Best Online Colleges of 2025

What You'll Like: 

As an Aggie, you'll be part of one of the nation's few land, sea, and space grant universities. Texas A&M enrolls more than 77,000 students in 400-plus academic programs and has branch locations in Galveston and Qatar outside of its main College Station campus. You can study abroad in one of 110 countries or join some of the 1,300 student organizations.

Things We Love:

• Texas residents pay around 30% of the tuition costs that nonresidents pay.
• Thirteen of Texas A&M's colleges and schools offer distance learning degrees or certificates.
• On-campus students can take up to 50% of their courses online.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• Distance education courses can cost between $40 and $550 per credit, with each academic department setting its own rate.
• Distance education courses may require additional fees.
• Some web-based courses are for on-campus learners only.

What You'll Like: 

Designated a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, Florida International University holds acclaim as both a Hispanic- and minority-serving institution. You can pursue one of 73 fully online academic programs. 

Things We Love:

• FIU offers out-of-state tuition waivers to qualifying students from Mexico and the Caribbean.
• Approximately 91% of full-time first-year undergraduates returned to FIU for their second year.
• Around 73% of FIU graduates earn more than people who hold only a high school diploma. 

What to Know Before You Apply:

• Nonresidents pay around twice as much as residents for online graduate study.
• Florida residents pay $4,371 for tuition per semester to pursue an online graduate degree.
• FIU reports that incoming freshmen hold an average GPA of 3.83.

What You'll Like: 

The University of Florida enrolls over 55,000 students, including 5,000+ online students. Nearly 50% of the student body identifies as non-white, making UF one of the more ethnically diverse campuses in the state. If you like studying future technologies, you will want to take advantage of UF's research opportunities in artificial intelligence, as the school aims to be a national leader in AI. 

Things We Love:

• UF offers 26 bachelor's degrees along with master's, specialist, doctoral, and certificate programs entirely online. 
• You can take online courses for credit without enrolling in a formal academic program.
• Online students can qualify for Florida's Bright Futures scholarship. 

What to Know Before You Apply:

• UF has three fixed application deadlines for online students in January, April, and September, and students are accepted on a rolling basis.
• If you graduated high school within the last five years and have fewer than 60 transferable credits, you must submit SAT, ACT, or CLT scores.
• Florida residents pay $129 per credit for online courses, while nonresidents pay $553.

What You'll Like: 

Arizona State University offers more than 200 fully online undergraduate degrees and certificates. 

As an online student, you'll enjoy ASU's extensive support services for first-year students, including coaching, mental health support, tutoring, and career counseling. You can also participate in many of ASU's student-led clubs. 

Things We Love:

• ASU offers the me3 quiz to help you decide which major is right for you. 
• Nonresidents pay the same tuition rates as Arizona residents.
• You don't have to submit SAT or ACT scores if you graduated in the top 25% of your class or hold a 3.0 GPA in competency courses.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• First-year students must have taken a specific college preparatory curriculum, including two years of a foreign language, three years of lab sciences, and more. 
• If you do not meet ASU's admissions requirements, you can still pursue the Earned Admission pathway by completing online courses with a minimum 2.75 GPA.

What You'll Like: 

Home of the Wildcats, the University of Arizona offers more than 150 online programs of study to more than 50,000 students. As an online student, you can benefit from the flexible, per-credit pricing. And if you're not an Arizona resident, you'll also appreciate that Arizona Online charges the same tuition for in-state and out-of-state students. 

Things We Love:

• Ninety percent of Arizona Online students say they would recommend the school to others.
• Twenty-one percent of Arizona Online's students are military-affiliated. 
• The University of Arizona accepts some CLEP scores for college credit.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• Arizona Online offers four start dates each year.
• Active military members pay a reduced tuition rate of $250 per credit.
• Students transferring from an Arizona community college are eligible to receive a $500-per-semester scholarship.

What You'll Like:

San Diego State University, home to 39,000 students, stands out for its rich ethnic diversity. It is both a Hispanic-serving institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution. SDSU Global Campus offers more than 80 online bachelor's and master's degrees, technology bootcamps, and other credential programs. 

Things We Love:

• SDSU offers a flexible, pay-as-you-go pricing model.
• You can pursue numerous non-degree programs through SDSU Global Campus. 
• SDSU offers month-long winter session courses that allow you to earn credits and complete your degree program faster.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• You must apply to the university through Cal State Apply.
• You can use several institutional, state, and federal financial aid packages as an online student.
• SDSU participates in the Military Spouse Department of Defense financial aid program.

What You'll Like: 

With 171,000 living alumni and over 30,000 current students, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one of the state's leading research universities. The school has two locations in Charlotte and a robust online campus that offers 60-plus online degrees and certificates. 

Things We Love:

• In 2023, UNC Charlotte awarded more degrees to Latinx students than any other university in North Carolina. 
• UNC Charlotte offers more than 100 fully online academic programs.
• UNC Charlotte students come from 49 U.S. states.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• UNC Charlotte accepts qualifying credits from AP, LB, CLEP, and Cambridge exams.
• SAT and ACT scores are optional for first-year students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher.

What You'll Like: 

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is the state's flagship university and rests on a history that stretches back 230 years. The school enrolls more than 36,000 students in over 900 programs of study, including an extensive array of online degree programs. You'll also enjoy flexible transfer policies as UT accepts most credits from completed two-year degree programs.

Things We Love:

• Around 90% of UT graduates are employed full time or in graduate school within six months of graduation. 
• UT offers support services for veterans, first-year students, and first-generation college students. 
• Ninety-one percent of UT students return after their first year.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• UT charges a $75 application fee.
• UT requires transcripts of any previous postsecondary study, even if you only took one course.
• Out-of-state learners pay just $75 per credit more than in-state students for most online undergraduate degree programs.

What You'll Like: 

The University of North Texas enrolls more than 46,000 students in over 240 academic programs. UNT awards over $456 million in financial aid annually and is recognized as a Hispanic- and minority-serving institution. 

You'll have the opportunity to participate in UNT's homecoming through online and streaming activities — one of the more unique offerings for online students.

Things We Love:

• UNT has more than 90 online programs, including bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees as well as certificate programs.
• Some programs offer accelerated formats or flexible enrollment options at the Denton or Frisco campuses.
• UNT offers 1,824 online courses.

What to Know Before You Apply:

• First-year applicants can apply for fall, spring, or summer admission.
• Applicants with an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher do not need to submit SAT or ACT scores.

What You'll Like: 

America's eighth oldest institution of higher learning, Rutgers University was founded in 1771 and was the site of the first collegiate football game. Its New Brunswick location alone is home to 19 schools and colleges. You'll like the vast array of choices at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels that you can pursue entirely online.

Things We Love:

• Rutgers has an 80% graduation rate and an 89% retention rate for first-year, full-time students. 
• Online students can participate in internships, study abroad programs, and dual degree options.
• Rutgers is among the nation's most ethnically diverse campuses. 

What to Know Before You Apply:

• Students eligible for VA educational benefits may qualify for in-state tuition rates.
• Rutgers accepts 79% of its applicants. 
• First-year, in-state students pay less than 50% of the published tuition rates through university, state, and federal financial aid.