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 | January 28, 2010
Question: I’m worried about employer acceptance of my online degree. I just completed my bachelors online and am ready to send out my resume. Should I use my cover letter to reveal to potential employers that I earned my degree online?
—Holly, Nashville, TN Answer:
These days, taking college or post-secondary courses online is not an oddity. In 2010, more than 85 percent of traditional residential colleges will offer college courses online or through distance learning.
Online education is no longer the future. It’s right now.
As a result, there is no need to reveal in a cover letter or resume that you “earned your degree online.” Details about why you chose any particular type of school—such as a private school versus a public school or a Christian college versus a secular college—are best left to discussion during an actual interview.
Even then, you’ll only want to discuss the issue of online education if asked.
We say "if asked" because GetEducated.com’s studies show that most employers are not overly concerned about how a degree was earned. They are, however, very concerned about overall school reputation and educational quality.
In the end, the name of your college and the type of degree you have earned is going to be much more important to your employer than the method by which you earned your degree—online or on campus.
Keep in mind that two kinds of colleges issue online degrees: those that are online-only (such as the University of Phoenix) and those with campuses that also offer distance learning programs (such as the University of Massachusetts).
Expect to encounter no stigma if the college you attended is already known to your employer and respected by your employer for the quality of its graduates. For most people, this means attending an online degree program offered by a college with a long and respected tradition of educating students via a local residential campus.
Which online college programs are most likely to suffer from employer suspicion or stigma?
GetEducated.com has researched employer perception of online university degrees for more than two decades. We’ve found two specific instances where you are most likely to encounter questions about your online education during a job interview. If your degree was earned under either of these two circumstances you should arrive at your interview prepared to discuss online education.
• Your college is 300 miles or more from where you live.
If the college you attended online is located more than 300 miles outside the immediate area where you live or work, your future employer may wonder how you could have attended.
Example: Your job history shows you've lived and worked in Los Angeles for the last 15 years, yet your resume says you earned your bachelors in business from the University of Illinois last year.
On the other hand, if the online degree program you attended has a regular campus within 300 miles of your home or work area, chances are excellent that your employer will already have formed a solid impression of your school. This established brand impression will override any concerns your employer might have about how your degree was earned.
• Your college doesn’t have a campus.
If you earn a degree from a school that lacks a campus or from a school that is perceived as being “online only” by employers. GetEducated.com’s research shows that online-only schools are often perceived as “less rigorous” than universities that offer both campus-based and online degrees.
Our surveys over the last twenty years have found that some employers may harbor strong bias against online-only colleges.
What should you do if your school is online-only?
If a potential employer questions your online education credential:
• Stress the positive work traits that you have already demonstrated by your success in online education. These positive work traits include:
> superior time management > self-motivation > advanced online collaboration skills > advanced computer literacy > the ability to learn independently.
Studies show that online education is harder than residential learning because it requires more discipline, personal motivation and perseverance.
• Point out that a recent study by the U.S. Department of Education found that online education at the collegiate level is as good or better than traditional on-campus learning.
Most people are shocked to learn this fact, but the supporting data is readily available online.
• The future of work is increasingly online. Stress to your potential employer that as a result of your high-tech, virtual educational experience, you stand well-equipped to help the company excel in today’s high-tech, virtual work world.
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...
ASU offers a variety of high-quality, accredited online degree programs. With flexibility, convenience, and exemplary customer service, we help bring your goal of completing a degree within reach. Start today and take the next step toward furthering your career and enriching your life.
ASU offers a variety of high-quality, accredited online degree programs. With flexibility, convenience, and exemplary customer service, we help bring your goal of completing a degree within reach. Start today and take the next step toward furthering your career and enriching your life.
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... 
