The 25 Most Affordable Online Colleges

BCV-Badge-CheapOnlineA college degree is the cornerstone for building a future life. In recent years, an exciting new option for students has appeared – online universities. They have a number of advantages over brick-and-mortar facilities. They offer a variety of degrees, including some that are rarely taught elsewhere. Students with an independent, self-driven learning style excel at these classes. They can study on their schedules and take virtual classes from home or after work. Finally, tuition is often more affordable than that offered through physically based campuses. It can be hard to choose the right program from the hundreds available. This is why we’ve created a list of the top twenty-five accredited online universities, which offer a range of majors for every student.

Methodology: At BCV, we believe that affordability is the key to a great college value. With student loan debt at an all time high, most prospective students are appropriately concerned with the cost of education. This ranking is straight-forward, simple, and most of all, relevant to these concerns. First, we collected raw tuition data for over 100 of the best known online schools. Next we filtered the set to include only accredited online colleges that offer undergraduate degrees in at least three majors to appear on The Princeton Review’s Top 10 or Forbes’ Top Degrees For Getting Hired in 2015. From the remaining schools, we simply ranked according to lowest cost per credit hour. The results are the following 25 Most Affordable Online Colleges.: Figures given are for out of state distance learning. Depending on your home state, there may be more affordable online Note options available. Also, these are raw tuition data; when considering colleges, always look into available financial aid and scholarships.

25.) Capella University

capellaCapella University was established in 1993 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It has over 34,000 students, and the average age is 40.

Capella is primarily an online university with a strong emphasis on working adults pursuing their Graduate-level education though there are a number of Bachelor’s and Certificate programs as well. Capella also has a program to offer equivalency exams to transfer a student’s work history into school credit.

Tuition is $315 a credit hour for the Bachelor’s program and between $387-737 for Master’s level. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost approximately $37,800. There is a student to faculty ratio of 20:1.

24.) Old Dominion College

old dominionOld Dominion College is based in Norfolk, Virginia and was established in 1930. It has a total student body of 24,000, about 8,000 of which are long-distance students.

Old Dominion also offers one of the most comprehensive online programs currently available. The Engineering and Business Bachelor programs are particularly well regarded, and there are several unique MBA concentrations available such as Maritime and Coastal and Transportation Engineering.

Tuition for the online program runs $314 a credit hour. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost approximately $37,680. There is a student to faculty ratio of 21:1.

23.) University of Louisiana Monroe

louisiana monroeThe University of Louisiana Monroe is based in Monroe, Louisiana and was established in 1931. It has a student enrollment of about 7,200.

Monroe offers 20 online degree programs in a wide range of subjects including Business, Criminal Justice, General Studies, and Nursing. It is one of only seven universities in the country to offer a degree in Pharmacy: Toxicology. Additionally, its Nursing program was ranked the “9th Best College Nursing Programs” by CollegeAtlas.org.

Tuition for the online program is $314 a credit hour for undergraduates and $590 for graduates. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost approximately $37,680. There is a student to faculty ratio of 20:1.

22.) Clarion University

clarionClarion University is based in Clarion, Pennsylvania and was founded in 1867. It has received numerous accolades for its online programs including being featured in “Best Online Programs” by US News for its Graduate Nursing Program and 2015 “Best Online Communications Degree” by Affordable Colleges Online. There are approximately 5,200 enrolled students.

Clarion offers robust online degree programs at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The Bachelor programs have a strong focus on Education and Healthcare. Additionally, the Graduate School offers a Doctorate of Nursing.

Tuition is $301 a credit hour. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost approximately $36,120. There is a student to faculty ratio of 19:1.

21.) University of Wisconsin

uwisconsinThe University of Wisconsin is based in Madison, Wisconsin and was established in 1848. It has 29,000 undergraduate students and 9,000 graduate. Additionally, it has the nation’s 4th highest research expenditure ranking.

The University of Wisconsin offers 4,793 undergraduate degrees, many of which are available at least partially as distance learning. It offers over 40 online-only programs with a strong focus on Literature, Writing, and Film & Digital Studies.

Undergraduate tuition is $305 a credit hour with a standard 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree costing approximately $36,600. There is a student to faculty ratio of 15:1.

Note: Due to state regulations, the University of Wisconsin is not currently accepting online students who live in Arkansas, Kansas, or Massachusetts.

19.) King University

king universityKing University, formerly known as King College, was founded in 1867 and is located in Bristol, Tennessee. This Presbyterian private university has about 2,100 students and offers an excellent financial aid program (over 99% of students qualify for some degree of aid).

King University has 16 online degree programs. It offers an Associate of Arts, 13 Bachelor degrees (including the very popular Healthcare Administration degree), and two Master’s programs.

Tuition at King University varies by program but averages $300 a credit hour for the Bachelor’s Programs. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree at King University will cost approximately $36,000. There is a student to faculty ratio of 14:1.

