2024 Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in the U.S.

Public online school Thomas Edison State University, located in New Jersey, is the number one best online college and one of the top schools in the country for bachelor's alumni salary. TESU has a Salary Score of 96 for bachelor's graduates, making their alumni some of the highest-paid for their major. TESU's most popular bachelor's majors are interdisciplinary studies, nursing, business administration, and social sciences. All of these programs had salary outcomes in the 95th percentile or better. Although it is a smaller program by enrollment, its health professions program earned a Salary Score of 100. All of this helped propel TESU to the top of the rankings. TESU also offers online bachelor's degrees in data science, homeland security, cybersecurity, human services, organizational leadership, and professional studies. TESU has an open admissions policy and serves 100% of its students online. Most students at TESU are adult learners and enroll part-time.

The for-profit, West Virginia-based American Public University System ranks second with a Salary Score of 92 for bachelor's programs. APUS has a wide range of bachelor's programs with high salary outcomes for recent graduates, including history, international studies, health and physical education, international relations, criminal justice, psychology, natural resources, and business administration. APUS is made up of two branches, American Military University and American Public University. Together the two online schools serve more than 95,000 online students. The vast majority of APUS students are adults over 24 years old who enroll part-time. Online students at APUS can connect with their peers through student groups and organizations such as the Association for Women in Science, the Jewish Student Association, the Esports Club, and the Homeland Security Network. APUS has an open admissions policy, making it a more accessible option for many online students.

Minnesota's for-profit Capella University has a Salary Score of 92, and top-ranked programs for alumni salary include business administration, information technology management, health administration, psychology, and human resources management. Capella offers bachelor's programs in a variety of popular fields, delivered through two main learning formats: GuidedPath offers a more traditional and structured approach, while FlexPath allows students to study on their own time through a self-paced learning model. Students can access online resources such as academic advising, writing and research assistance, career counseling, technical support, and a digital library with extensive databases, e-books, and academic journals. The university also has a mobile app that allows students to access course materials, discussion boards, and grades wherever they are. Capella serves more than 66,000 online students, most of whom are adult learners who attend part-time. The university also has an open admissions policy.

Colorado State University Global is the online branch of the public Colorado State University system. CSU Global has a Salary Score of 90 for bachelor's programs, and top-performing majors include management information systems, communications and media studies, criminal justice, business administration, and human resources management. CSU Global serves around 18,000 online students per year, many of whom are enrolled part-time and are adult students. The university has a 96% acceptance rate and serves online students from all over the country. CSU Global focuses on affordability through in-state tuition for all students, a tuition guarantee, and no student fees, making it easier for applicants to understand how much their degree will cost.

The University of Maryland Global Campus is a large public university with an online enrollment of more than 71,000 representing 80% of the school’s total enrollment. The university has a Salary Score of 87 with strong salary outcomes across nearly all majors with earnings data. Bachelor's graduates of UMGC's programs in communication and media studies, criminal justice, psychology, information science, registered nursing, and business administration are among the top performers for salary. UMGC also emphasizes support for military members and veterans by offering virtual and in-person military advisors, a mentorship program, a virtual student union for veterans, and other support services. The university offers an open admissions policy and serves a high rate of adult learners.

Western Governors University, based in Utah, is one of the largest schools in the country, serving more than 200,000 online students each year. WGU is known for its competency-based learning model and offers bachelor's programs in some of the most high-demand fields, including healthcare, IT, and education. The university has a Salary Score of 84. Bachelor's graduates of WGU's business administration, management, operations, and marketing programs earn some of the top salaries in the country for their major, with Salary Scores above 90 for each program. The university's computer science, medical informatics, and registered nursing graduates also fare well for alumni salary. WGU is a private online school that charges a flat tuition rate per semester, allowing students to take as many classes as they want and test out of ones they don't need. The flat-rate tuition model along with an open admissions policy make WGU highly accessible for students who have been traditionally underserved in higher education.

Iowa-based Waldorf University has a strong Salary Score of 80, ranking it at #7 for best online colleges for bachelor's degrees. Its top program, with an exceptional Salary Score of 99, is criminal justice. Alumni of the university's human resources management, health administration, fire protection, and quality control majors also earn high alumni salaries for their field of study. Waldorf offers a variety of resources, including scholarships for online students, career and academic support services, and a support center for military students and veterans. Waldorf is a for-profit college serving nearly 4,000 online students each year. The university has an acceptance rate of 74%.

With a Salary Score of 80, Bellevue University has some of the top salary outcomes in the country for graduates in education, business administration, general sales and merchandising, management information systems, and criminal justice. Bellevue is a nonprofit university serving nearly 17,000 online students through 48 different career-focused bachelor's degrees. The university offers small class sizes capped at 24 students, and classes are delivered asynchronously, so students can complete classwork when it's convenient for them rather than logging in at a scheduled time. Bellevue also offers accelerated degree programs in some areas of study where students complete one class at a time with their cohort, allowing them to connect with peers and finish their degree faster. Online students at Bellevue can access services such as career support, tutoring, and student support centers such as the El Camino Latino Center and Military Veterans Service Center. Bellevue might be a good option for international students because they pay the same tuition rate as online students who have U.S. citizenship.

