Online Schools and Colleges in Alaska

Alaska is home to several universities and colleges, many of which offer online distance education programs. While just over 4,000 students are enrolled in Alaska’s private colleges and universities, almost 30,000 learners attend public and state schools. Thanks to online learning, prospective students from any state can explore these digital campuses as they search for the perfect place to obtain their higher education goals.

This page includes information on Alaska’s online college options and answers commonly asked questions about online degree programs in Alaska, including cost, transferring credits and accreditation.

Online schools and colleges in Alaska offer practical, ever-growing alternatives to on-campus learning. The number of students enrolled in online courses in Alaska outweighs the national average. Online degree programs often offer more flexible schedules and lower tuition costs than on-campus programs.

This guide covers important information for prospective online students, including tuition costs and other fees, financial aid opportunities, and student resources.

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

Prospective students can use websites such as U.S. News & World Report to determine the best-ranked online schools and programs. The following link also provides information on accredited Alaska colleges and universities.

SEARCH ALL ACCREDITED SCHOOLS IN ALASKA

Professionals with a postsecondary degree typically enjoy more employment opportunities and higher salaries than professionals without a degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average salaries increase with a professional’s level of education. The following table outlines average nationwide salaries for various education levels.

Source: BLS

Earning a degree requires a significant financial investment. However, students can take advantage of many financial aid opportunities to help offset the cost of a degree, such as loans, scholarships, and grants. Additionally, Alaska offers several opportunities for reduced tuition, including the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, which offers tuition discounts to out-of-state students from participating states and institutions.

The following tables outline average undergraduate tuition and fees for public and private universities in the U.S. and Alaska.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

In addition to tuition, students should consider expenses like technology and textbook fees when weighing the overall cost of a degree. We highlight several of these expenses below.

Online schools and colleges in Alaska feature various qualifications for in-state tuition. Traditionally, in-state students include those who reside in the state. However, students may qualify for in-state tuition through other means, such as reciprocity agreements or regional exchange agreements. Additionally, some programs allow all online students to pay in-state tuition, regardless of where they live. Students should research each prospective school to determine tuition requirements.

Online learners can take advantage of several financial aid opportunities to offset education expenses, such as scholarships, grants, and loans. Scholarships and loans are ideal as, unlike grants, they do not require repayment. We cover several grant and scholarship opportunities for Alaska students below.

FINANCIAL AID FOR ONLINE SCHOOLS

Students should consider accreditation status when researching prospective schools. Accreditation expands employment, education, and financial aid opportunities and indicates that a school meets high academic standards.

Prospective students should look for a school’s accreditation status when researching potential programs. Accreditation expands employment, education, and financial aid opportunities and indicates that a school meets quality academic standards.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes certain nongovernmental agencies as accrediting organizations. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) also approves and monitors accrediting agencies.

Programs within a school may also receive accreditation. Programmatic accreditation indicates that a program meets high academic standards and adequately prepares students for the workforce. Students can research a program’s accreditation status through CHEA’s directory.

Students can typically find a program or school’s accreditation status through the school’s website. Prospective students can also search CHEA’s accrediting directory or the Department of Education’s accrediting directory. Each of these organizations record accredited schools and programs, along with the corresponding agency.

Online schools and colleges in Alaska offer a quality education in a flexible and accessible learning format, attracting many Alaska students to online programs, as the following table indicates.

Almost 22% of Alaska students took exclusively online courses in 2015.

Around 48% of Alaska students enrolled in at least one online course in 2015.

Business administration and management is the most common online bachelor’s degree in Alaska.

Source: Online Learning Survey

Current and prospective online students in Alaska can take advantage of a variety of helpful resources, which offer information on topics like financial aid opportunities, program availability, and student services.