Best Accredited Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs 2024

Here are the top picks for online bachelor’s degree programs. We dug into National Center for College Statistics (NCES) data to find the top 10 schools that will set you up for success, no matter what you want to major in.

Our ranked schools excel in graduation rates, financial aid, and student-to-teacher ratios. The University of Florida-Online, our top-ranked school, stands out from the rest. Learn more about our top picks below.

Our number one school for accredited online bachelor’s degree programs is UF Online, the University of Florida’s online campus, based in Gainesville. The public university enrolls about 5,300 online undergraduate students, and, according to UF Online, more than 6,000 students have graduated with online bachelor’s degrees since 2014.

In the fall of 2024, UF Online will add three new majors: agricultural education and communication, early childhood education, and entomology and nematology. These will be in addition to the school’s existing 22 degree programs—the fifth-highest number of programs on our list of schools.

Five UF Online majors hold programmatic accreditation. They are journalism, advertising, public relations, and media production, management, and technology, accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

UF Online is a budget-friendly choice with an average net price of $10,412, making it third for affordability on our ranking. Notably, only 15% of students at UF Online opt for federal student loans, with 60% receiving grants or scholarships. Online students save 40% in tuition and fees compared to on-campus students.

UF Online is a winner when it comes to student success. It tops the ranking in two big areas: graduation rate (78%, tied with San Diego State University) and retention rate (92%). Even though the average student-to-faculty ratio is 54-to-1, which is the highest on our list, the school provides ample support for students outside of class.

Rhiannon Pollard, interim director of UF Online, says the school helps students by “advocating for them, nurturing academic advising, fostering community, and facilitating access to resources” from faculty instructors. UF Online also partners with online learning design experts to actively improve its programs.

“Recognizing and acting on the interconnectedness between student experience and instructional quality has allowed us to set a new standard for online education,” Pollard said.

Explore UF Online’s Program Offerings

Coming in at number two on our ranking is SNHU, a private nonprofit university located in the suburb of Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university has the second-largest total enrollment in the country, with 145,533 students as of fall 2021, according to NCES. Over 138,000 of these learners are online-only students. SNHU is known as one of the fastest-growing universities nationwide.

SNHU offers 49 online bachelor’s degree programs, the second-highest number of programs offered by a school in our top 10 ranking. Notably, 20 of these online programs have earned programmatic accreditation, indicating a high level of quality and credibility.

SNHU allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree at an accelerated pace. Terms are eight weeks and start six times a year. Students typically take 1-2 courses per term, allowing them to complete up to 12 courses annually. SNHU also accepts up to 90 transfer credits. With a full transfer load, students could finish in five terms or 10 courses.

SNHU is the second-most expensive school in our ranking, with an average net price of $33,163. A little more than half (51%) of students receive grants or scholarships, but the net price doesn’t show the whole picture.

SNHU’s tuition and fees were $16,450 during the 2023-2024 school year, significantly less than most of the other private schools on this ranking. SNHU also offers many types of discounts, like 30% off for active duty service members and their spouses.

Explore SNHU’s Online Program Offerings

Beyond our highest-ranked online bachelor’s degree programs, our number four and number 10 ranked schools also stand out. San Diego State University and National University excelled in key areas, like graduation rate, financial aid, and program offerings.

SDSU is a large public university in San Diego, California. With a 78% graduation rate, it tied with UF Online for the highest on our list. SDSU also awards grants or scholarships to 89% of students and has the third-highest retention rate at 89%. Despite offering only seven online majors, SDSU welcomes students from over 30 states and U.S. territories.

Explore SDSU’s Online Program Offerings

NU is a mid-sized private university based in San Diego, California. It offers the largest number of online bachelor’s degree programs on our list: 52. Among them, 11 have programmatic accreditation. Out of the 10 schools on our list, NU has the third-lowest student-to-faculty ratio at 16-to-1. NU offers four-week courses to help improve students’ school-work-life balance.

Explore NU’s Online Program Offerings

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2022, bachelor’s degree-holders earned a median weekly salary that was $579 higher than workers with only high school diplomas. Employers generally see online programs as having the same credibility and value as in-person ones. It’s the convenience and flexibility that make online learning popular among nearly 9 million students.

The top majors are liberal arts, business, and health professions and related programs, according to NCES. Of the 2.1 million bachelor’s degrees conferred in the 2021-2022 school year, 38% were liberal arts; 18% were health professions and related programs; and 11% were business. Other popular majors include engineering and computer science.

The average undergraduate at a public four-year college spent $15,200 on their degree in 2021-2022, according to NCES. Undergrads at private nonprofit colleges paid nearly double: $29,700. However, some bachelor’s degrees are more affordable than others.

How much will your bachelor’s degree cost? It’s important to take into account the average rates and then consider factors unique to your school. For instance, going to college out of state will usually cost more than attending a public college as an in-state resident.

Online bachelor’s degrees usually take four years to earn. Many online schools give students the flexibility to set their own pace. Some offer accelerated programs or award credits for work experience, so it’s possible to finish in under four years.

Business, communication, criminal justice, marketing, and psychology often make various lists of the easiest online bachelor’s degrees. But the easiest degree for you will ultimately depend on your skills and interests.

If you’re a strong writer, a humanities or social sciences degree might be easier for you. If you have a lot of transfer credits in one department, it might be easier to finish a degree in that field. Consider your unique circumstances and strengths when choosing a major.