How to choose an online college that employers actually respect
Accreditation, outcomes and the five questions admissions teams hope you won't ask.
Compare accredited online colleges by cost, flexibility, support and outcomes.
Editor's take
Compare accredited online colleges by cost, flexibility, support and outcomes. We compared 2670 options on value, features, ease of use, support and reputation. King University leads the 2026 ranking for student satisfaction. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville is the strongest alternative for accelerated accounting.
Start with the ranking, then read the full review of the provider that fits your priorities. Every score is weighted, dated and reviewed before publication.
Choose the path that matches your decision. We will take you to the shortlist, the review or the guide that answers it.
Start with the subject, then compare schools that actually offer it online.
See the full 17-school ranking and the trade-offs behind each score.
Compare loans, aid and total cost before you commit to a program.
Use the guide before you pay an application fee or transfer credit.
Grouped by the decision, so you can go straight to the right shortlist.
King University: Student satisfaction
University of Nebraska at Omaha: Student satisfaction
University of Alabama at Birmingham: Digital Marketing
University of Utah: Economics
Oklahoma State University: Entrepreneurship
Oklahoma State University: Students who want the strongest overall online finance program.
University of the Southwest: Hospitality Management
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Human Resources
Minot State University: International Business
California Coast University: Marketing
Indiana University Kelley Direct Online MBA: A top-ranked online MBA with the full Kelley faculty and alumni network
California Coast University: A balanced fit
Texas Tech University: A balanced fit
Columbia Southern University: A balanced fit
Utah State University: Sports Management
Southern Utah University: Supply Chain Management
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville: Accelerated accounting
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
ECPI University Online: Accelerated completion
Baker College Online: Applied management
ECPI University Online: Accelerated completion
Colorado Technical University: Digital Marketing
Arkansas State University: Digital Marketing
Colorado Technical University: Digital Marketing
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: Economics
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: Economics
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: Economics
Oklahoma State University: Entrepreneurship
American Public University System: Entrepreneurship
Oklahoma State University: Entrepreneurship
Oklahoma State University: Students who want the strongest overall online finance program.
Oklahoma State University: Students who want the strongest overall online finance program.
Oklahoma State University: Students who want the strongest overall online finance program.
University of the Southwest: Hospitality Management
University of the Southwest: Hospitality Management
University of the Southwest: Hospitality Management
St. Joseph's University, New York: Human Resources
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Human Resources
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Human Resources
Minot State University: International Business
Minot State University: International Business
Minot State University: International Business
California Coast University: Marketing
California Coast University: Marketing
California Coast University: Marketing
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Students focused on completion
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Military students
University of Minnesota Crookston: Out-of-state students
Purdue Global: Students with work or military credit
Trine University: Transfer students
Arizona State University: Students who want a public research university
Ohio University: Transfer students
Ohio University: Transfer students
Columbia Southern University: A balanced fit
Utah State University: Sports Management
Utah State University: Sports Management
Utah State University: Sports Management
Arkansas State University: Supply Chain Management
Arkansas State University: Supply Chain Management
American Public University System: Students who want the strongest overall online exercise science program.
Dakota State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health informatics program.
Ferris State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health information management program.
University of Missouri: Students who want the strongest overall online health science program.
East Carolina University: Students who want the strongest overall online healthcare administration program.
Brigham Young University-Idaho: Human Services
Concordia University, St. Paul: Kinesiology
Central Maine Community College: A balanced fit
Texas A&M University: A balanced fit
Weber State University: A balanced fit
The Chicago School: Psychology
University of Arizona: Public Health
Georgia State University: Social Work
American Public University System: Students who want the strongest overall online exercise science program.
Bryan University Online: Students who want a program ranked by at least two publishers.
Bryan University Online: Students who want a program ranked by at least two publishers.
Dakota State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health informatics program.
Dakota State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health informatics program.
Dakota State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health informatics program.
Ferris State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health information management program.
Ferris State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health information management program.
Ferris State University: Students who want the strongest overall online health information management program.
Excelsior University: Students who want a top-ten strong program.
University of Missouri: Students who want the strongest overall online health science program.
University of Missouri: Students who want the strongest overall online health science program.
East Carolina University: Students who want the strongest overall online healthcare administration program.
East Carolina University: Students who want the strongest overall online healthcare administration program.
East Carolina University: Students who want the strongest overall online healthcare administration program.
