Online Bachelor’s Degree: 20 Schools and Programs to Earn Your Degree

Thinking about continuing your education?

Earn an online bachelor’s degree by exploring these wonderful online colleges and programs!

There are now over 6 million Americans who are pursuing an online education.

And that number continues to climb every year.

With the spread of the coronavirus, that number is expected to increase even more dramatically shortly. 

The great thing about working towards an online bachelor’s degree is that it’s better suited to your schedule and personal needs.

You’re not limited to a single college campus and usually don’t have to pay as much money as on-campus students. 

But even if you aren’t attending your classes in person, that doesn’t mean that each online program will be the same.

There are hundreds of schools and programs out there that offer online degrees so you must use your best discretion when committing to an institution. 

With all these options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

However, you shouldn’t let that stop you from pursuing an education.

There are many well-respected figures throughout history who have spoken about the value of a good education. 

Luckily, we’ve done a lot of the research for you.

So continue reading and we’ll walk you through the top schools and programs for online education that you need to know about. 

1. University of Florida

If you have a dream to get a college education, then you should follow that instinct.

And UF is a great place to accomplish it.

Established in 1853, the University of Florida consistently ranks among the top public universities in the country.

The school has more than 55,000 students, which makes it one of the biggest in the sunshine state.

Students who attend UF can pick from several online bachelor’s degrees in fields like:

• environmental management
• health education
• communication sciences and disorders
• tourism event and recreation management

Distance learners can take advantage of the school’s Career Connections Center.

This center offers resume and online job interview preparation, workshops, career counseling, and academic planning.

And if you’re a resident of Florida who chooses to take the school’s online program, you’ll only have to pay 75% of the standard in-state tuition.

2. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University was originally known as the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College and was a land-grant institution.

When they opened in 1890, they enrolled a total of 22 men and 23 women.

Today, they have around 25,000 undergraduate students and offer more than 200 majors across six academic colleges. 

The university offers bachelor’s degrees online in multiple disciplines, including:

• human sciences
• nursing
• business administration
• computer science
• psychology

The school’s LASSO Center offers multiple support services to help both online and on-campus students throughout their academic careers. 

The LASSO center offers subject-specific supplemental instruction, academic coaching, and tutoring services.

Distance learners can request assistance from the writing center for college-level research and academic writing tips. 

The school maintains a generous transfer credit policy and they accept credits that are earned through Advanced Placement (AP), the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). 

3. University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida was only started in 1963 but has grown into a well-respected university over the decades.

Students can pick from more than twenty online bachelor’s degrees in multiple academic fields, including 

• senior living management
• health informatics and information management
• religion and cultural studies
• technical education and industry training

Most of the school’s online programs deliver schoolwork asynchronously.

To apply to the online programs at UCF, you first must have finished some college coursework.

Students who live on-campus can enroll in online courses but must pay on-campus fees. 

4. Kansas State University

Kansas State University was the first operational land-grant institution in the United States.

Today, the university comprises nine colleges and schools and offers over 400 programs.

They offer online bachelor’s degrees in multiple academic areas, including:

• nutrition and health
• early childhood education
• human development and family science
• applied business and technology

The educational resources from Kansas State include writing assistance, academic coaching, and tutoring services.

The school’s career center also provides useful tips on cover letter and resume writing, salary negotiation, and job interviews. 

5. Purdue University

Based in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue University offers a variety of bachelor’s degrees.

Students can pick online programs that are available in areas like

• environmental policy and management 
• industrial/organizational psychology
• early childhood administration
• legal support and services

The school offers multiple federal financial aid programs for online undergraduate students.

And their Academic Success center provides support services for on-campus as well as online enrollees. 

6. Drexel University

Based in Philadelphia, Drexel University currently offers online bachelor’s degrees in ten academic disciplines.

Some of the most popular ones are:

• behavioral health counseling
• nursing and health professions
• communication
• criminal justice
• business

The university gives college credit for related prior learning and maintains a generous transfer credit policy.

Students can transfer up to eighty previously earned semester credits toward a bachelor’s degree. 

7. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Founded in 1766 under the name Queens College, the first classes at Rutgers involved a few students being taught in a converted tavern.

Rutgers is made up of seventeen schools and serves more than 50,000 students. 

Those who are looking to get an online education can take courses in:

• labor and employment relations
• nursing
• business administration

The online bachelor’s degree in business administration is part of a degree completion program and only accepts people with at least 18 college credits. 

Students who want to join the nursing program need to hold a valid RN license and pass the NCLEX before being accepted. 

8. University of Arizona

The University of Arizona offers 33 online bachelor’s degrees in areas such as:

• government and public service
• geographic information systems technology
• nutritional sciences
• applied science

Seven different concentrations are offered for their applied science program, including human services, network operations, early childhood education, and intelligence studies. 

9. Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University was founded in 2017, as it was formed due to the merger of two schools that had both been around since the 1800s.

