10 Top Colleges for Affordable Online Bachelors Degree Programs

Looking for the most affordable online bachelors degree programs? Then you’ve found the right place. We’ve put together this tuition ranking of the top accredited online colleges with the most affordable bachelors degrees online.

For many of the best online colleges, tuition costs vary depending on the particular online degree program chosen. In determining which colleges to include in our ranking of the most affordable online schools for bachelors degrees we looked at the per credit tuition costs of the cheapest online bachelors degree programs offered by each school. We did our best to include all applicable per credit fees in the numbers quoted below to give you a true sense of the total cost per credit.

#1. California Coast University ($150 per credit)
#2. Ohio University Online ($153/$157 per credit)
#3. Baker College Online ($210 per credit)
#4. Western Governors University ($241 per credit*)
#5. Oregon State University ($248 per credit)
#6. Walden University ($280 per credit)
#7. Capella University ($290 per credit)
#8. Herzing University ($300 per credit)
#9. American InterContinental University ($302 per credit)
10. Colorado Technical University ($305 per credit)

You can find more information about each school and the online bachelor degree programs offered below.

Keep in mind that it’s not always the best, or even more cost effective, to go with the online bachelors degree program with the cheapest per credit tuition. Some inexpensive online schools with low cost per credit tuition require more credit hours to complete a degree program than colleges with higher per credit tuition, and actually end up being more expensive when all is said and done. It’s important to check the number of credit hours required for the degree program you are interested in and do the math.

Also, if the program is not from an accredited online school, you could end up with an online degree not even worth the cheap tuition you paid for it. In general, an online bachelors degree from a regionally accredited online college is considered more prestigious than one from a nationally accredited online school. Credits earned for online courses at a regionally accredited college are also typically more easily transferable to other schools and more likely to be eligible for reimbursement by corporate tuition reimbursement plans. On the other hand, regionally accredited online bachelors degree programs tend to have more competitive admissions and are usually more expensive. In our ranking of the cheapest online colleges and universities we included both regionally and nationally accredited schools.

#1. California Coast University

California Coast University is a private, non-profit university headquartered in Santa Ana, CA. The school was founded in 1973, but doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar campus because it offers all of its degrees through distance education courses online.

Online Bachelor Degrees

California Coast University offers the most affordable online bachelor degree programs we could find, with tuition for all online undergraduate degrees set at $150 per credit hour. The university offers bachelor degrees online in several of the most popular degree majors, including Business Administration, Business Marketing, Healthcare Administration, Management, Psychology, Criminal Justice, and General Studies.

Accreditation

California Coast University is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from California Coast University<<

#2. Ohio University Online

Ohio University is a public research university in Athens, OH. Established in 1804, the school is one of the oldest public universities in the United States.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Ohio University Online offers the most inexpensive online bachelor degrees of any regionally accredited online college we could find, with tuition starting at $153 (OH residents)/$157 (nonresidents) per credit hour. Online bachelor degree completion programs are available in Nursing, Technical and Applied Studies, and Criminal Justice.

Accreditation

Ohio University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees at Ohio University Online<<

#3. Baker College Online

Baker College is a private, non-profit career college with multiple campuses throughout the state of Michigan. The college was founded in 1965, growing to become the largest private, non-profit college in Michigan, enrolling over 42,000 students.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Baker College Online is the third cheapest online college for bachelor degrees we could find overall, and the second least expensive regionally accredited online college. With tuition for all undergraduate programs weighing in at a mere $210 per credit hour, students can choose from online bachelor’s degree programs in Business Administration, Information Systems, Computer Science, General Studies, Health Services Administration, Information Technology and Security, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Psychology, Web Development, and more.

Accreditation

Baker College is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Baker College Online<<

#4. Western Governors University

Western Governors University is a private, non-profit university located in Utah, Indiana, Texas, Washington, and Online. The university was founded in 1997 by 19 Western state governors wanting to increase access to quality higher education, hence its name.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Western Governors University is unique in that it charges a flat rate per term rather than per credit. This means students pay the same amount for a six month term regardless of how many credit hours they take during that term. A standard full-time term is 12 credit hours, which averages out to about $241 per credit for their cheapest online bachelor degree programs, which includes degrees in Business, Internet Technology, and Teaching.

