Earning an academic degree from an online college or university, often referred to as distance learning, has become an increasingly popular and practical choice for many students. This trend is evident in the United States, where nearly 4.4 million undergraduate students exclusively took online classes in 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). For graduate students, online programs are even more popular, with approximately 40 percent enrolled in an online program in 2023. These numbers continue to grow, with a 2.2 percent increase in enrollment in online colleges as of spring 2021. The expansion also includes prestigious institutions, including Ivy League schools, that have started offering online programs since their emergence in the 1990s.
Attending an online college, whether it’s a purely online institution or a traditional university with online programs, offers significant benefits. It broadens access to education for students who cannot relocate and provides a flexible schedule, making it easier to balance studies with work and other life commitments.
What is an Online College?
An online college is an institution that grants degrees earned virtually. There are generally two common types:
- Non-profit institutions: These primarily operate as traditional brick-and-mortar campuses but also offer a range of online degree options. They typically hold regional accreditation.
- For-profit institutions: These exist primarily as online learning portals. They tend to have national accreditation.
While students can typically complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for both types, transferring credits from a nationally accredited school to a regionally accredited one can face greater restrictions.
Degrees You Can Earn from an Online College
Online colleges offer a diverse range of degrees, including certain professional degrees:
- Associate Degree: Takes approximately two years to complete. It can serve as a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree or directly lead to professions such as a registered nurse, web developer, dental hygienist, or paralegal.
- Bachelor’s Degree: Typically takes around four years to complete, though some self-paced online programs allow for faster completion. An online bachelor’s degree can open doors to various career fields or serve as a foundation for more advanced studies like a master’s degree. Many top universities offer online bachelor’s degrees in lucrative fields like business administration, computer science, or marketing.
- Master’s Degree: Usually takes between one and three years to complete. These programs allow students to focus intensely on a particular subject, such as applied data science, international business, or mechanical engineering.
- Doctoral Degree (PhD): A terminal degree in many disciplines, generally taking four to seven years. While less common, some online doctoral programs are available, though options may be limited depending on the discipline.
- Law Degree (JD): A professional degree taking around three years, essential for practicing law. Similar to doctoral degrees, earning a JD online is possible but less common due to fewer available options.
Benefits of Attending an Online College
Education at any level offers benefits, including increased earning potential and expanded job opportunities. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (current as of Q1 2025):
- Associate degree holders earn a median of $1,096 per week, compared to $953 per week for high school graduates.
- Bachelor’s degree holders earn a median of $1,603 per week.
- Roughly half of the occupations tracked by BLS require an academic degree, which means earning a degree can qualify you for more jobs.
Beyond career advancement and earning potential, online colleges offer numerous other advantages:
- Lower Overall Costs: Online study can be more affordable than attending an in-person institution, primarily by eliminating expenses like commuting, room, and board. While tuition and fees vary, the average total cost for an online bachelor’s degree is estimated between $40,536 and $63,185, significantly less than the average $29,910 per year for in-state public college with room and board (making the 4-year total around $119,640).
- Flexible Scheduling and Learning Environments: Online classes come in two main formats:
- Synchronous classes: Involve live, scheduled meetings with instructors and classmates.
- Asynchronous classes: Allow students to work through lessons and assignments individually at their own pace, without set meeting times.
Both offer the freedom to study from any comfortable or convenient location, and their inherent flexibility is highly beneficial for those who need to continue working while pursuing their education.
- Strengthen Key Transferable Skills: Online learning often demands greater time management and self-discipline, as students are solely responsible for organizing their study and assignment completion. While not for everyone due to these demands, it helps refine valuable transferable skills such as independent work, which are highly sought after by employers. Many online students are older (the majority of bachelor’s or master’s students with Coursera’s university partners are 30 or older), bringing diverse experiences to the virtual classroom.
How to Choose the Best Online College for You
Choosing an online college requires careful consideration, just like choosing a traditional institution.
- Determine What You’d Like to Learn: Identify your desired major and degree type. Research online colleges offering programs in that discipline and compile a list of potential fits.
- Verify Each Online College’s Accreditation: Accreditation is crucial for quality assurance, credit transferability, and eligibility for federal financial aid.
- Regional Accreditation: Generally preferred for ease of credit transfer to other universities and often held by non-profit and traditional universities with online programs (including all Ivy League schools).
- National Accreditation: More common among online-only or for-profit institutions. Credits from nationally accredited schools may be harder to transfer to regionally accredited ones.
- Financial Aid: The U.S. government only provides federal financial aid (grants or loans) to accredited institutions.
- Research Each Potential Program: Once you have a shortlist, delve deeper into each program, considering:
- Coursework: Review course descriptions to ensure they align with your learning goals and desired outcomes.
- Types of Classes: Determine if the program offers synchronous or asynchronous classes, choosing based on your personal schedule and learning preferences. Asynchronous classes are often ideal for those working full-time.
- Faculty: Read faculty bios to assess their credentials and experience, whether you prioritize professional industry experience or a strong academic background.
- Location: While online learning offers geographic flexibility, in-state online options from public institutions might offer lower tuition rates, similar to in-person public colleges. However, many online colleges have pricing structures designed for a diverse, non-local student body.
- Non-profit vs. For-profit: Understand the distinction and potential implications, particularly regarding accreditation and credit transfer, with regionally accredited non-profit institutions often being viewed more favorably.
Other Ways to Learn Online
Beyond full degree programs, several online options can help you strengthen credentials or gain specific skills:
- Certificate Programs: Offered by many colleges and universities, these programs focus on specific professional areas (e.g., copyediting, financial planning). Platforms like Coursera offer beginner and advanced Professional Certificate programs from industry leaders like Google, IBM, and Meta, designed to teach job-ready skills in a matter of months.
- Boot Camps: Intensive, shorter programs designed for in-depth learning in a concentrated amount of time, often in tech fields like computer science, data science, and UX, to accelerate skill acquisition for professionals.
- Online College Courses (Independent): Many universities offer individual online courses through platforms like Coursera, allowing students to learn about specific subjects (e.g., statistics from Stanford, financial markets from Yale, UX design from Georgia Tech) without enrolling in a full degree program.
Platforms like Coursera host a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degrees from top U.S. and European universities, including regionally accredited institutions like the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois, often taught by the same faculty members as their on-campus counterparts.