Best Online Colleges for 2018

Oregon State University (OSU), a public research university, founded in 1868, enrolls more than 30,000 students across a dozen colleges and a graduate school. 

OSU is one of only six educational institutions in the United States with a land-grant, space-grant, and sea-grant designations. OSU also has a sun-grant designation.

Oregon State University offers more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, and is home to the internationally renowned Center for Gene Research and Biotechnology.

The university offers more than 900 online courses and a host of degree programs through OSU Ecampus. The online offerings include online bachelor’s degrees in topics ranging from anthropology to German to sustainability; online master’s degrees such as executive leadership, counseling, and natural resources; and doctoral degrees in education and counseling. The online school also offers certificate programs, as well as chemistry and foreign language courses.

The University of Arizona (UA), a public research university founded in 1885, enrolls about 42,000 students. UA offers more than 330 programs of study leading to a host of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.

Through UA Online, the University of Arizona offers more than eighty online degree programs including online bachelor’s degrees ranging from Africana studies to early childhood education to communication as well as online master’s degrees, including those in geographic information system (GIS) technology; mining, geological and geophysical engineering, and library and information science.

Students can earn their degrees fully online. Students have access to online coursework 24/7. UA Online students have access to technical support and an online orientation.

The University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, a public, land-grant, Sea Grant, space-grant university founded in 1851, enrolls more than 51,000 students. 

The university offers a variety of online degrees. Students can complete most of the programs fully online, but some programs require on-campus visits.

The University provides an array of online bachelor degrees in topics such as applied health manufacturing management, entrepreneurship, and communication.

Students can choose from a variety of master’s degrees ranging from tribal administration and governance to computer science to and maternal and child health.

The University offers online doctoral programs including in adult health/gerontological clinical nurse specialist, international education, nurse-midwifery and more.

Arizona State University (ASU), a public research university founded in 1885, is the largest public university in the United States by enrollment. ASU enrolls nearly 100,000 students across sixteen colleges and schools and offers a variety of bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. ASU is one of the world’s top universities for business incubation.

ASU Online offers about 140 online degree programs including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, and a variety of certificate programs through ASU Online. Online degree offerings include bachelor’s degrees in art history, business, film, and justice studies. The university also offers master’s degrees in legal studies, nutrition, English, electrical engineering, and more.

Students can pursue doctoral degrees in behavioral health and leadership and innovation.

Indiana University, a public university system founded in 1820, enrolls over 110,000 students across nine campuses and two centers, and offers a host of degree programs. Boasting over 580,000 alumni, Indiana University–Bloomington attracts students from all over the world.

IU Online offers hundreds of online classes and more than 100 online degrees and academic certificate programs.

Students can pursue a variety of associate and bachelor degree programs, including nine degree completion programs such as business administration, mathematics, political science, and nursing.

IU Online offers over two dozen online master degree programs ranging from strategic management to social work to data science and more. Students also can earn doctoral degrees in instructional systems technology, nursing practice, and nursing science. Online students also can choose from a variety of certificate programs.

IU Online students have access to the school’s libraries and technology resources.

Northeastern University, a private, non-profit research university established in 1898, enrolls about 20,000 students across nine colleges and schools, including graduate campuses in North Carolina and Washington state.

With nearly 200 programs leading to a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, Northeastern is a leader in cooperative education and experimental learning.

Northeaster boasts over sixty online degree programs, including a variety of online bachelor’s degrees such as English, finance, and political science; more than two dozen online master’s degrees, including project management, respiratory care, leadership, and homeland security; and doctoral degrees in education and transitional physical therapy. Northeastern also offers over twenty online certificate programs.

Boston University, a nonsectarian, private research university established in 1839, enrolls about 33,000 students across eighteen colleges and schools. Boston University, one of the largest independent, non-profit universities in the United States, also operates one of the strongest private research programs in the country. BU boasts more than 250,000 alumni worldwide.

The University offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees. Boston University’s online school offers a numerous undergraduate courses and degree programs and eighteen online master’s degree programs, including management, taxation law, and art education. Boston University also offers online doctoral programs in music education and occupational therapy. BU also offers more than a dozen online certificate programs.

Boston University’s online students have access to a variety of traditional services, including library resources, career services, and tutoring.

he University of Massachusetts (UMass), a public university system established in 1863, enrolls about 71,000 students across five campuses. The University of Massachusetts consists of four universities, a satellite campus, and a medical school.

UMass Online offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, including associate’s degrees in information technology and sustainable food and farming; and over forty bachelor’s degree programs, including degree completion programs in topics such as nursing, applied psychology, criminal justice, and more.

A member of the State University System of Florida, UFL is a public, Sea Grant, space-grant, and land-grant research university with sixteen colleges, over 150 research centers and institutes, and enrolls over 49,900 students. Established in 1853, UFL is consistently ranked among the top universities in the United States

Launched in 1998, Penn State World Campus is the online school of the highly respected Pennsylvania State University.

Penn State World Campus offers an impressive selection of online degrees, with more than 120 online programs leading to a variety of both undergraduate and graduate degrees — as well as certificate programs.

Offerings include online degrees in fields such as technology, engineering, education, healthcare, business, and more.

Penn State World Campus enrolls over 12,000 students. After acceptance into the World Campus, students must also receive acceptance into the appropriate college for their chosen major at Pennsylvania State University.