An online university degree can cost as little as $3,000 – or over $100,000. GetEducated's affordability rankings reveal who offers the best buys in online degrees.
Student in an online degree program? Alumni of an online college? Review – rate and rank – your college's performance. Your review will help others "get educated" about the real-life performance of accredited online colleges.
How do employers and the public rate online university degrees? Help rate and rank thousands of accredited distance colleges. Your online college reviews will help others "get educated"
"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
Vicky Phillips -- Founder of GetEducated.com ... "for 20 years the leading consumer advocate for online college students" ... Different Paths to a College Degree, Sept. 2009
Vicky Phillips ... founder of GetEducated.com ... "one of the nation’s leading experts on educational fraud" ... . ~Joyce Lain Kennedy~ (Nov, 2009), LA Times
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | June 30, 2009
Question: It’s always been my dream to be a lawyer. Which colleges offer the best law degrees online?
—Brice, Indiana
Answer:
Unfortunately, in order to sit for the bar exam to become a lawyer in most states you must first attend a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. And the American Bar Association (ABA) does not yet accredit any online law school.
Only one state—California—routinely allows people to sit for the state bar exam without first earning an ABA-accredited law degree.
If you live in California you might consider attending an online law school that lacks ABA accreditation. The State Bar of California allows some—but not all—unaccredited distance learning law schools to register with the state. Check with the bar association to see whether your school is recognized and how many credit hours California will accept from these entities.
No matter which state you live in, be very, very careful if you decide to attend a distance learning law school. Statistically, graduates of non-ABA-accredited law schools have much lower pass rates on the state bar exam. Even if you pass the California bar exam, most law firms will still require proof of graduation from an ABA-accredited school as a condition of employment. You may end up with a degree but no job. Bottom line: It’s risky business to attend an unaccredited online law school if your career goal is to practice as an attorney in a court of law.
If you do manage to pass the California bar and subsequently practice successfully as a lawyer in California for five to seven years, you may be able to take the bar in another state. If you pass that state’s bar you may then be admitted to the practice of law in that state. This route, too, is a long shot.
If you want to study law but don’t care to be admitted to the bar as a practicing attorney, then online law schools may be fine for you. Some people do attend law schools online to learn about the law to help them in business or industry. Knowing the law can be extremely helpful in business and management.
Another possibility: consider online training to become a paralegal instead. Several regionally accredited and nationally accredited online schools offer paralegal certificates, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. In addition, the demand for skilled paralegals is strong and growing. Average salaries for paralegals in 2007, according to Legal Assistant Today magazine, were $52,979 (though corporate paralegals earned more: an average of $61,764).
Other careers that might interest you include forensics (the study of criminal evidence), criminal justice administration, and niche areas such as cybercrime and security. Many online universities offer certificates and degrees in these allied legal areas.
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...
Boston University, one of the most respected schools in the US, has developed a Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) program, delivered fully online. This program has established itself as the largest course of its kind in North America. By completing this program you will earn a highly respected master’s degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the US. Having this MCJ degree can lead to many career opportunities within the criminal justice field.
Bowling Green State University’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice, delivered fully online, has established itself as one of the most valuable programs of its kind in North America. It is designed to help you accelerate success in your career by providing the knowledge and skills that are needed in today’s dynamic and complex criminal justice environment. Get more information 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.
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... 
