2023 Best Value Online Colleges & Universities

Top Consensus Ranked Best Value Online Schools for 2023

Want low tuition? Convenience and flexibility? And a college loan debt that doesn’t keep you up at night? The College Consensus ranking of the best value online colleges is here!

This is an excellent time for people seeking value in online colleges and degrees, but it’s important to realize that different colleges often cater to different needs when it comes to online programs. For example, depending on where someone lives, they may want to choose one of the regional public colleges. Regional public colleges will usually have lower tuition costs for applicants who live in the region where the college is located. On the other hand, an affordable private college will offer many of the same benefits as attending a private college offline. Those benefits can include a more hands-on approach, a religious or ideological grounding, or unique and unusual degree choices.

In addition, the online college landscape also contains numerous working-adult-focused colleges. These institutions typically offer programs specifically designed to work with people who have jobs, kids, or other adult responsibilities. People who want to attend online college courses have a lot affordable choices available to them, but just because a college is affordable doesn’t mean your degree will give you a good return on investment. That’s why College Consensus – the authority on college rankings – has put together a definitive ranking of the best value online colleges.

Ranking the Best Value Online Colleges 

College Consensus rankings combine the results of the most respected college ranking systems with the averaged ratings of thousands of real student reviews from around the web to create a unique college meta-ranking. This approach offers a comprehensive and holistic perspective missing from other college rankings. Visit our about page for information on which rankings and review sites were included in this year’s consensus rankings.

Our ranking of Best Value Online Colleges & Universities features schools with above-average Consensus Scores, at least three fully-online bachelor’s degree programs, and the lowest full-time, out-of-state tuition rates. See also our ranking of the Best Online Colleges & Universities.

Are Online Colleges a Better Value than Traditional Colleges?

These days, listings, databases, and various other resources exist to guide people towards just what they’re looking for. A search online will populate with numerous results that include updated reviews and pricing information for online colleges. If you’re paying for college yourself, it’s essential to do your homework.

When it comes to online college vs traditional college costs, people often assume online colleges always cost less than traditional colleges. In truth, just as with traditional colleges, online college costs can vary widely. Each institution will have a different pricing method based on their own criteria.

Most colleges that offer online courses will have tuition calculators or average cost breakdowns. People are often surprised to find out some universities charge the same price for their courses whether online or off. Some places charge even more for their online programs than their equivalent on-campus ones.

The online college vs traditional college cost question has no clear answer. As with all things college-related, it depends. This should drive home why researching the value of an online college is so important.

The average cost online bachelor’s degree will vary as well from place to place and student to student. For those who want to figure out the average cost online bachelor’s degree or any other degree program for themselves, a net price calculator can help.

How Do Online Colleges Provide Value?

When seeking a best value online college, it’s important to look at the stated dollar amounts. Finding the cheapest online college per credit hour can help once someone has already narrowed their search to the places that interest them.

However, saving money with involves a few other factors as well. Places that offer low tuition and fast degrees aren’t necessarily the best value in the long run. As previously stated, applicants must consider the net price of attending.

Because students aren’t attending a campus, many places will offer lower tuition. That’s not a given, but it’s worth searching for. Speedy courses also don’t require as many ongoing fees as a longer traditional course.

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