Accreditation

Western Governors University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Washington Governors University<<

#5. Oregon State University

Oregon State University (OSU) is a public research university in Corvalis, OR. Established in 1868, OSU is one of the flagship public universities of the state of Oregon.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Oregon State University’s Extended Campus offers affordable online undergraduate degree programs for $248 per credit regardless of residency status. The school’s inexpensive bachelor’s degree programs online include Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Agricultural Sciences, Environmental Economics & Policy, Horticulture, and Human Development & Family Sciences.

Accreditation

Oregon State University and the OSU Ecampus are regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Oregon State University<<

#6. Walden University

Walden University is a private, for-profit university headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, though its classrooms are completely virtual. The school was established by two teachers in 1970 and former president Bill Clinton is the Honorary Chancellor.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Many of Walden University’s online bachelor degree programs start at $280 per credit. These include bachelor programs in Health Studies, Public Health, Business Administration, Child Development, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Education, Psychology, Internet Technology, Human Services, Education, and more.

Accreditation

Walden University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Walden University<<

#7. Capella University

Capella University is a private, for-profit university based in Minneapolis, MN. The school was founded in 1991 to serve working adult students and has since gone on to win awards for outstanding academic rigor and learning outcomes among online colleges.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Capella University offers a number of inexpensive bachelor degrees online, starting at $290 per credit. Online bachelor’s programs at Capella include Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, Finance, Internet Technology, Psychology, Healthcare Management, Health Informatics, Homeland Security, Internet Technology, and more.

Accreditation

Capella University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Capella University<<

#8. Herzing University

Herzing University is a private, for-profit career school with campuses throughout the Southern and Midwestern United States, as well as online. The school was founded as a computer training school by Henry and Suzanne Herzing in 1965, and now serves most of its students through its Online Campus.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Tuition at Herzing University varies depending on the number of credit hours enrolled, but tuition for full-time online undergraduates starts at $300 per credit. Herzing offers affordable bachelor degrees online in Accounting, Business Management, Criminal Justice, Graphic Design, Healthcare Management, Legal Studies, Nursing, and more.

Accreditation

Herzing University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Herzing University<<

#9. American InterContinental University

American InterContinental University (AIU) is a private, for-profit university with multiple campus in the United States and around the world. The university was established in 1970 and currently enrolls about 24,000 students, the majority of them online through AIU Online.

Online Bachelor Degrees Offered

American InterContinental University offers a number of low cost online bachelor degree programs, with undergraduate tuition set at $302 per credit hour. AIU offer bachelor degree programs online in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Information Technology, and Fine Arts.

Accreditation

American InterContinental University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from American InterContinental University<<

#10. Colorado Technical University

Colorado Technical University is a private, for-profit university with campuses in Colorado, Missouri, North Dakota, and Online. The school was established in 1965 with a focus on training former military personnel in technical and vocational majors.

Online Bachelor Degrees

Colorado Technical University offers several low cost online bachelor degree programs starting at $305 per credit. Bachelor’s degrees available online include Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Finance, Information Technology, Psychology, and more.

Accreditation

Colorado Technical University is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

>>Click here to request more information about online bachelors degrees from Colorado Technical University<<

Honorable Mentions

Here are some of the other most affordable online colleges and universities that just missed making it into our top 10.

Southern New Hampshire University

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $320 per credit.

Liberty University Online

Online bachelor’s degree starting at $325 per credit.

Sullivan University

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $333 per credit.

Colorado State University-Global Campus

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $350 per credit.

American Sentinel University

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $350 per credit.

Bay State College

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $350 per credit.

Kaplan University

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $371 per credit.

Eastern Kentucky University

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $377 per credit.

University of Minnesota, Crookston

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $417.85 per credit.

CUNY School of Professional Studies

Online bachelor’s degree programs starting at $485 per credit.

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