally Accredited Online Colleges
Many people today need flexibility in their school schedules for many reasons, including working full time while in school and raising a family. Self-paced regionally accredited online colleges offer lenient courses designed so that busy people can finish their degree without the stress of inconvenient class times, group projects, and driving to campus every day.
Thomas Edison State University
Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate, TESU has an online course that will cater to your needs and busy lifestyle. With more than 100 areas of study and the ability to get an associate or a bachelor’s degree, TESU has the self-paced courses to take your career to the next level on your time.
Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College is regionally accredited so all of your credits should transfer seamlessly. Their hybrid model, called Flex Choice, allows students to choose a mix of courses that fits their lifestyle, including traditional courses, self-directed courses, and competency-based courses. Their affordable tuition and shorter programs are ideal for people who want to improve their work standing at a pace that works with their hectic schedules.
University of North Dakota – Online & Distance Educatio
The University of North Dakota was awarded Most Innovative of Best Colleges by the U.S. News and World Report in 2018. They have two options for distance learners – the more traditional online degree programs as well as a self-paced program that gives the student up to nine months to complete their courses. This program is available for enrollment at anytime or day during the year. This gives the student complete control over when they begin and finish a course of study.
No matter which of the regionally accredited online colleges you choose, it is up to you to get the most of your education. By making sure that the school is regionally accredited and that the program is appropriate for your position, you will get the most of your degree whether you choose a self-paced program or a cheaper one. Your future awaits, so get started toward making more money today by enrolling in a program of study that fits your life and career goals.
Accredited Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.List of Regionally Accredited Online Colleges
AIU Online
American InterContinental University is a regionally accredited college system with six campuses, both in the United States and abroad. Its virtual division, AIU Online, offers accelerated associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees.
AT Still University of Health Sciences Online
AT Still University of Health Sciences has built its online program on the strength of practical healthcare disciplines for college graduates. Distance learning revolves around a quarter system, enabling attendees to earn a master’s degree in 1.5 years (at the rate of two classes per quarter) in Still’s Arizona School of Health Sciences.
Baker College Online
Baker College Online bills itself as a career-focused college. While the school’s Blackboard system is online 24 hours a day for students to listen to lectures, discuss content, and complete assignments, the school sets regular deadlines for students to get the work done.
Bellevue University Online
Bellevue University Online offers liberal arts and vocation-focused programs year-round, with all-day online access. Students can take classes, discuss lessons, and complete research, earning a degree at their leisure within a prescribed timeframe.
Benedictine University Online
Originally founded as Chicago’s St. Procopius College in 1887, Benedictine is now an academically diverse university located in Lisle, Illinois. The online branch offers graduate degrees geared toward professionals who are serious about advancing their careers, so the admission standards and tuition are both fairly high.
Boston University Online
When studying at Boston University Online, students can complete the coursework at their own speed, as long as they meet deadlines designed to push them along at an acceptable pace. Dedicated students usually have enough time to take two courses per semester, one course after the other.
Bryant and Stratton College Online
Bryant & Stratton, a workplace-focused college, has distilled more than 150 years of teaching experience into its online program. Students use a software called TopClass to navigate the 7.5-week classes, all conducted in a virtual classroom.
Champlain College Online
While Champlain College Online touts the flexibility it offers in its career-focused online education, the college says students should be willing to dedicate 13 to 14 hours per week to “attending” class and doing assignments. Distance-learning classes are spread over six sessions per year.
California University of Pennsylvania Global Online
The California University of Pennsylvania, part of Pennsylvania’s public higher-education system, launched its Global Online campus in 2004. The university offers a variety of online master’s degrees and certifications as well as two undergraduate programs.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Online
Open only to college graduates, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Online offers both a broad curriculum for generalists and the opportunity to focus on a niche.
Capella University Online
More than 41,000 learners in all 50 states and 51 other countries and territories attended Capella University in 2022, making this for-profit company one of the largest online campuses.
Eastern Kentucky University Online
Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the master’s program in homeland security has become a cornerstone of Eastern Kentucky University’s online curriculum. Overall, the distance education branch serves more than 10,000 students.
Everest University Online
Up to 80% of the online classes at Everest University focus on what students can apply in the professional world, making it a practical avenue for obtaining a degree at the associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree levels.