Elizabethtown College: Human Services
Brigham Young University-Idaho: Human Services
Brigham Young University-Idaho: Human Services
Concordia University, St. Paul: Kinesiology
Concordia University, St. Paul: Kinesiology
Concordia University, St. Paul: Kinesiology
ATA College: Students who need flexible scheduling
Northland Community and Technical College: Flexible online study
Northland Community and Technical College: Flexible online study
Clarkson College: Students with prior college credit
University of Florida Online: Students who want a public flagship
University of Florida Online: Students who want a public flagship
Purdue Global: Students with work or military credit
Purdue Global: Students with work or military credit
University of North Dakota: Students focused on earnings
The Chicago School: Psychology
Penn State World Campus: Psychology
Penn State World Campus: Psychology
University of Arizona: Public Health
Arizona State University: Public Health
Arizona State University: Public Health
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Social Work
Aurora University: Social Work
Aurora University: Social Work
Florida State University: Affordable CS
Saint Leo University: Cybersecurity
Syracuse University: Data Science
University of Arizona: Students who want the strongest overall online graphic design program.
University of Arizona: Information Systems
National American University: Information Technology
Kennesaw State University: Software Engineering
Fox Valley Technical College: Low-cost associate degree
Auburn University: Transfer students
Auburn University: Transfer students
Arizona State University: ABET-accredited online CS
Saint Leo University: Cybersecurity
Saint Leo University: Cybersecurity
Saint Leo University: Cybersecurity
Syracuse University: Data Science
Syracuse University: Data Science
Syracuse University: Data Science
University of Arizona: Students who want the strongest overall online graphic design program.
University of Arizona: Students who want the strongest overall online graphic design program.
University of Arizona: Students who want the strongest overall online graphic design program.
University of Arizona: Information Systems
University of Arizona: Information Systems
University of Arizona: Information Systems
National American University: Information Technology
National American University: Information Technology
National American University: Information Technology
University of Minnesota Crookston: Software Engineering
Kennesaw State University: Software Engineering
Kennesaw State University: Software Engineering
University of Florida: Low-cost biology
Lindenwood University: Student satisfaction
Purdue Global: Student satisfaction
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Early Childhood Education
Regent University: Education
California Baptist University: English
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Environmental Science
Washington State University: Students who want the strongest overall online history program.
Columbia Southern University: Students who want the strongest overall online homeland security program.
Southern New Hampshire University: Liberal Studies
Indiana University: A balanced fit
Arizona State University: A balanced fit
Metropolitan College of New York: Public Administration
California State University, Chico: Sociology
Excelsior University: Transfer-friendly study
Excelsior University: Transfer-friendly study
Arizona State University: Large online catalog
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
Strayer University: Flexible terms
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
Columbia Southern University: Flexible online study
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Early Childhood Education
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Early Childhood Education
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Early Childhood Education
Regent University: Education
Regent University: Education
Regent University: Education
California Baptist University: English
California Baptist University: English
California Baptist University: English
Everglades University: Environmental Science
University of Florida: Environmental Science
University of Florida: Environmental Science
Washington State University: Students who want the strongest overall online history program.
Washington State University: Students who want the strongest overall online history program.
Washington State University: Students who want the strongest overall online history program.
Columbia Southern University: Students who want the strongest overall online homeland security program.
Columbia Southern University: Students who want the strongest overall online homeland security program.
Columbia Southern University: Students who want the strongest overall online homeland security program.
Southern New Hampshire University: Liberal Studies
Southern New Hampshire University: Liberal Studies
Southern New Hampshire University: Liberal Studies
Thomas Edison State University: Students with prior college credit
American Public University: Military members and veterans
Indiana University: A balanced fit
Texas Tech University: Students who need flexible scheduling
Texas Tech University: Students who need flexible scheduling
Texas Tech University: Students who need flexible scheduling
University of La Verne: Public Administration
Metropolitan College of New York: Public Administration
Metropolitan College of New York: Public Administration
California State University, Chico: Sociology
California State University, Chico: Sociology
California State University, Chico: Sociology
Start with Online Accounting Degrees and the top three picks.
Open the ranking 02Use the comparison table to weigh price, terms and the features you will actually use.
Compare the options 03Read the full King University review before you rely on the score alone.
Read a review 04Confirm the current price, contract, cancellation terms and eligibility at the source.
See the methodFull reviews of the providers we track in this section.
Practical advice for the decisions in this section.
Accreditation, outcomes and the five questions admissions teams hope you won't ask.
A practical way to judge the degree by cost, career stage and the outcomes you can verify.