If you’re the type of person that aims to build success from the ground up, establishing a solid foundation is the most important first step. A bachelor’s degree will not only provide you with the proper on-paper certifications but also the hands-on experience that you’ll need to pursue a professional career in the field of your dreams.
When it comes to finding your ideal learning platform, the options can often be overwhelming. Online schooling is used by over 6 million students in the U.S., and nearly every college and post-secondary educational institution offers some form of virtual coursework. Not only are these options convenient, but they are often highly affordable and easily accessible.
Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the best-quality online platforms for bachelor’s degrees out there, offered at the most reasonable prices. Many of these schools are widely-renowned for the quality of education that they offer, the dependability and professionalism of their respective faculties, and the longstanding traditions of academic excellence and achievement that they uphold. Rest assured that, whichever school from this list you choose, your future will be bright.
Methodology
All schools considered for these rankings
- Are regionally or nationally accredited
- Offer at least one fully online bachelor’s degree (with no more than two weeks of required in-person work)
- Were collected from official accrediting agency websites.
Schools are ranked solely by the average net price as released in the most recent IPEDs database collected in July of 2020.
2021 Most Affordable Colleges for Bachelor’s Degrees Online
| Rank | School | Average Net Price |
| #1 | Fayetteville State University | $5,587 |
| #2 | Western Governors University | $7,785 |
| #3 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $9,888 |
| #4 | Clayton State University | $10,037 |
| #5 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | $10,338 |
| #6 | Dickinson State University | $10,817 |
| #7 | Columbia Southern University | $10,951 |
| #8 | Tennessee State University | $11,460 |
| #9 | Minot State University | $11,635 |
| #10 | Mississippi University for Women | $11,725 |
| #11 | Fort Hays State University | $12,108 |
| #12 | Lamar University | $12,716 |
| #13 | Western Carolina University | $12,965 |
| #14 | Arkansas State University | $13,281 |
| #15 | Valdosta State University | $13,502 |
| #16 | Tarleton State University | $14,631 |
| #17 | Southern Utah University | $14,879 |
| #18 | Georgia Southern University | $15,374 |
| #19 | University of the Cumberlands | $16,340 |
| #20 | Central Methodist University | $21,215 |
| #21 | Ohio University-Main Campus | $22,521 |
| #22 | William Woods University | $23,663 |
| #23 | University of the Potomac | $29,283 |
10 Best Affordable Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Degrees
1. Fayetteville State University
Average Net Price: $5,587
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 68 percent
Fayetteville State University is a public institution that was built in 1867. It can be found in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and is considered to be a medium-sized college with around 4,915 undergraduate students. This university offers ten different online bachelor degrees, which include a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Intelligence Studies, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology, and more. Each of these degree programs will fully prepare students for their chosen field of study from a distance. The faculty and staff of the programs are devoted to making the courses accessible from anywhere around the world and providing the same high-quality educational opportunities that students would receive from traditional degree programs.
2. Western Governors University
Average Net Price: $7,785
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: NWCCU
Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
Western Governors University is a private, online university that was launched in 1997. It is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is considered to be a very large institution with almost 89,000 undergraduate students. According to Niche.com, this school was ranked fourth for colleges with the best value in Utah and 69th for the best school for nursing in the United States. Western Governors University features a large variety of online bachelor degrees, such as the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Information Technology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Information Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Software Development, and more. These programs are easily accessible to assist individuals around the globe with achieving their educational and career goals regardless of their other life obligations. Students will find online degrees at Western Governors University to be very affordable, flexible, and credible.
3. University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Average Net Price: $9,888
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 81 percent
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public university that began accepting students to its programs in 1887. It is located in Pembroke, North Carolina, and is considered a medium-sized school with almost 6,000 enrolled undergraduate students. Students who are unable to make their way to campus can choose to study one of the few bachelor degree online programs offered at this university, which are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.), and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Administration. The professors who are teaching these programs are fully qualified and dedicated to ensuring that all enrolled students will receive the same high-quality education that traditional students receive. Another perk of choosing an online course at this school is that students will also be able to access their courses on their own time from the comfort of their homes, which is helpful to those who have other life commitments. Each program is personalized and centered around the student’s needs.
4. Clayton State University
Average Net Price: $10,037
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 54 percent
Clayton State University is a public university that emerged in 1969. It is located in Morrow, Georgia, and is considered a medium-sized college with 5,630 undergraduate students. This university offers many different bachelor’s degree online programs for students who are busy working, raising children, or are unable to commute to the university’s campus. A few of the programs that the university features are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in French, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Integrative Studies, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Political Science and Government Studies, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish, and more. These online programs will provide students with the essential knowledge and skills that is needed to succeed in their selected career field. The professors are professional and prepared to support and guide each individual through the entire program to ensure that they are able to accomplish their dreams.
5. Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Average Net Price: $10,338
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 60 percent
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus is a public college that started providing educational opportunities in 1927. It can be found in Portales, New Mexico, and is considered to be a small institution with 3,347 enrolled undergraduate students. This university offers many different bachelor’s degree online programs to fit the interests and passions of various students. The following are the various online bachelor’s programs currently available to study: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Aviation Science, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Communicative Disorders, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science, Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Accounting, and more. At this university, the faculty and staff are committed to helping any individual find the perfect bachelor degree online program to pursue regardless of where they reside. Students who are enrolled in one of the bachelor’s degree online programs can expect to graduate within four to five years, depending on how many courses they are able to complete per semester.
6. Dickinson State University
Average Net Price: $10,817
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 66 percent
Dickinson State University is a public college that was built in 1918. It can be found in Dickinson, North Dakota, and is considered to be a very small school with an undergraduate enrollment of 1,114. This university is equipped with several professors who teach bachelor degree programs through an online platform, which gives every individual around the country an opportunity to pursue an education and choose the exact program that they desire. The current bachelor programs that are being taught online at this school are the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Administration, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Finance, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Human Resource Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Education, and more. Each program is offered completely online, and the professors will help guide every individual through the online learning environment. The goal of these programs is to have a curriculum that fits around the student’s schedule as well as helps them set goals and achieve them successfully.
7. Columbia Southern University
Average Net Price: $10,951
School Type: For-Profit
School Accreditation: DEAC
Acceptance Rate: Open Admissions
Columbia Southern University is a private, online university that launched in 1993. It is based in Orange Beach, Alabama, and is considered to be a large college with an undergraduate enrollment of over 15,000. This university provides a variety of online educational opportunities to students who are unable to travel to campus or prefer to take their courses from the comfort of their homes. The following are some of the online bachelor degree programs that students can select at Columbia Southern University: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Organizational Leadership, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice Administration, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Emergency Medical Services Administration, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Care Administration, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Homeland Security, and more. These programs focus on providing each individual with the necessary knowledge and skills as well as giving them the opportunity to access their courses on their own time. Students will learn about the latest tools being used, top issues being discussed, and the most efficient practices for their industry.
8. Tennessee State University
Average Net Price: $11,460
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 66 percent
Tennessee State University is a public university that emerged in 1912. It can be found in the city of Nashville, Tennessee, and is considered a medium-sized college with 6,116 undergraduate students. This university is dedicated to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to earn a high-quality education at any time from anywhere. Therefore, it offers online programs that are flexible, convenient, and easily accessible. Several of the online bachelor degree programs provided to students at this university are the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Interdisciplinary Studies, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Information Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Social Work, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Urban Studies, and more. The professors of each of these programs will assign tasks and assignments that will work around the student’s life and needs. Upon completion, all students will have learned everything that is necessary to succeed in their selected field.
9. Minot State University
Average Net Price: $11,635
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: HLC
Acceptance Rate: 50 percent
Minot State University is a public college that started teaching students in 1913. It is located in Minot, North Dakota, and is considered to be a small school with a little over 2,400 undergraduate students. This university provides top-notch bachelor degree programs, which can be completed entirely online. Some of the various online bachelor degrees that Minot State University features are the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Marketing, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in International Business, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Human Services, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management Information Systems, and more. The professors of these programs will communicate, guide, and fully support each student from a distance. Graduates will be prepared to join their selected industry to apply the knowledge and skills that they learned.
10. Mississippi University for Women
Average Net Price: $11,725
School Type: Non-Profit
School Accreditation: SACS COC
Acceptance Rate: 98 percent
Mississippi University for Women is a public college that was constructed in 1884. It can be found in Columbus, Mississippi, and is considered to be a relatively small school with 2,208 enrolled undergraduate students. This university teaches many different programs in an online or virtual environment, which makes it easier for students to learn from their homes or anywhere that possesses an internet connection. The following are a variety of the bachelor degrees offered through an online platform at Mississippi University for Women: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Early Childhood Development, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Health Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Elementary Education, and more. Several of the online programs at this school require students to have first completed two years at a community college before pursuing one of the online bachelor’s degree programs. Once you are enrolled, the university is committed to providing outstanding education, a supporting environment at any time of the day or night, and the knowledge and skills to ensure that you will grow in your current career field or are able to seek new career opportunities.
References:
https://www.uncfsu.edu/academics/colleges-schools-and-departments/online-education
https://www.wgu.edu/online-degree-programs/bachelors.html#close
https://www.uncp.edu/academics/academic-resources/online-learning/online-degrees
https://www.clayton.edu/academics/degrees-majors-and-certificates
https://www.enmu.edu/academics/degrees-programs/online-programs/undergraduate/bachelor-online
https://www.dickinsonstate.edu/admissions/online-distance/dsu-online/
https://www.dickinsonstate.edu/admissions/online-distance/
https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/online-degree
http://www.tnstate.edu/tj_origs/online/
http://www.tnstate.edu/online/
http://www.tnstate.edu/online/degrees.aspx/#undergraduate
