The Best Universities: Online College Rankings & Ratings

Top Online Universities

	University of Phoenix - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, & Doctoral Degrees. Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, & Doctoral Degrees – As one of the world’s largest universities, University of Phoenix has the educational resources to make every student successful in their degree plan. University of Phoenix offers classes at a campus and also available to take entirely online.
	Kaplan University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. With a successful track record of placing students in high-quality jobs, Kaplan University stands out among online colleges. Kaplan offers students the opportunity to take classes from the comfort of home and on their own schedule.
	Everest University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Everest University uses a hands-on approach to teaching students that brings out the best in everyone attending classes. Everest University allows students who work full time to take classes at their convenience and on their own schedule.
	American InterContinental University Online - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. American InterContinental University has been educating students around the world for over 35 years. During this time, AIU has become recognized for offering progressive, interactive degrees in high-growth industries.
	Saint Leo University - Associate's, Bachelor's & Master's Degrees. With six semesters throughout the year, Saint Leo University gives students the opportunity to start college right away. They have faculty members and administrators who can help you throughout your whole online experience, from admission to financial aid.
	Ashford University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Ashford University offers both online programs and campus programs seeking to learn in a classroom. Ashford University is one of the most respected names in college education and students seeking a college degree will be hard pressed to find a better option.
	Grand Canyon University - Bachelor's & Master's Degrees. Highly accredited and well respected, Grand Canyon University has been educating students from all around the world through their online programs. They put emphasis on providing individual attention to every student in order to ensure they receive the quality education they deserve.
	Colorado Technical University - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctoral Degrees. For those ready to take a step into the real-world, Colorado Technical University provides you with all the knowledge and tools necessary to acquire excellent career opportunities. Their staff is dedicated in helping you understand everything there is to know in the field of your interest.
	DeVry University - Associate’s & Bachelor’s Degrees. Focusing on providing students high-quality education, DeVry University has provided thousands of students a college degree online. DeVry University has numerous course offerings and offer flexible and interactive programs.
	Strayer University - Associate's, Bachelor's & Master's Degrees. Strayer University provides many advantages that many other online colleges do not offer. Each student is handled individually at Strayer University, where a great administrative staff makes sure every need is met.
	Liberty University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. As one of the largest evangelical universities in the world, Liberty University provides a variety of campus and online programs. Liberty University is one of the top college online education providers in existence today.
	Penn Foster Career School - Certificates. Penn Foster Career School offers students the opportunity to receive the degree they need to pursue their desired career. With their programs available completely online, students could continue working or attend to other responsibilities while obtaining their degree.

Finding the best online universities based on rankings and ratings can be challenging since the world of online education is still so new. Luckily, there are some excellent ways to determine if the online universities you are considering are ranked at the top of the list or the bottom of the pile. The first step is to ensure the universities are accredited. Accreditation is a method of ensuring that the education offered at that school meets standards set by non-governmental agencies overseeing the quality of education. The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are both excellent resources for ensuring online universities are accredited.

While accreditation is typically a good measure of the education offered at a particular school, it is not always the best or even the only way to judge the quality of an online school. Accreditation is an expensive and lengthy process and one in which a good quality school may not participate as the accreditation may not be necessary in their field or market. Some niche schools, especially vocational schools such as some massage therapy programs, may not have accreditation. Besides accreditation, finding schools that are ranked highly can offer peace of mind that they provide quality education.

U.S. News & World Report issues one of the most respected college ranking publications around. While they don’t currently have a specific ranking for online colleges, their website offers an excellent section, E-Learning & Technology, that provides plenty of information to help you select from the best online universities. Also, About.com offers Regionally Accredited Online College Profiles where you can learn about many reputable online colleges. Another option when determining the quality of online universities is to visit a consumer advocacy site such as GetEducated.com, where online colleges are rated and ranked according to "cost, quality, and credibility."

The bottom line when looking at the ratings and ranks of online colleges is to ensure that they have a solid reputation and have been in business for a while, that the curriculum offered is a good quality one that suits your educational needs, and that student services and technical support are not only available, but of meaningful quality as well. Often you can find online forums where students share their experiences with online schools, but be aware that sometimes forums are a convenient sounding board for students who have had a bad experience. A better way to judge students’ experiences is to find out what graduates of the various online programs think about their experiences. Determine if the students were able to find employment after graduation, what type of jobs they secured, and their overall feel for their online education experience.