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
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.
Research has consistently found that regionally-accredited distance MBAs are as good—if not better—than their campus counterparts. Two studies in particular have examined regionally-accredited distance MBAs in comparison to residential programs.
Colorado State University - Distance MBA Study Colorado State University (CSU) began offering a distance learning format for its residential MBA in 1975. In 2001, researchers at this business school (accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB) orchestrated a three-way comparison.
The association compared CSU's distance MBA students to the school's on-campus MBA students and its executive MBA students. The comparison occurred along 12 academic skill sets.
Since all three groups took virtually the same curriculum, with the same instructors and the same AACSB-accredited MBA degree being awarded, researchers sought to determine if delivery method alone made any significant difference.
All students were being awarded the same degree, but were they all really receiving the same education?
At degree conclusion, all three groups reported higher scores on 7 of 12 competencies. Distance students, however, self-reported higher scores than the campus group on three measures: technology, quantitative skills and theory skills.
Mark Kretovics and Jim McCambridge, the study’s authors, concluded: “…the results not only support the notion that distance learning is effective, but they also challenge the ‘no significant difference’ research findings by indicating that distance students may, in fact, learn more than the traditional classroom based students.”
The Athabasca University Distance MBA Study
In 2001, Canada’s largest, government-approved distance university, Athabasca University, released the results of a study that compared the school's non-residential MBA students to campus learners at the highly-regarded University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business.
The Ivey School offered only a residential degree, while Athabasca University’s Centre for Innovative Management (CIM) offered only a distance degree. The CIM MBA degree was converted to interactive Internet delivery mode in 1994.
The study assessed several levels of learning: social, procedural, explanatory and cognitive.
The results: online learning allows for greater explanatory and cognitive learning, whereas residential study accentuates and improves social and procedural learning.
Athabasca operates Canada’s largest and fastest growing executive MBA program. The university served more than 1,100 MBA students in 2001, all at a distance.
Online MBA – Quality Not an Issue
Obviously, not all online MBA programs are equal, just as not all campus programs are of identical quality.
But the research shows without a doubt that residential colleges that have developed online versions of their MBA programs are offering top-quality alternatives for students.
You shouldn’t hesitate to enroll in any MBA program just because it’s offered online. If you continue to have concerns, stick with online degree programs that are taught by traditional residential colleges.
More than 30 percent of all “traditional” colleges in the U.S. now offer at least one of their degree programs completely online. Colorado State University is only one of many distance
business degree programs that exists in both residential and online formats.
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...
Thomas Edison State College provides flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults.One of New Jersey’s 12 senior public institutions of higher education, the College offers associate, baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Students earn degrees through a wide variety of rigorous academic methods that can be customized to meet their individual needs. Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Thomas Edison State College offers undergraduate degrees in more than 100 areas of study.
Western Governors University Teachers College -- WGU offers the only NCATE certified online Teacher Education programs. Teachers with a master’s degree may earn $10,000 more per year than those with a bachelor’s. The WGU Teachers College offers flexible, online master’s degrees for PK-12 teachers, technology coordinators, corporate trainers, and other educators. Fully accredited, competency-based programs: M.Ed. in Instructional Design, Learning and Technology or Measurement and Evaluation. Master of Arts in Mathematics Education (K-6, 5-9, 5-12) or Science Education (5-9 or 5-12)
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... 
