Best Online Colleges of 2026
We compared thousands of schools using the factors that matter most to students and picked the absolute best when it comes to online education.
About Our Process
The best online colleges offer high academic quality, support for their remote students, and much more flexibility than traditional brick-and-mortar institutions.
To choose the best in the country, we sorted through thousands of institutions that offer online programs, evaluating them based on the factors that matter most to students. These, according to the insights we gleaned from our most recent College Choice and Admissions Survey, include affordability, accessibility, diversity, and student outcomes.
Our top choices include both online-only universities and traditional institutions that offer a significant number of degrees in an online format.
Click here to read our full methodology.
Best Online Colleges of 2026
367 rows
| Adelphi University | 66% | 67% | 95% | $26,501.00 |
| Alabama State University | 96% | 30% | 92% | $13,527.00 |
| Albright College | 86% | 42% | 100% | $21,038.00 |
| Allen College | 100% | 100% | 100% | $31,509.00 |
| Alliance University | 100% | 40% | 96% | $23,540.00 |
| Alvernia University | 62% | 58% | 100% | $29,881.00 |
| American International College | 97% | 42% | 98% | $23,595.00 |
| Angelo State University | 83% | 44% | 96% | $12,255.00 |
| Appalachian State University | 90% | 75% | 70% | $14,765.00 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion | 64% | 52% | 86% | $14,094.00 |
How We Chose Schools
To create this list, BestColleges used information reported by trusted sources, including Peterson's Data and the National Center for Education Statistics. We used the factors that college students selected as most important in our College Choice and Admissions Survey. To learn more, check out our full methodology or read the summary below.
To qualify for our list, a school must be an accredited, nonprofit, public or private institution that offers at least 10 online programs leading to a degree, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level. They must also have graduation rates of 56% or more — that is, within the top third of all online colleges. Each eligible school was then evaluated on:
40% Affordability
We consider both the net price of the school and the percentage of students who receive financial aid.
20% Student Outcomes
Our calculations factor in graduation rate and the full-time retention rate after the first year.
20% Academic Quality
We consider the student-teacher ratio and average earnings after graduation.
20% Accessibility and Diversity
We consider the admissions rate, four-year completion rate for low-income students, and LGBTQ+ student safety.