Online Colleges and Degrees
Whether online degrees pay off on the federal data, how online graduate earnings compare with in-person, and how to judge an online college.
By the Numbers
The largest online colleges
Total enrollment, fully online institutions
| # | College | State | Students | Earnings (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors University | UT | 155,088 | $60,615 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | 53,782 | $62,668 |
| 3 | American Public University System | WV | 40,074 | $44,409 |
| 4 | Capella University | MN | 18,364 | $42,189 |
| 5 | Columbia Southern University | AL | 12,176 | $63,534 |
| 6 | Excelsior University | NY | 11,550 | $78,493 |
| 7 | Walden University | MN | 9,136 | $42,810 |
| 8 | Bryant & Stratton College-Online | NY | 8,841 | $32,568 |
| 9 | American InterContinental University System | AZ | 7,111 | $36,144 |
| 10 | Colorado State University Global | CO | 6,563 | $76,813 |
Do Online Degrees Pay Off?
The biggest question about online college is whether the degree is taken seriously, and the federal earnings data gives a clear answer: yes. Graduates of fully online colleges earn about 48,500 dollars ten years after entry, almost exactly the 48,100 that in-person graduates earn. The format, by itself, barely moves the outcome. That should retire the old assumption that an online degree is a lesser one. What still matters is everything that matters at any college, the institution's reputation, its accreditation, its completion rate, and its cost, none of which is determined by whether classes meet on a campus or a screen.
The Biggest Names in Online Education
Online education is no longer a niche. About 49 colleges operate fully online, and the largest run at a scale that dwarfs most traditional campuses. Western Governors University enrolls over 150,000 students, Arizona State University's digital campus over 50,000, and American Public University System tens of thousands more. These are established, accredited institutions, not fly-by-night operations, and their size reflects real demand from working adults and others who need flexibility. Their presence has normalized online study, and the strongest of them post graduate earnings comparable to solid in-person colleges.
How to Judge an Online College
Because online and in-person graduates earn about the same, the right way to evaluate an online college is to ignore the format and apply the usual tests. Start with accreditation, which is non-negotiable. Then compare net price, completion rate, and graduate earnings against other options, just as you would for a campus-based school. The online label tells you almost nothing about quality; the numbers do. A reputable, accredited online program at a fair net price can be an excellent choice, particularly for adults balancing work and family, while an expensive online program with weak completion deserves the same skepticism as any other poor-value college.
The Findings on This Topic
Original data analyses built from the same federal sources. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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What 3,839 Colleges Look Like When You Score Them Fairly
Rank a community college against Harvard and the community college always loses. The UCD Score fixes that, and the median lands at 65 in all three peer groups.
- UCD Score
- College rankings
- Peer groups
- Score distribution
- College outcomes
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Why the UCD Score Does Not Just Reward Selectivity
A school can admit nine in ten applicants and still score Strong. 122 open-admission universities clear the bar on value and affordability, not exclusivity.
- UCD Score
- Selectivity
- College value
- Affordability
- Open admission
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The Colleges That Punch Above Their Weight
A handful of schools with little national name recognition post elite-level graduate earnings at a public-college price. The low-cost, high-outcome colleges nobody talks about.
- Hidden gems
- Earnings
- Net price
- Outcomes
- Underrated colleges
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The Expensive Colleges That Do Not Deliver the Earnings
295 colleges charge a top-quartile net price yet send graduates into below-median pay. At 88 of them, a full decade of earnings is worth less than one year of cost.
- Net price
- Earnings
- College ROI
- For-profit colleges
- Worst value colleges
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The Cheapest Four-Year Colleges With Above-Average Earnings
1,421 four-year colleges beat the national earnings median. The cheapest of them charge under $3,300 net and their graduates still out-earn the typical degree.
- Net price
- Earnings
- Cheap colleges
- CUNY
- Public colleges
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Public vs Private College, the Real Cost-and-Earnings Gap
Private four-year colleges cost 84 percent more in net price than public ones, but their graduates earn just 7 percent more. The cost gap dwarfs the payoff.
- Public vs private college
- Net price
- Earnings
- College cost
- College ROI
Tools for This Topic
What This Means for You
Judge an online college the way you would any other, on net price, completion, and earnings, not on the format, because online graduates earn about what in-person graduates do. A reputable, affordable online program can be an excellent fit, especially for working adults.
College ROI Calculator →Questions you might still have
Are online degrees respected?
Increasingly, yes. On the federal data, graduates of fully online colleges earn about the same as in-person graduates, around 48,500 dollars a decade out. Employers care more about the institution's reputation and accreditation than whether the format was online.
Do online college graduates earn less?
No, not on average. Online-only graduates earn about 48,500 dollars ten years after entry, nearly identical to the roughly 48,100 for in-person graduates. The format has little measurable effect on earnings once the program and student are accounted for.
What is the largest online college?
Western Governors University is the largest, enrolling over 150,000 students, followed by Arizona State University's digital campus. Several fully online colleges now operate at a scale that rivals or exceeds large traditional universities.
Are online colleges cheaper?
Not necessarily. Online-only colleges average about 20,000 dollars in net price, somewhat higher than public four-year colleges. Online study can save on housing and commuting, but tuition itself is not automatically lower, so compare net prices directly.
Is an online degree worth it?
It can be, judged on the same terms as any degree. Because online graduates earn about what in-person graduates do, the decision comes down to the specific college's cost, completion rate, and reputation, not the online format itself.
How do I choose a good online college?
Check accreditation first, then weigh net price, completion rate, and graduate earnings, exactly as you would for an in-person college. A reputable, accredited online program at a fair net price is a sound choice, especially for working adults who need flexibility.
Related Topics
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The Real Cost of College
What college actually costs once aid is applied: sticker price vs net price, why two families pay different amounts, and how to find your real number.
- Net price
- Sticker price
- Cost of college
- Financial aid
- College affordability
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College Value and ROI
What a degree is really worth, on the federal data: net price, 10-year earnings, and the colleges that return the most for every dollar paid.
- College ROI
- College value
- Net price
- Earnings
- Is college worth it
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Public vs Private vs For-Profit Colleges
How the three college types compare on the federal data: net price, earnings, completion, and debt, and which ownership delivers the best deal on average.
- Public colleges
- Private colleges
- For-profit colleges
- College ownership
- College value
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