18.) Indiana University

indiana universityIndiana University was founded in 1820, and its main campus is located in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the 10th largest university in the country with over 110,000 students currently enrolled.

Indiana University offers over 100 online-only degrees, many of which are Master’s level or higher. The 17 Undergraduate Degrees are in a range of subjects but with a strong emphasis on Healthcare and Nursing.

Tuition for online classes varies by which campus is hosting the program, but on average runs $300 a credit hour. This means a standard 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree is $36,000. The student to faculty ratio is 18:1.

17.) Utah State University

utah stateUtah State University is located in Logan, Utah and was founded in 1888. It has a student enrollment of 24,000 and a combined 311 degree programs spread across Graduate and Undergraduate

Utah State University offers eight different Bachelor’s programs in its online catalog including Communicative Disorders, Liberal Arts, and Psychology. It has five online Master’s programs and a variety of non-degree certificate and minors.

Tuition at Utah State is very affordable and typically runs from $170 per credit for Utah-residents to $290 for out of state students. This means a 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost between $20,400 and $34,800. There is a 21:1 student to faculty ratio.

16.) Western Governors University

western governorsWestern Governors University (WGU) is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and was founded in 1997. It is a non-profit online-only university that was founded as part of a joint effort from 19 different states. It currently has 56,000 enrolled students.

WGU takes a unique approach to academics and, instead of traditional classes, it offers “rolling” semesters that allow students to choose their learning pace. At the end of each semester is either a final exam or a certification exam. WGU has three colleges: Business, Information Technology, and Health Professions.

Tuition at WGU is based on a flat fee per semester and not by individual class hours. Most programs are $2,890 per term (approximately $283 an hour), and a Bachelor’s Degree typically costs between $24,000 and $34,000.

15.) Waldorf College

WaldorfWaldorf College was founded in 1903 and is based in Forest City, Iowa. It is a small 4-year Liberal Arts college with a student body of 650.

Despite its size, Waldorf College offers a good range of online degrees including an Associate and Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Applied Science, Master of Arts, and various certificate programs. There are special military aid programs available, and SAT and ACT scores are not required for admission.

Undergraduate tuition costs $275 per credit hour for an estimated total of $33,000 for a 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree. There is a 15:1 student to faculty ratio.

14.) Indiana State University

indiana stateIndiana State University was founded in 1865 in Terre Haute, Indiana. It has been named as one of the “Best Colleges in the Midwest” for 11 straight years by the Princeton Review, and it has a total enrollment of just over 12,000.

Indiana State offers over 100 degree programs. It offers online programs at both the Graduate and Undergraduate levels as well as four certificate programs.

Approximately 74% of all students qualify for financial aid with an average cost of $273 per credit hour. A 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree costs approximately $32,760. There is a 17:1 ratio of students to faculty.

13.) Kennesaw State University

kennesaw stateKennesaw State University was founded in 1963 and is located in Kennesaw, Georgia. It is Georgia’s 3rd largest university and has over 32,000 students from 130 different countries.

Kennesaw offers over 40 fully-online courses and has a strong emphasis on the humanities. Its Bagwell College of Education is particularly well regarded, and it offers both a Bachelor’s program as well as a Master’s of Arts in Teaching.

Undergraduate tuition is $270 a credit hour. A standard 4-year Bachelor’s Degree runs about $32,400. There is a 24:1 student to faculty ratio.

12.) Oregon State University

oregon stateOregon State University is based in Corvalis, Oregon and was established in 1868. It is the largest university in the state with 23,000 students.

Oregon State has a strong emphasis on agricultural and marine research and its E-campus was ranked No.5 “Best Online Programs” by U.S. News. It offers 19 different Undergraduate online programs in fields such as Agricultural Sciences, Environmental Economics, Natural Resources, and Sustainability.

Tuition at Oregon State is $270 a credit hour, making a standard 120-hour Bachelor’s program cost $32,400. The student to faculty ratio is 23:1.

11.) Tennessee Temple University

tennessee templeTennessee Temple University is a private liberal-arts Christian college located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was founded in 1946, has just under 500 students, and offers a Baptist Seminary program.

Tennessee Temple has three colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, and Theology and Ministry. It offers three alternatives for online learning: a traditional 15-week curriculum, an 8 week summer program, and an intensive 1 week equivalency program.

Tuition costs $265 a credit hour for an approximate $31,800 for a Bachelor’s Degree. There is a student to faculty ratio of 16:1.

10.) Grantham University

granthamGrantham University is based in Lenexa, Kansas and was founded in 1951. There are currently 17,000 students, about 2,000 of whom are in the graduate program.

Grantham’s mission is to provide affordable education for working adults by offering flexible degrees for in-demand fields. The majority of degrees are either in business, technology, or healthcare, but there is also a General Studies program.

