2021 Most Popular Online Bachelor's Degree Schools
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Most Popular Online Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 1,191 schools in the United States to see which online bachelor's degree programs were the most popular for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from schools with online programs.
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Most Popular Online Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these popular schools with online programs:
Our 2021 rankings named Western Governors University the most popular school in the United States for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 20,211 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
WGU does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,670. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from WGU accumulate an average of $19,715 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 72% were women.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out WGU. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
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You’ll be in good company if you attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. This large private for-profit school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 12,453 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average tuition and fees at UOPX - Arizona is $9,552. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UOPX - Arizona accumulate an average of $38,796 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 65% of those degree recipients were women.
Around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2017-2018.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Grand Canyon University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Grand Canyon University is located in Phoenix, Arizona and has a large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 11,319 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Grand Canyon University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $17,176. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Grand Canyon University accumulate an average of $27,383 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 74% were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
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Out of the 1,191 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern New Hampshire University landed the # 4 spot on the list. SNHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10,893 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
If you want to attend SNHU, expect to pay an average of $31,136 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from SNHU accumulate an average of $21,113 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 94% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida International University. It ranked #5 on our 2021 Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and has a large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 12,352 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Students from Florida who attend FIU full time pay an average of $6,565 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,963. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from FIU accumulate an average of $20,936 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 69% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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Chamberlain University - Illinois came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Addison, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 7,915 students in 2018-2019.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $19,900 to cover tuition and fees at Chamberlain - Illinois. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,148 in student loans. Around 89% of those degree recipients were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 92% took at least some of their classes online.
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Liberty University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and has a large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 9,140 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $16,118 to cover tuition and fees at Liberty University. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,318 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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University of Maryland - University College landed the #8 spot in the 2021 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. This large public school is located in Adelphi, Maryland, and it awarded 6,388 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
Students from Maryland who attend University of Maryland - University College full time pay an average of $7,560 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,336. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,391 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 47% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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Ashford University landed the #9 spot in the 2021 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Ashford University is a large private for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 6,318 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
If you want to attend Ashford University, expect to pay an average of $12,400 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $36,664 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Since Ashford University is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
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American Public University System came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. This large private for-profit school is located in Charles Town, West Virginia, and it awarded 5,873 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $7,324 to cover tuition and fees at American Military University. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from American Military University accumulate an average of $27,371 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 34% of those degree recipients were women.
American Military University is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
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With a ranking of #11, University of Central Florida did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. University of Central Florida is a large public school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 14,087 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UCF is $6,368. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $22,467. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,073 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 58% were women.
In 2017-2018 about 59% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #12 spot in the 2021 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, the large public school awarded 4,737 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
Students from Arizona who attend ASU - Skysong full time pay an average of $9,123 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,560. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,351 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Around 96% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2017-2018.
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The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #13 on this year’s Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Arlington, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 8,906 students in 2018-2019.
In-state students pay an average of $11,040 in tuition and fees if they attend UT Arlington full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,129. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,886 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
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With a ranking of #14, Ohio University - Main Campus did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Athens, Ohio, the large public school handed out 7,349 bachelor’s degree awards in 2018-2019.
Students from Ohio who attend Ohio U full time pay an average of $12,612 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $22,406. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,751 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 46% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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University of Florida ranked #15 on this year’s Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. This large public school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 9,663 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at U of F is $6,381. Out-of-state students pay an average of $28,659. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,828 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 58% were women.
In 2017-2018 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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Excelsior College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Excelsior College is located in Albany, New York and has a large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 3,482 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $14,294 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 42% of those degree recipients were women.
Excelsior College is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
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Kaplan University-Indianapolis landed the #17 spot in the 2021 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the large public school handed out 3,466 bachelor’s degree awards in 2018-2019.
Students from Indiana who attend Kaplan University-Indianapolis full time pay an average of $8,037 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,358. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Kaplan University-Indianapolis accumulate an average of $35,940 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 71% of those degree recipients were women.
Kaplan University-Indianapolis is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
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With a ranking of #18, Columbia Southern University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Orange Beach, Alabama, the large private for-profit school handed out 3,339 bachelor’s degree awards in 2018-2019.
The average tuition and fees at Columbia Southern University is $5,655. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of $23,535 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 37% of those degree recipients were women.
Columbia Southern University is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
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Northern Arizona University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, the large public school awarded 6,248 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
Students from Arizona who attend NAU full time pay an average of $11,142 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $17,785. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,582 in student loans. Around 63% of those degree recipients were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 41% took at least some of their classes online.
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Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Colorado Springs, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,067 students in 2018-2019.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $12,529 to cover tuition and fees at Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $35,579 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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Capella University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the large private for-profit school awarded 2,866 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.
Capella University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $14,540. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Capella University accumulate an average of $33,571 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 78% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Capella University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
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California State University - Fullerton came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 9,996 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
In-state students pay an average of $6,924 in tuition and fees if they attend Cal State Fullerton full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $18,804. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,176 in student loans. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 35% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2017-2018.
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With a ranking of #23, University of Arizona did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This large public school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 8,231 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
Students from Arizona who attend Arizona full time pay an average of $12,379 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $34,662. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,666 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 41% took at least some of their classes online.
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Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. BYU - I is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Rexburg, Idaho. It awarded 5,537 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $4,208 to cover tuition and fees at BYU - I. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from BYU - I accumulate an average of $15,581 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 56% of those degree recipients were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2017-2018 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
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With a ranking of #25, Old Dominion University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Old Dominion is a public institution located in Norfolk, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,987 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.
Full-time students from Virginia pay an average of $10,680 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Old Dominion. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $30,840. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Old Dominion accumulate an average of $24,405 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 59% of those degree recipients were women.
In 2017-2018 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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Not only did these schools make the top most popular online list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Online Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular online schools ranking:
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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