An online degree can cost as little as $3,000 – or over $100,000. More than 12,000 online degrees and certificates – and no two charge the same tuition. Our affordability rankings reveal who offers the best – and worst – buys in online degrees.
Enrolled in an online degree program? Alumni of an online college? Visit your college or degree program in our directory and "grade" – rate and rank – its performance. Your opinion will help others "get educated" about the real-life ratings of thousands of online college programs.
Not all online colleges rate the same in the eyes of the public or potential employers. How does the public rate your online degree? Do they rank it high – or rate it low? Help rate and rank all the choices. Your opinion will help others "get educated" about the real-life reputation of thousands of online colleges.
"Anybody who's thinking of enrolling in an online degree ... take a good look at GetEducated.com . Go ... get a free download of a detailed guide ."
Searching for an Online MBA?: "Several websites can help .. first, GetEducated.com offers free rankings of distance-learning MBA programs."
"Beware diploma mills... Go to GetEducated.com and ask the Diploma Mill Police."
"For a distance MBA you can pay from $6,000 to $120,000. To get the most bang for your buck ... check out GetEducated.com"
GetEducated.com – "a great source for weeding out phonies" (among online colleges).
"Thanks much for your wonderful site! I've recommended it to my students and entered a program I found at GetEducated.com." --Charles Balch, MBA, Ph.D. --Professor, Arizona Western College
Here is a list of 30-plus agencies that claim to accredit a variety of online and distance learning college degree programs.
NONE of these accrediting agencies are recognized as college accreditors in the U.S. by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education. As such, colleges claiming “accreditation” by these agencies are not widely accepted as valid providers of higher education online and should be approached with great caution if online college credibility is important to you.
Accreditation Council for Distance Education (ACTDE)
Accreditation Panel for Online Colleges and Universities (APTEC)
Accrediting Commission International (ACI)
American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions
American Council of Private Colleges and Universities
American Association of Drugless Practitioners (ADP)
Association of Accredited Bible Schools
Association of Distance Learning Programs (ADLP)
Association of Private Colleges and Universities
Association for Online Academic Accreditation
Association for Online Excellence
Association for Online Academic Excellence
Board of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA)
Council for Distance Education
Council of Online Higher Education
Central States Consortium of Colleges & Schools
International Commission for Higher Education
International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU)
International Accreditation Association for Online Education (IAAFOE)
International Accreditation Organization (IAO)
International Council on Education (ICE)
International Education Ministry Accreditation Association
International Online Education Accrediting Board (IOEAB)
National Academy of Higher Education
National Board of Education (NBOE)
National College Accreditation Council
National Commission of Accredited Schools
National Distance Learning Accreditation Council (NDLAC)
New Millenium Accrediting Partnership for Educators Worldwide
Organization for Online Learning Accreditation (OKOLA)
Transworld Accrediting Commission Intl. (TAC)
Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA)
United Nations Council
United States Distance Education & Training Council of Nevada (NOTE: A similarly titled agency, the Distance Education & Training Council (DETC), of Washington, D.C.—http://www.detc.org—is a VALID and RECOGNIZED online learning accreditation agency)
World Association for Online Education
World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC)
World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC)
World-Wide Accreditation Commission of Christian Educational Institutions (WWAC)
I’m looking for an online MBA. I’ve found several that fit my budget but none are accredited by the AACSB. What is the AACSB? Do I really need a distance MBA degree that is accredited by them?
—Roberta, Gary, IN
The AACSB is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. It is considered the gold standard of business school accreditation. But not every student needs an AACSB-accredited MBA...
I was laid off from my job as a real estate agent and want to be a high school math teacher, but my bachelor’s degree is in psychology. Do I need a new degree in education? Will an online bachelor’s in education qualify me to become a licensed teacher?
—Willis, Houston, Texas
If you didn’t earn a bachelor’s degree in education years ago and you now want to teach in the public schools, don’t fret. Every state maintains what are termed “alternative teacher certification” programs...
I’m considering earning my MBA online because there are no colleges nearby. But I’m skeptical about online education. Can you cite any objective research that “proves” that online MBAs are as good as the old-fashioned classroom?
—Tammy, Wyoming
The answer: YES. Online education has been scientifically shown to be as effective—if not more so—than the old-time classroom lecture....
The National Universities Degree Consortium (NUDC) is a nationwide collaborative of eight respected higher education institutions, all offering fully accredited courses and degrees designed for distance learners. Visit NUDC to learn about 58 degrees and hundreds of courses delivered online, by correspondence and other media. NUDC's member universities: Colorado State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, University of New Orleans, University of South Carolina and Washington State University.
Follow your passion by becoming an expert in your field. Capella University offers an online master's degree program with a variety of specializations across four schools. Our accomplished faculty members have current experience in their field, so you will learn from their expertise as well as from relevant curriculum as you build your base of theoretical and practical knowledge. Keep moving forward with a degree online. Find your program today.
For active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and military families.
More than half of military students use online education. What do you need to know to find schools that best fit your needs? How can you find the best financial aid and scholarship package at your online school? Answers are here.
Job and Career Opportunities in Online and Distance Education
Online and distance schools need teachers.
The field of online education is growing and so is the need for teachers who can teach online. Check out our regularly updated list of online job opportunities, post your job availability, and visit our Online Resource Center, with tips, advice and free downloads for online educators.
Facts from GetEducated's National Survey of Online MBAs. Who offers the cheapest online MBA? Do you need an AACSB-accredited distance MBA? Online MBA rankings and ratings. Everything you need to know to compare 390 accredited online MBAs from 168 online business schools.
I’m looking for an online MBA. I’ve found several that fit my budget but none are accredited by the AACSB. What is the AACSB? Do I really need a distance MBA degree that is accredited by them?
—Roberta, Gary, IN 
The AACSB is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. It is considered the gold standard of business school accreditation. But not every student needs an AACSB-accredited MBA... 
