CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Value Colleges (www.valuecolleges.com), an independent online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate education, is pleased to share their Top 50 Best Value Online Colleges for 2017 (http://www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/best-value-online-colleges-2017/).
Value Colleges has exhaustively evaluated online degree programs in this ranking to determine which institutions offer the best combination of quality and affordability. Because in recent years online programs have emerged to become a permanent part of the higher education landscape, many institutions are scrambling to catch up. Value Colleges has done the work of comparing these programs to provide a list of schools which are regionally accredited, with a proven track record of excellence.
This ranking uses the following criteria: cost (per credit price, as reported by the institution); reputability (according to U.S. News & World Report); and ROI (according to data obtained from PayScale).
The top three Best Values for 2017 are as follows: 1) Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon; 2) the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma; and 3) Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Value Colleges would like to congratulate the top three, as well as all of the smart-choice values in this ranking!
The full list, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ
Ball State University – Muncie, IN
California State University, Dominguez Hills – Carson, CA
California State University, East Bay – Hayward, CA
Central Washington University – Ellensburg, WA
Colorado State University – Fort Collins, CO
Columbia College – Columbia, MO
CUNY School of Professional Studies – New York, NY
Drexel University – Philadelphia, PA
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach, FL
Ferris State University – Big Rapids, MI
Florida Institute of Technology – Melbourne, FL
Florida International University – Miami, FL
Florida State University – Tallahassee, FL
Fort Hays State University – Hays, KS
George Washington University – Washington, DC
Indiana University – Bloomington, IN
Lamar University – Beaumont, TX
New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, NM
North Carolina State University – Raleigh, NC
Northeastern State University – Tahlequah, OK
Norwich University – Northfield, VT
Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
Old Dominion University – Norfolk, VA
Oregon Institute of Technology – Klamath Falls, OR
Oregon State University – Corvallis, OR
Pace University – New York, NY
Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA
Sam Houston State University – Huntsville, TX
Southeast Missouri State University – Girardeau, MO
Texas Tech University – Lubbock, TX
University of Alaska Fairbanks – Fairbanks, AK
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, AR
University of Central Florida – Orlando, FL
University of Florida – Gainesville, FL
University of Georgia – Athens, GA
University of Illinois at Chicago – Chicago, IL
University of Massachusetts Amherst – Amherst, MA
University of Massachusetts Lowell – Lowell, MA
University of Missouri – Columbia, MO
University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Lincoln, NE
University of Nebraska Omaha – Omaha, NE
University of North Texas – Denton, TX
University of Oklahoma – Norman, OK
University of Wisconsin System
Utah State University – Logan, UT
Washington State University – Pullman, WA
West Texas A&M University – Canyon, TX
Western Carolina University – Cullowhee, NC
Western Kentucky University – Bowling Green, KY
Site editor Carrie Sealey-Morris explains, "Online education is not the future of higher education– it is very much the present. Online programs have long been appealing for non-traditional students, but are increasingly a more popular option for traditionally aged college students as well." This ranking includes smaller regional public universities who find that online programs meet the needs of rural communities and working-class students. "These institutions," adds Sealey-Morris, "claim that their programs, in the long run, provide a better return on investment than many more expensive, big-name institutions. Conversely, the online offerings of major research institutions and elite private colleges can also appear to be unbelievable bargains, given their name and reputation."
Value Colleges is unbiased, ranking degree programs, providing guides for the complex financial and professional questions of college students, and offering honest facts about the potential and pitfalls of a college education.
Contact:
Carrie Sealey-Morris
Editor
Value Colleges
Email
https://www.facebook.com/valuecolleges
(512) 710-9901