Southern New Hampshire University, one of the largest schools in the country with more than 198,000 online students, has a Salary Score of 79 for bachelor's degrees overall. The university showcased strong salary outcomes for business administration, management and marketing, liberal arts and general studies, allied health services, and a range of other programs. Its large size means it offers a wide array of majors in everything from data analytics to forensic psychology. SNHU serves a high rate of part-time students and adult learners, and offers features including accelerated bachelor's to master's programs, eight-week terms, six start dates per year, and rolling admissions to make it easier for students to enroll and fit college into their schedule. Online students also pay a lower tuition rate than campus-based students do. SNHU is a private university with an acceptance rate of 96%, making it accessible for many students.

Granite State College, based in New Hampshire, recently joined the University of New Hampshire as the school's College of Professional Studies. With a Salary Score of 73, UNH College of Professional Studies offers strong salary outcomes for bachelor's degrees in health and medical administration, criminal justice, human services, and psychology. The school has a long history of focusing on adult learners and emphasizes accessible education through flexible online classes and an open admissions policy. Students can access online services such as free counseling, online seminars that emphasize student wellbeing, online tutoring available 24/7, and career advising and planning services. UNH CPS primarily serves adult learners over 24 years old, and about half of students enroll part-time.

University of Phoenix is an Arizona-based online university serving more than 135,000 students each year. It's one of the largest schools in the country and is well-known in the online learning space. The for-profit university offers bachelor's degrees and certificates across many fields of study, from business to technology. The university has a Salary Score of 72 for bachelor's degrees, and graduates of the nursing, communications, marketing, and natural resources programs are top earners for their majors. Popular programs at the University of Phoenix include business administration, health and medical administration, behavioral sciences, and criminal justice. The university features multiple start dates throughout the year and students take one class at a time over the course of a few weeks rather than multiple classes over a few months. University of Phoenix has an open admissions policy.

Students at private nonprofit school Park University can choose from online undergraduate programs in a wide range of fields, from construction management to social work. Online students at Park use Canvas to access course materials, participate in class discussions, and turn in assignments. Rather than meeting with their class at a set time, Park students can log in and review class materials on their own schedule, as long as they complete assignments by the due date. Classes usually run in eight-week cycles, and the university recommends taking two classes at a time to balance work, school, and other responsibilities. Park has a Salary Score of 71 for bachelor's graduates, with top-ranked programs for salary including degrees in business administration, criminal justice, management information systems, and computer software.

With a commitment to providing accessible education, Wilmington University caters to a diverse student population of more than 12,000 online learners, including working adults and part-time students. The private university offers online bachelor's degrees in more than 30 fields of study, from accounting to web design. Wilmington's Dual Credit ADVANTAGE Program allows students to earn credits toward their degree and a related certificate at the same time for many of their majors. Online students at Wilmington have access to the same student support services as their on-campus peers, including library services, tutoring, and an online student association. Wilmington has a Salary Score of 66 for bachelor's degrees, with strong alumni salary outcomes for registered nursing, behavioral science, criminal justice, and psychology majors, among others. Wilmington has an open admissions policy making it a more accessible option for online students.

The online branch of Catholic school Saint Leo University in Florida offers bachelor's programs in 28 different areas of study, including popular degrees such as business administration, criminal justice, psychology, and teaching. Saint Leo focuses on a holistic student support system that includes counseling services, peer tutoring, financial assistance, online student clubs, and a virtual Catholic mass each week. Bachelor's graduates at Saint Leo have a Salary Score of 66, and criminal justice, health and physical education, teaching, business administration, and sociology are among the school's strongest programs for bachelor's alumni salary. The university has an acceptance rate of 71% and serves more than 11,000 online students each year.

Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio serves a student body of more than 8,000 online students from all over the country. The university provides online bachelor's degrees in more than 30 areas of study, from business to computer science. Franklin University has a Salary Score of 62 for bachelor's degrees, with graduates of the business administration, public relations, health administration, and criminal justice programs showcasing strong salary outcomes. The university features several start dates throughout the year and offers detailed class schedules at the beginning of each course so students can plan accordingly. It also offers scholarships for online students and a tuition guarantee so students won't see their tuition increase throughout their enrollment. With an open admission policy, Franklin University is an accessible option for many online students.

Columbia College is a private nonprofit school in Missouri offering online bachelor's degree programs across various disciplines. The college has a Salary Score of 61 for bachelor's degrees, with top-performing bachelor's programs including history, psychology, liberal arts, criminal justice, and business administration. The college serves a high rate of adult learners and part-time students through its online programs and more than 30 campuses. Online students have access to resources including scholarships, career counseling, mental health services, and tutoring. Columbia College also has locations on military bases across the country and offers student support services for military students and veterans, including virtual veterans services and military scholarships. Columbia College has an open admissions policy.

Upper Iowa University (UIU) serves about half of its student body online with an online enrollment of just over 4,000 students per year. The university offers a range of different online learning styles, including online programs that mirror traditional campus classes and self-paced programs offered online or through the mail. The university has a Salary Score of 59 for bachelor's degrees, and graduates from the school's psychology, criminology, business, and teaching programs tend to earn high salaries for their major. UIU is a private school with an admissions rate of 65%, making it more selective than some other online schools. More than half of UIU students are adult learners over 24 years old.

Purdue Global, the online branch of the Purdue University system, offers a broad selection of online bachelor's degrees. The university is designed with working adults in mind and serves over 66,000 online students each year. Although the university is a public school, Purdue Global's online students qualify for in-state tuition no matter where they live, and can access resources such as career counseling, tutoring, and a writing center. The university has a Salary Score of 59 at the bachelor's level, with notably strong salary outcomes for business administration, registered nursing, criminal justice, clinical nutrition, and psychology degrees. Purdue Global has an open admission policy.