Cambridge College Online
Blended distance learning supports Cambridge College’s mission to reach out to working adults. The school offers some courses that are fully online and some that are conducted nearly half on the web. Most programs require in-person interaction.
Charter Oak State College
Charter Oak State College is one of the “big three” non-traditional colleges offering flexible degree completion opportunities. Charter Oak allows students to earn personally-tailored degrees by transferring credits from regionally accredited schools, taking exams, proving life experience, and taking online courses.
Fielding Graduate University Online
Fielding Graduate University seeks to attract adults in mid-career for master’s and doctorate programs in the schools of Psychology, Human and Organization Development, and Educational Leadership and Change.
Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences Online
Florida Hospital College is arming candidates in those growing ranks with an online bachelor’s degree. The faith-based school , the campus is at Florida Hospital of the Adventist Health System , runs on the trimester system.
Franklin University Online
Franklin has a full catalog of undergraduate majors in practical disciplines such as business and computers, plus a master’s business track. Classes are offered from 15 weeks in duration down to a speedy three weeks.
Colorado Technical University Online
Colorado Technical University is a private, for-profit college that opened in 1965 to offer career-oriented education. Students are encouraged to virtually attend live lectures that feature online student discussions, but class sessions may also be viewed later.
Gonzaga University Online
The ability to handle two three-credit courses per semester can enable Gonzaga University Online students to make steady progress toward a highly regarded master’s degree. Gonzaga was recently ranked third among master’s universities in the West by US News and World Report.
Graceland University Global Campus
Graceland University developed its virtual global campus in 2005, and it’s quickly becoming the school’s most popular educational arm. Graceland focuses its online degrees on two service-oriented fields: nursing and teaching.
Herzing College Online
Herzing College Online has made a deep commitment to distance learning with nearly two-dozen undergraduate degrees and a select choice of master’s degrees in business administration.
Iowa Central College Online
A two-year school that focuses on providing job skills and laying the foundation for a bachelor’s degree, Iowa Central allows students to complete an associate degree online. The school also has a few correspondence courses, done through the U.S. mail.
DeVry University Online
A private, for-profit college, DeVry University boasts nearly 22,000 full-time and 26,000 part-time students at 23 brick-and-mortar campuses and online. The curriculum focuses on practical applications, and courses are taught primarily by professionals rather than professors.
Drexel Online University
Drexel Online is a subsidiary of Drexel University, a reputable brick-and-mortar college in Pennsylvania. Its virtual programs are aimed primarily at working professionals.
Keiser University eCampus
Keiser University’s eCampus caters to students hoping to quickly parlay their degrees into better positions in the workforce. Nearly two-dozen associate and bachelor’s options, plus three graduate degrees, are available online. They’re aimed at fields that are often in high demand such as computers, business, and health care.
eCornell
eCornell, a subsidiary of Cornell University, is an online professional development program that offers courses in a variety of business fields, including management, human resources, finance, and hospitality.
Fort Hays State University Virtual College
Fort Hays State University Virtual College is part of a public state university system. While this means the schedules and programs are more traditional, it also means the tuition is lower than that of many of its competitors.
George Washington University Online
The George Washington University online distance-learning program is a relatively small part of this 25,000-student traditional, not-for-profit university. The online program’s emphasis is on its wide variety of graduate and certificate health science programs, including a healthcare MBA.
Marist College Online
Marist College focuses its online programs on master’s degrees and degree completion for undergraduates. The school’s eCourses are open to qualified students around the world.
Kaplan University Online
Professionals who still work in the field teach Kaplan University’s courses. In addition to student discussions and online quizzes, courses include Web field trips in which students research topics online.
National American University
National American University’s broad curriculum and inclusive entrance standards provide a welcoming platform for most students. Attendees must finish the work within the eight- and 11-week courses, but there’s plenty of wiggle room in that time frame.
New England College Online
A small liberal arts institution with a flexible admissions policy, New England College has incorporated distance learning into the majority of its programs. Its exclusively online format is aimed largely at graduate students who tend to be working professionals.
Norwich University Online
Norwich University’s online graduate studies focus on peer interaction at a brisk pace. A basic load for students to take is one six-credit seminar every 11 weeks, putting them on pace to complete their master’s in 18 to 24 months. The school touts the learn-on-your-own-time flexibility of its graduate programs, a departure from Norwich’s more regimented undergraduate military bent.