Students can receive an online bachelor’s degree in one of seven academic areas, including:

• organizational leadership 
• business management
• behavioral and health services

This current iteration of the university is made up of 13 colleges and schools.

10. University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota is the largest and oldest university in the state.

They offer a wide-ranging 27 online bachelor’s degrees in areas such as:

• computer science
• social work
• public health education
• cybersecurity

They also offer multiple combined bachelor’s and master’s programs in fields like chemical engineering and childhood education.

Getting a combined degree can end up saving you both money and time, especially when that program is available online. 

11. University of Iowa

Founded almost immediately after Iowa became a state, the University of Iowa currently enrolls over 32,000 students.

The school is made up of eleven academic colleges and it offers more than 200 programs and seven professional degrees. 

Students can earn an online bachelor’s degree in areas such as 

• enterprise leadership
• liberal studies
• nursing
• applied studies
• political science
• sports and recreational management
• radiation sciences

The liberal studies degree is an interdisciplinary program that offers six tracks, including justice and ethics, health and human studies, and community and social support. 

12. Keiser University – Ft Lauderdale

Keiser is a career-focused university that caters to adult learners looking to establish careers in healthcare or business.

Students can earn an online bachelor’s degree in multiple academic fields, including:

• public safety administration
• homeland security
• information technology management
• applied engineering

The school offers more than 100 programs and is one of Florida’s largest universities. 

13. DeSales University

Starting in 1962, DeSales University currently offers online bachelor’s programs via the school’s ACCESS program.

Students can earn degrees in fields such as:

• criminal justice
• business administration
• homeland security 
• early childhood and elementary education

Students who take online classes can choose to enroll in six- or eight-week sessions.

14. Oregon State University

Oregon State University dates back to 1856 when it was started as a community school for primary and secondary education.

It serves around 32,000 students and offers more than 300 undergraduate and graduate programs across 11 schools and colleges. 

Students enroll in an online bachelor’s program via the school’s Ecampus.

There are more than thirty online undergrad degrees that cover a variety of areas, such as:

• human development and family sciences
• business analytics
• geography and geospatial science
• environmental economics and policy

Most online programs at OSU don’t require any campus visits and provide up to four start dates per year.

15. George Washington University 

Based in our nation’s capital, George Washington University was founded in 1821.

It’s composed of fourteen colleges and schools and enrolls more than 26,000 students.

It’s the largest school in the DC area. 

GW offers online bachelor’s degrees in security studies, nursing, and health science.

There are seven concentration areas within the health science program, including:

• global leadership and disaster response
• emergency medical services management
• clinical operations and healthcare management 
• clinical research administration

George Washington University provides support services to online learnings, including writing and reading assistance, academic counseling, and free peer-to-peer tutoring.

Via the school’s career center, students can grow their professional network and get advice for resumes and job interviews. 

16. University of South Dakota

Dating back to 1862, the University of South Dakota is the oldest university in the state.

The school serves more than 10,000 students and offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees across eight colleges and schools. 

Students can earn an online bachelor’s degree in areas such as:

• criminal justice
• addiction studies
• business administration
• technical leadership
• health sciences

The school offers a generous transfer credit policy and accepts college-level credits earned equivalent coursework from an accredited institution.

Online students get to pay the same tuition as in-state students, no matter where they live.

Online students also access support services, including academic counseling, ESL and subject-specific tutoring, and career planning. 

Students can also access the school’s writing center, which offers training videos and interactive online workshops. 

17. Madonna University

Madonna University is based in Livonia, MI and it serves 3,000 students.

Students at this school can pursue an online bachelor’s degree in areas such as: 

• family and consumer science
• organizational leadership
• hospitality and tourism management
• criminal justice

MU also maintains a transfer credit policy where students can transfer up to 90 credits from a four-year institution. 

18. Webster University

Webster University offers fully online bachelor’s degrees in:

• educational studies
• management
• religion
• psychology
• criminology
• general studies

They also offer online degree completion programs in nursing, media communications, and data analytics. 

19. Valley City State University

Valley City State University was founded in 1890 as a teacher training school.

Today, this school serves more than 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students.

It provides online bachelor’s programs in areas such as:

• teacher education
• communication
• integration management
• social science

VCSU is made up of 11 departments and also has a school of education and graduate studies.

20. McKendree University

McKendree University was originally called the Lebanon Seminary when it was founded in 1828.

Students at this school can earn an online bachelor’s degree in five academic areas:

• computer information systems
• psychology
• business administration
• sociology/criminal justice
• nursing

McKendree is the oldest college in the state of Illinois.

Get Your Online Bachelor’s Degree at the Right School

When looking for the right school to get your online bachelor’s degree, you want to make sure that they offer the courses and programs that you’re interested in at prices that you can afford.

Hopefully, after reading the above article, you’ve found at least a few schools that you’re interested in looking further into. 

And keep in mind that taking classes online isn’t an excuse to spend all your time on Facebook!

If getting an online degree at a good school is important, check out our article on goal setting.