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
Articles
ARTICLES HOME
Questions & Answers About Online Education | Online MBAs
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | January 16, 2009
Question:
I’m considering earning my MBA online. I live in rural Wyoming—not a lot of colleges close to my home. None, in fact. To continue my education, I have to either move or go online. My last degree was earned the old-fashioned way. I’m skeptical that online education could ever be as good as my old-fashioned college experience. Can you cite any objective research that “proves” that online MBAs are as good as the old-fashioned classroom?
—Tammy, Wyoming
Answer:
Lots of educators have asked—and answered—this same question. The answer: YES. Online education has been scientifically shown to be as effective—if not more so—than the old-time classroom lecture.
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | January 16, 2009
Question:
I’d like to earn an online MBA, but most seem to require the GMAT. I’m VP of marketing in the real world, but my GMAT scores stink. Nothing I’ve done, including an expensive test prep program, has raised my GMAT. Can you suggest any top-ranked distance MBA that doesn’t require this exam or that other pesky exam, the GRE?
—Jack Ticonderoga, NY
Answer:
Low scores on the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Exam) hurt a lot of older business school applicants. Fortunately, a legion of reputable distance-learning business schools do not require the GMAT or GRE for admission.
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | December 02, 2008
Question:
I travel for a living. I’d like to earn my MBA online because it’s virtually impossible for me to be in town attending class every week for 16 consecutive weeks. But I’m afraid employers won’t accept a distance degree. I work as an executive in a competitive career field: healthcare. I’ll be working in a major metropolitan area (NYC) for the rest of my career and eventually want to open my own business. Can you recommend even one top tier B-school that offers a distance MBA degree?
—Joan Lundlin Rochester, New York
Answer:
The Ivy League has gone Cyber League. More than one topflight B-school offers a distance MBA option.
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | January 19, 2009
Question:
I’m looking for an online MBA (Master of Business Administration). I’ve found several that fit my budget but none of these 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 Answer:
The AACSB is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. It is a voluntary, non-governmental accrediting agency that oversees the standardization of collegiate schools of business and accounting nationwide.
By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | January 16, 2009
Question:
I’ve been shopping for an online master’s degree in business. Everyone talks about the MBA. I’ve looked at several online MBA programs, but they don’t seem to fit. I’m head of human resources at a mid-sized manufacturing company. My job requires a lot of soft skills: managing, leading, inspiring, with a little budgeting on the side. I’m thinking an online master’s in management may be better suited to my career needs. Will I be making a mistake if I don’t earn an MBA?
—Julee Omaha, NE
Answer:
The MBA is the most popular online degree in America. In fact, GetEducated.com’s National Survey of Online MBAs reveals that students can select from more than 390 accredited distance MBAs offered by 168 accredited business schools.
MBA mania has definitely hit the academic halls of America.
But the online MBA, while extremely popular, is not the only online graduate degree available for managers, nor is it the best degree for all executives.
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...
Reach for a higher degree of justice! This is the only CJ degree offered by a Top 3 Criminal Justice School. Complete your degree in as little as one year with this affordable, regionally accredited program. The distinguished UC professors rank as the most published faculty nationally in journals of CJ research. Their real-world strategies are focused on helping you solve the most important challenges confronting the CJ field today.
AIU Online is the web-based virtual campus of American InterContinental University, an international university with residential campuses located in Georgia, California, Florida and England; offers graduate degree programs in Information Technology, Business Administration and Education completely online via rich, multimedia course delivery. American InterContinental University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees.
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.