Rasmussen College Online
With a full menu of associate degrees plus select options for a bachelor’s degree, Rasmussen College Online has positioned itself as a viable step into higher education. The college devises the curriculum to suit the working world, assuring the career-minded that their academic pursuits will have professional relevance.
Saint Leo University Center for Online Learning
Many of Saint Leo’s associate, bachelor’s, and master’s studies are primarily aimed at building professional competence. The online branch now boasts more than 5,000 graduates from programs in business, law enforcement, and technology.
National University
National University is a private, non-profit university system offering dozens of online programs in addition to its brick-and-mortar courses held on California campuses. Programs at National University are designed for adult learners with five or more years of work experience.
Tiffin University Online
Tiffin University welcomes scholars, students who have yet to prove themselves, and established adults alike. Its schools of arts and sciences, business, and criminal justice and social sciences generate degree opportunities for distance learners at the associate and master’s levels.
Tulane University Online
A master’s certificate in business program highlights Tulane University’s distance-learning options. Students receive streaming video lectures from the same faculty that teaches at Tulane’s A.B. Freeman School of Business, ranked among the top 50 business schools annually by U.S. News and World Report.
University of Cincinnati Online
The University of Cincinnati devised its menu of distance-learning options primarily from health care, education, and criminal justice. In keeping with its distance-learning roots, begun in 1984, Cincinnati continues to offer fire science programs as well.
Northcentral University
Northcentral University is a regionally accredited for-profit online college with headquarters in Arizona. They are known for flexibility in admissions requirements (not asking for standardized test scores) and teaching schedules (no set class times or residencies).
The New School
The New School is an innovative brick-and-mortar college with a focus on creativity and social justice. Students at their New York City campus choose from fields like fashion and design with a strong liberal arts focus.
Villanova University Online
Villanova reaches out to working professionals with online certifications intended to turbocharge the climb up the corporate ladder , or strengthen the foothold at the top. The university stakes its reputation , a No. 1 ranking by U.S. News and World Report in the north region , on its professional education certificate program.
Winston-Salem State University Online
Winston-Salem State University often blends distance learning with other modes of course delivery. However, transfers from within the state of North Carolina can finish a multipurpose bachelor’s degree completely online. Online master’s degrees are available in health care , some with clinical obligations.
Online Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific University is a respected brick-and-mortar California college that offers accredited online master’s degrees, certificates, and bachelor’s completion programs. Degrees can be earned online or through online/in-class blended learning.
Strayer University
Strayer University is a network of campuses and online programs designed for adult learners with full-time jobs. Strayer University actively works with students to apply for transfer credits from other colleges, exams, professional certifications, portfolio learning, and the military.
Thomas Edison State College
TESC is known as one of the “big three” colleges that make it convenient for students to transfer previously earned credits, receive credits via testing, and earn credit for life experience. Classes are offered online and through independent study.
University of Massachusetts Online
The University of Massachusetts Online offers virtual degree programs from respected and established traditional colleges. Students can enroll in online classes from the University of Massachusetts campuses such as Dartmouth, Amherst, Boston, Lowell, and Worcester.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Online
Online graduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute work in the same semester rhythm as their on-campus counterparts , but study to their own beat. Worcester Polytechnic considers its distance education another conduit to deliver the same rigorous course content. The school’s Advanced Distance Learning Network programs revolve around business, technology, engineering and fire safety.
Western Governors University
Western Governors University is a non-profit virtual college founded by the governors of 19 western states. Unlike most colleges, Western Governors University has no required courses – instead, students prove their understanding through writing assignments and exams.
Regionally Accredited Online Colleges Table
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The internet has made many things possible that would have been unthinkable twenty-five or thirty years ago. It has opened up opportunities to people and communities that wouldn’t have been able to access them without the internet. One of these opportunities is online college courses.
Accredited Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.Before the proliferation of online colleges, going to college was limited to those who could afford to go away and spend four years getting an education. With online schools, now anyone in almost any circumstance can find time to log on and do their schooling when it’s convenient for them. With scholarships and loans now more accessible via the internet, the college market is open to almost anyone.