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
How important is price when selecting an online college or distance degree program?
According to our most recent web poll, more than 90 percent of respondents say cost is “extremely” or “very” important in selecting the best online college. Less than 3 percent reported that money “doesn’t matter.”
The complete results:
About 61 percent of voters say cost is “the number one factor” and “extremely important” when picking the best distance learning degree.
30 percent ranked college affordability as “very important”
7 percent of respondents called price “moderately important”
2.4 percent rated online college affordability as “not at all important”
GetEducated.com’s CEO Vicky Phillips believes these survey results show consumers are more cost-conscious than ever. Most are willing to comparison-shop for their college educations online.
“Consumers are subjecting higher education costs to the same scrutiny they used to reserve for big-ticket consumer items like mortgages," says Phillips. She predicts that this new consumer trend "could mean serious trouble for some of the more expensive online education schools."
GetEducated.com began rating and ranking online degrees for affordability in 2001—largely, says Phillips, “because the second most common question our online education group has fielded since 1989 has been about cost. The Internet has created, for the first time in history, a truly national marketplace for higher education—a marketplace that has resulted in consumers being able to compare colleges to each other on cost as well as other consumer brand dimensions.”
Phillips points to GetEducated’s online college directory as a source for more than 400 online MBAs—the largest number of online MBAs profiled anywhere online, with the price for each of these MBAs listed clearly for consumers to see.
“That much choice has caused price to rise to the surface as a comparison item," says Phillips. "If you know there are 400-plus online MBAs—and you can see that this one degree can cost as little as $7,000 or as much as $107,000—aren’t you going to ask why, and begin to shop with a wary eye?”
Online students are not alone in their concerns about college affordability. Their campus cohorts are also alarmed. Last fall, the National Education Association found that making college affordable was an important election issue for 65 percent of students—indeed, the most important issue for 34 percent of those polled.
“Concern over college affordability has reached a critical level,” says Phillips. “One reason online education has grown in double digit leaps while much of the economy is declining is that adult students have discovered they can save thousands by comparison shopping. They are finding less expensive college degrees online.”
To help consumers make informed choices—and avoid spending money needlessly—GetEducated.com ranks and rates online degrees for affordability. Our Best Buy online degree rankings provide the public with an independent, factual listing of scores of inexpensive, accredited online colleges. “Most of our Best Buy schools are public universities that offer online education in addition to their campus-based degrees,” reports Phillips.
GetEducated.com was founded in 1989 to help adult students compare online education options. It remains the only consumer group in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to assisting online students in comparing, rating, and ranking online colleges and universities.
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...
Champlain College’s 42-credit, unique MSL program educates non-lawyer working professionals about the law. This regionally accredited program delivered by our experienced faculty of attorneys was designed to help you build a greater understanding of the law. This distinct degree will help you become an objective thinker and equip you with the tools you need to appraise and evaluate real-life legal situations. Navigate the law with confidence! Contact us at 1.866.441.0427 Ext. 3517.
Baker College Online is one of the largest and most affordable accredited online colleges in the nation. Our tuition is often less than half that of other online colleges while the quality of your education and training remains high. Baker Graduates increased their earning potential by 35% upon completion of their degrees. As a career college our goal is to prepare you for a great career and help you find a good job or advance your current career in the shortest possible time.
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... 
