Best Online Colleges in Indiana 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE COLLEGES IN INDIANA

Published: Mar 21, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Indiana ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top 10 Online Colleges in Indiana

Purdue University
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Purdue University Global
Indiana University
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana University East
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Marian University

Purdue University
Indiana State University
Ball State University
Indiana University
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University East
Marian University
Indiana Wesleyan University
Purdue University Global
Indiana University South Bend

Marian University 94%
Indiana State University 92%
Indiana Wesleyan University 87%
Indiana University South Bend 87%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University East 78%
Ball State University 69%
Purdue University 53%

Purdue University Global 26 to 1
Indiana State University 16 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 13 to 1
Indiana Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1
Marian University 13 to 1
Indiana University South Bend 12 to 1

Marian University $37,600
Indiana Wesleyan University $29,684
Purdue University Global $10,080
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana State University $9,452
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University South Bend $7,274
Indiana University East $7,274

Marian University $20,138
Indiana Wesleyan University $14,112
Purdue University $9,718
Ball State University $9,636
Purdue University Global $9,472
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University South Bend $7,746
Indiana University East $7,746

Marian University
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University East
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana University
Purdue University Global
Indiana State University
Ball State University
Purdue University

Indiana University South Bend
Purdue University Global
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marian University
Indiana University East
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Purdue University

Purdue University 53%
Ball State University 69%
Indiana University East 78%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University South Bend 87%
Indiana Wesleyan University 87%
Indiana State University 92%
Marian University 94%

Indiana University South Bend 12 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 13 to 1
Indiana Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1
Marian University 13 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Indiana State University 16 to 1
Purdue University Global 26 to 1

Indiana University South Bend $7,274
Indiana University East $7,274
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972
Indiana State University $9,452
Purdue University $9,718
Purdue University Global $10,080
Indiana Wesleyan University $29,684
Marian University $37,600

Indiana University South Bend $7,746
Indiana University East $7,746
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Purdue University Global $9,472
Ball State University $9,636
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana Wesleyan University $14,112
Marian University $20,138

Key Takeaways

With more than 50 colleges and universities offering online academic programs, Indiana offers a plethora of undergraduate and graduate programs for students.
Indiana’s traditional and online four-year public colleges boast an almost 5% lower tuition cost than the national average.
Indiana seeks to up its funding and student services by 2025.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Accreditation for Online Schools in Indiana

The U.S. Department of Education facilitates nationwide academic standards for postsecondary education. The Council for Higher Education and the Department of Education approves organizations seeking accreditation.

Indiana’s government is focused on increasing additional funding and student support to reach its goal of increasing college-educated adults in the state to 60% of the population by 2025.

Academic institutions and programs must meet the standards of professional and academic quality to receive accreditation status. Online colleges and universities in Indiana can have several types of accreditation.

Regional Accreditation

Regional accreditation is the highest and most reputable accreditation status. The Higher Learning Commission grants regional accreditation to Indiana colleges and universities.

Program-Specific Accreditation

Specialized accrediting organizations can accredit online and on-campus programs to receive program-specific accreditations. The Council for Higher Education and the Department of Education have a list of all programmatic accrediting agencies in Indiana and the U.S.

Cost Factors for Distance Learners in Indiana

Indiana offers some of the most inexpensive online programs, with a total attendance cost of 4.99% less than the national average at a public 4-year institution.

While online students often prioritize tuition fees themselves, they often forget that they must also pay education-related expenses. Here are common factors that directly affect students’ tuition fees:

Textbooks and Learning Materials

Distance learners may be required to pay for digital textbooks and other learning materials during their online coursework completion.

Weekend/Evening Tuition

Tuition fees are more expensive for weekend and evening classes. Online students must check tuition rates before registering for courses.

Residency

Several online programs in Indiana require distance learners to comply with on-campus residency requirements or attendance, which may involve transportation and lodging expenses.

Travel Expenses

Since many online programs have practicum or internship requirements, distance learners must pay any fees associated with travel to the site location.

Technology Fees

Some online academic programs have annual technology fees to finance their online learning management system and I.T. support.

Employment Outlook in Indiana

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development reveals that the state’s employment growth rate is projected to be 7.1% by 2030, with an estimated 386,111 annual job openings.

Specifically, the fastest-growing occupations in Indiana include wind turbine service technicians, nurse practitioners, healthcare professionals, information security analysts, and solar photovoltaic installers.

As of 2022, the annual median salary in Indiana for all occupations is $50,440. However, completing a college degree in a traditional or online program will open up more opportunities for graduates to earn lucrative salaries.

For example, Indiana physicians and pathologists have annual median salaries of $341,360, while computer programmers can make $103,420 annually. Although the minimum requirement for these professions include an undergraduate degree, some employers prefer candidates with post-baccalaureate credentials or in-depth work experience.

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

Prospective students searching for both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Indiana have many excellent options, including notable institutions like University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and Butler University. Each boasts a high graduate rate, a wide variety of traditional and online degree programs, and numerous excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. The tuition and student population vary widely between these schools.

Indiana University Bloomington is the largest public university in Indiana. The state university is also noted for its high graduation rate, its large student population of roughly 40,000 students, and an in-state tuition rate just above the national average at $11,000.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Additionally, students hoping to attend a school with a religious affiliation have nearly 30 options to choose from. Both traditional and online students at these schools can study areas like engineering, business, philosophy, religious studies, and law.

The state of Indiana offers loan forgiveness-based financial aid programs for health care workers who work in areas with labor shortages as well as for lawyers providing public legal aid. Additionally, graduates of Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law pursuing public interest law can apply for a special grant program that will help cover the cost of preparing and sitting for the bar exam.

With town names like Popcorn and Santa Claus, Indiana clearly has a quirky personality. Along with these unique towns, Indiana also hosts the famous Indianapolis 500 auto race; boasts a thriving art scene; and has been home to iconic celebrities, including Larry Bird, James Dean, and David Letterman.

Students wanting to experience all Indiana has to offer while studying have the option of attending one of Indiana’s more than 50 higher education institutes. Most offer both traditional and online degrees, as well as a full array of undergraduate programs and advanced degrees.

Explore Indiana’s more than 50 colleges and universities to find a program and future career path that’s right for you.

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Indiana’s Best Overall

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2024

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

10 Best Online Colleges in Indiana 2023

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Online Colleges in Indiana 2024

Top 10 Online Colleges in Indiana

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Accreditation for Online Schools in Indiana

Regional Accreditation

Program-Specific Accreditation

Cost Factors for Distance Learners in Indiana

Textbooks and Learning Materials

Weekend/Evening Tuition

Residency

Travel Expenses

Technology Fees

Employment Outlook in Indiana

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

10 Best Online Colleges in Indiana 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Purdue University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Ball State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana State University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana Wesleyan University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University East

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University South Bend

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Marian University

Online Bachelor's Degrees

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Online College-Bound Students