Undergraduate tuition costs $265 a credit hour. A standard 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree costs about $31,000. The student to faculty ratio is 15:1.

9.) Columbia College

columbia collegeColumbia College was founded in 1851 and currently has 36 campuses throughout the country. It’s a non-profit, private college that offers flexible scheduling and work-to-school equivalencies to help further adult education. There are more than 25,000 students enrolled.

Columbia offers several online programs which are either in a 16-week or 8-week format. There are 11 different online Bachelor’s programs available, as well as an Associate in Arts.

Tuition for the online program runs $260 a credit hour. A standard Bachelor’s Degree costs $31,200. There is a student to faculty ratio of 11:1.

8.) Ellis University

ellis universityEllis University is an online-only university based in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. It was established to help working adults further their education by offering both Graduate and Undergraduate degrees in popular fields.

Ellis’s top programs are Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and Masters of Arts in Communication. It also offers degrees in Interdisciplinary, Accounting, Computer Science, and Business Administration.

Tuition at Ellis University is $250 per credit hour for its undergraduate programs and a 4-year Bachelors degree costs $30,000.

7.) American Public University

american public universityThe American Public University, formerly known as American Military University, was founded in 1991 as an affordable way for US Armed Forces to further their education. Since then, it has expanded to the general public and currently has over 100,000 students.

American Public offers a robust catalog with over 190 certificate and degree-seeking programs. All classes are online and run on either a 16 or 8 week schedule. 89% of the students are working adults, and 52% are former or current military.

Undergraduate tuition is $250 a credit hour and Graduate is $325. This makes a standard Bachelor’s degree cost approximately $30,000. The student to faculty ratio is 21:1.

6.) Ohio University

ohio universityOhio University was founded in 1808 in Athens, Ohio. It has a total enrollment of 38,000, with just over 6,000 students enrolled in its online program. It hosts a well known communications program and its McClure School of Information won the “2010 Program of Excellence Award” from ITERA.

Ohio University’s online program offers a range of certificates and degrees, many of which are focused on the humanities. It is the first university in the country to offer a Social Media Certification program, and it has a very popular “RN to BSN” online program.

Tuition is $243 per credit hour and a standard 120 hour Bachelors Degree costs approximately $29,160. The student to faculty ratio is 18:1.

5.) Columbia Southern University

columbia southernColumbia Southern is a private online University, founded in 1993, and based in Orange Beach, Alabama. It has 20,000 students, of which 5,000 are graduate-level.

Columbia Southern offers both traditional degrees as well as unusual choices like Fire Science. There are three main colleges as well as the Department of Continuing Education which offers certificates and shorter programs for working adults.

Tuition at Columbia Southern is $210 a credit hour (roughly half the national average) and a standard 4-year degree will cost about $25,200. The student to faculty ratio is 82:1.

4.) Georgia Southern University

georgia southernGeorgia Southern University is located in Statesboro, Georgia and was established in 1906. It has a total enrollment of 20,000 and U.S. News has ranked its business and IT programs as being some of the best in the country.

Georgia Southern has numerous online graduate programs focusing on Business Administration and Health and Human Services. It offers two online undergraduate degrees in General Studies and Information Technology. There is also a special online program for Military personnel.

Tuition is $200 a credit hour. A standard 120 hour Bachelor’s Degree will cost approximately $24,000. There is a student to faculty ratio of 21:1.

3.) Central Washington University

CWU signature logoCentral Washington University was founded in 1891 and is located in Ellensburg, Washington. It has just over 10,000 students and has received numerous awards including “#1 in Washington Educate to Career”.

Central Washington has a well-rounded catalog with a strong emphasis on Education and the Sciences. It offers several uncommon degrees such as American Indian Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Primate Behavior and Ecology.

Tuition is $200 per credit hour and a standard 120-hour Bachelor’s program costs $24,000. The student to faculty ratio is 18:1.

2.) Fort Hays State University

fort hays stateFort Hays State University was founded in 1902 and is based in Hays, Kansas. Currently it has 14,000 students and is the 4th largest state university in Kansas.

Fort Hays offers 25 different Bachelor’s Degree programs in fields such as Business, Education, Management, IT, and General Studies. There are also Graduate programs for Healthcare, Education, and Business.

Tuition is $167 per credit hour for the Bachelors program and $251 for Graduates. This makes a 120-hour Bachelor’s Degree cost $20,040. The student to faculty ratio is 18:1.

1.) Aspen University

aspen universityAspen University was established in 1987 and is based in Denver, Colorado. There are currently 1,000 students enrolled, and Aspen offers five different main areas of study.

This nationally accredited university is a distance learning school with degrees ranging from Associates to Doctoral. It offers twelve Bachelors degrees in both the sciences and arts. There are also numerous Master’s degrees with a strong emphasis on IT.

Tuition is $150 per credit hour. A standard 120 hour bachelor degree would cost about $18,000. The student to faculty ratio is 14:1.

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