America's Best Online Colleges for 2012

The 64 Highest Rated Online Universities | 2012 Edition

Looking to attend one of the top online universities in America? We are here to help you on this quest and have conducted the most extensive ranking of online institutions.

Below you will find the 64 top online schools for 2012. Colleges were ranked by weighting the following metrics: average net price of attendance, acceptance rate, student-to-faculty ratios, percentage receiving grants or scholarship aid, percentage receiving federal student loans, retention rates, graduation rates, and cohort default rates. To be included, colleges need to offer a selection of 4-year bachelor degree programs online, be accredited and listed on the U.S. Department of Education College Navigator site. Good luck with your college search!

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Best Online Colleges of 2012

 

 
Rank
Type
Student Population
Index Score
1
 Everglades University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
1,039
100
2
 Abilene Christian University | Abilene, Texas
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
4,813
96
2
 Northeastern University | Boston, Massachusetts
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
27,537
96
4
 Keiser University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
16,882
95
5
 Crown College | Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
1,221
93
6
 Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
9,906
91
6
 Full Sail University | Winter Park, Florida
 
4 year, private for-profit
7,516
91
8
 Monroe College | Multiple Locations in NY
 
4 year, private for-profit
7,290
90
9
 Five Towns College | Dix Hills, New York
 
4 year, private for-profit
1,173
89
9
 Cardinal Stritch University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
6,276
89
11
 California University of Pennsylvania | California, Pennsylvania
 
4 year, public
9,017
88
11
 Jones International University | Centennial, Colorado
 
4 year, private for-profit
3,861
88
13
 Utica College | Utica, New York
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
3,273
87
13
 Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
46,312
87
15
 Upper Iowa University | Fayette, Iowa
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
5,774
86
16
 Champlain College | Burlington, Vermont
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
2,938
85
17
 New England College | Henniker, New Hampshire
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
2,102
84
17
 Tiffin University | Tiffin, Ohio
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
3,429
84
17
 LeTourneau University | Longview, Texas
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
3,386
84
20
 International Academy of Design and Technology-Online | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
1,409
83
20
 California State University Monterey Bay | Seaside, California
 
4 year, public
4,688
83
22
 Regent University | Virginia Beach, Virginia
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
4,656
82
22
 Salem International University | Salem, West Virginia
 
4 year, private for-profit
751
82
22
 ECPI College of Technology | Virginia Beach, Virginia
 
4 year, private for-profit
12,194
82
22
 Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
29,153
82
22
 Stevens-Henager College | Multiple Locations in Utah
 
4 year, private for-profit
2,500
82
27
 Fisher College | Boston, Massachusetts
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
1,593
81
27
 The Art Institutes | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
2,358
81
29
 Saint Leo University Online | Saint Leo, Florida
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
14,339
80
30
 Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, Arizona
 
4 year, private for-profit
34,205
79
31
 Herzing College | Kenner, Louisiana
 
4 year, private for-profit
361
78
31
 American Public University System | Charles Town, West Virginia
 
4 year, private for-profit
31,331
78
31
 Dickinson State University | Dickinson, North Dakota
 
4 year, public
2,767
78
31
 Capella University | Minneapolis, Minnesota
 
4 year, private for-profit
31,998
78
35
 Bellevue University | Bellevue, Nebraska
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
9,448
77
35
 The College of Westchester | White Plains, New York
 
4 year, private for-profit
1,363
77
37
 ITT Technical Institute | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
70,000
76
38
 Franklin University | Columbus, Ohio
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
7,942
75
38
 Virginia College | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
15,000
75
38
 Berkeley College | New York & New Jersey
 
4 year, private for-profit
8,000
75
41
 Colorado Technical University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
30,924
74
42
 National American University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
7,800
73
43
 University of Advancing Technology | Tempe, Arizona
 
4 year, private for-profit
1,147
72
44
 Everest University | Tampa, Florida
 
4 year, private for-profit
28,285
71
44
 Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, Utah
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
15,870
71
46
 National University | La Jolla, California
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
15,553
70
47
 Westwood College | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
15,000
69
47
 Schiller International University | Largo, Florida
 
4 year, private for-profit
591
69
49
 DeVry University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
80,000
68
50
 Peirce College | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
2,083
67
50
 Post University | Waterbury, Connecticut
 
4 year, private for-profit
2,590
67
50
 Walden University | Minneapolis, Minnesota
 
4 year, private for-profit
40,714
67
53
 Academy of Art University | San Francisco, California
 
4 year, private for-profit
15,413
66
53
 South University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
16,500
66
55
 Argosy University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
6,185
65
55
 City University of Seattle | Bellevue, Washington
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
3,204
65
55
 Cambridge College | Cambridge, Massachusetts
 
4 year, private not-for-profit
4,830
65
58
 Kaplan University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
70,011
62
59
 Stratford University | Falls Church, Virginia
 
4 year, private for-profit
1,342
61
60
 American InterContinental University Online | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
26,630
60
61
 Ashford University | Clinton, Iowa
 
4 year, private for-profit
46,835
59
62
 Strayer University | Multiple Locations
 
4 year, private for-profit
54,325
58
63
 Western International University | Phoenix, Arizona
 
4 year, private for-profit
2,927
57

Interested in seeing who made the list in 2011 - here were the Best Online Colleges of 2011.

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Best Online Colleges 2012 By Metric

Average Net Price

Acceptance Rates

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

% Receiving Grants or Scholarship Aid

% Receiving Federal Student Loans

Retention Rates

Graduation Rates

Cohort Default Rates