Below you’ll find the top 10 online colleges for a large variety of accredited degrees. Use the "Click Here" buttons below to request a free information and financial aid package from the schools that interest you.

	University of Phoenix - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctorate Degrees. University of Phoenix assists students in obtaining degrees in exciting, high growth industries with ease. At University of Phoenix, students can take classes when they want and at one affordable price.
	Kaplan University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Kaplan University designs its degree programs to meet the needs of each and every student that takes classes. Kaplan University offers classes online and at campus locations so that students can get the education they currently desire.
	American InterContinental University Online - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Built on a rich academic heritage, American InterContinental University has educated students for over 35 years. This successful track record provides students a stable educational background so they know they are getting the best education possible.
	Ashford University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Providing accessible, affordable, innovative, high-quality learning opportunities and degree programs that meet the diverse needs of individuals pursuing integrity in their lives, professions and communities.
	Everest University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Students interested in starting a new career or to continue in their current one will be able to find the degrees they want at Everest University. At Everest, each student's needs are met by an outstanding faculty and administrative staff.
	Colorado Technical University - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctoral Degrees. Colorado Technical University is a top accredited online university offering a vast number of degree programs to first-time students or working professionals looking to advance in their career. Their rigorous and educationally exhilarating curriculum will instill the knowledge, training, and skills necessary for students to succeed in their professional lives.
	Grand Canyon University - Bachelor's, Master's & Doctoral Degrees. Grand Canyon University is an accredited online university offering career-focused programs to those seeking to pursue a quality degree. Their trained staff with real-world experience and skills are available to assist students in any subject available.
	Westwood College - Associate's & Bachelor's Degrees. Westwood College educates and prepares students to start new careers in the field of their choice. Westwood College prepares working professionals with degrees in a number of fast growing industries.
	Liberty University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Students with incomplete degrees or those seeking to start college can go back to school with ease at Liberty University. Liberty makes it easy for students seeking to obtain their degree entirely online affordably and conveninently.
	DeVry University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. DeVry University offers students innovative programs that assists students in obtaining the skills they need for their new career. With degrees in fast growing sectors, DeVry offers degrees in fields that students can find vital to their future success.

Guide to the Top Twenty Online Colleges

Since the late 1990s, online education has provided millions of people with the means to enhance their knowledge and further their careers. As internet access has expanded and streaming media has become widely available, e-learning has become a logical option for busy students who want to balance their education with commitments to work and family. Students today are able to access lessons at the time that is most convenient for their schedules, and the quality of instruction often matches that of traditional brick and mortar universities.

Unfortunately, as online degree options have proliferated, so too have organizations that take advantage of people who are eager to better their lives. However, as e-training has expanded, so too has its watchdogs. If an individual is seriously interested in advancing themselves via internet education, then they can find a program that rewards their academic effort and financial investment.

People need to educate themselves in order to select a program that is worth their while. Fortunately, many reputable institutions now offer online options for learning. For the 2001-2002 academic year, for example the National Center for Education Statistics found that 56% of 2-year and 4-year Title IV degree-granting institutions surveyed offered distance education courses. Just a few years later, the Sloan Consortium found that nearly two-thirds of the largest educational institutions in the United States were offering online programs. The federal government has recognized this trend, and as of 2006 students may receive federal funds to support fully online education.

Choose an Accredited Online School

An important factor to consider is accreditation. Traditional colleges and universities have long been evaluated by educational accreditors who ensure that their programs meet certain levels of quality. Regional and national organizations now accredit online programs too. In the United States, online colleges that are fully accredited have been recognized by one of six regional accreditation boards that also evaluate traditional campuses. These include:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools & Colleges

In addition, the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognize the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) as a reputable accreditor for education programs that offer online degrees. Once an online program becomes accredited, it’s more likely that a traditional school will accept its transfer credits and that employers will recognize its value.

What Online College Degrees Are Offered?

Hundreds of degrees have been adapted for distance learning. These include undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in dozens of fields. A sampling of subject areas includes:

• Actuarial Science
• Art History
• Business
• Education
• Engineering
• Finance
• Healthcare
• Hotel Management
• IT Certification
• Music education
• Psychology
• Translation

Of course, some subjects are more amenable to online study than others. However, when people choose programs wisely, the benefits are clear. In fact, a survey conducted for the Distance Education and Training Council found that employers unanimously agreed that their employees’ performance had improved as a result of earning a degree online. Furthermore, the Sloan Consortium’s 2006 report found that a majority of academic leaders now rate the outcomes of online education as the same or superior to face-to-face educational programs. In some cases, an online degree is indistinguishable from one earned on campus. Columbia University, for example, offers a degree through the Columbia Video Network that does not have a special “online” designation.

How to Choose an Online School

How should someone select an online school? Just as students have different priorities when choosing physical campuses, they will have different criteria for choosing an online institution. For example:

• Prestige. Some students need a degree from a prestigious university in order to advance in their particular field. Others are not concerned with elite reputations; as long as their program is accredited, it will move them forward.
• Expense. Some students wish to find schools that offer the most financial aid or have low tuition, but others – such as people with education benefits from the military – needn’t take cost into account.
• Pace. Some people want to earn their online degree as quickly as possible. They seek accelerated degree programs or those that will accept their previously-earned academic credits or grant credit for life experiences (e.g., military training). Other people prefer to learn at a slower pace.

Clearly, the variation among individual’s means that there will be variation among any rankings that people would assign to online institutions. At the same time, it is helpful to consider as a starting point another’s list of top online schools. The twenty online schools presented below are all accredited by one of the six aforementioned accrediting bodies. Factors such as tuition, reputation, academic awards, and range of degree programs have also been taken into account.