Best Online Master’s in Emergency Management 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
By Dr. James Barham
Published:
Updated:

Find top-ranked online master’s in emergency management degree programs to help students further their career and strengthen their expertise in areas such as public safety, disaster mitigation, and crisis management.

Top 10 Online Master's in Emergency Management in 2025

  1. University of Nebraska–Lincoln
    +12
  2. DePaul University
    +14
  3. University of Nevada, Las Vegas
    +12
  4. Virginia Commonwealth University
    –1
  5. Clemson University
    –1
  6. University of Central Florida
    –4
  7. Adelphi University
  8. Creighton University
    –3
  9. University of Maryland, Baltimore County
    +5
  10. Nova Southeastern University
    –4

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or last ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, both the University of Central Florida and Nova Southeastern University dropped four ranking positions. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln climbed to the first ranking position while previously not even in the top ten.

Featured Programs

Best Online Master’s in Emergency Management Degree Programs

  1. #1

    University of Nebraska–Lincoln

    Lincoln , NE
    #1 Best Grad Schools in Nebraska 2024 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #1 Best Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #1 Best Public Colleges in Nebraska 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    79%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    27K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1225/25

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at University of Nebraska–Lincoln

    Cost of Degree: $8,168
    Expenses: $18,548
    Starting Salary: $83,376
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Preparedness
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MPA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 39
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MPH in Public Health

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Required Credits: 42
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  2. #2

    DePaul University

    Chicago , IL
    #3 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities Ranked for 2024 #19 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2024 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2025 #5 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $43K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    69%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1185/27

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at DePaul University

    Cost of Degree: $22,525
    Expenses: $22,338
    Starting Salary: $73,952
    Salary after 4 years: $87,724
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MPA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Management
    • Public Management
    • Metropolitan And Urban Affairs
    • International Public Management
    • Required Credits: 104
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MS in Public Service Management

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Management
    • Healthcare Administration
    • Higher Education Administration
    • Metropolitan Planning And Urban Affairs
    • Required Credits: 104
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  4. #4

    Virginia Commonwealth University

    Richmond , VA
    #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2025 #5 Best Grad Schools in Virginia 2025 #5 Best Research Universities in Virginia 2025 #5 Best Public Colleges in Virginia 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $16K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    31K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1160/26

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Virginia Commonwealth University

    Cost of Degree: $16,753
    Expenses: $23,509
    Starting Salary: $78,630
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Homeland Security And Emergency Preparedness
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  6. #5

    Clemson University

    Clemson , SC
    #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #2 Best Public Colleges in South Carolina 2025 #2 Best Colleges in South Carolina 2025 #2 Cheap Colleges in South Carolina in 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $16K

    Acceptance

    43%

    Graduation

    85%

    Student body

    30K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1315/30

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Clemson University

    Cost of Degree: $12,646
    Expenses: $19,784
    Starting Salary: $93,185
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MPA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Management
    • Homeland Defense And Security
    • Local And State Government
    • Nonprofit Management
    • Regional Sustainability
    • Required Credits: 39-42
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  7. #6

    University of Central Florida

    Orlando , FL
    #7 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2025 #7 Top 20 Best Military Friendly Online Colleges Ranked for 2025 #19 Most Affordable Graduate Schools Ranked for 2025 #4 Best Grad Schools in Florida 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Acceptance

    41%

    Graduation

    76%

    Student body

    82K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1280/27

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at University of Central Florida

    Cost of Degree: $8,872
    Expenses: $18,300
    Starting Salary: $81,003
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency And Crisis Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  8. #7

    Adelphi University

    Garden City , NY
    #1 Best Online Colleges for Students Who Work Part-Time #1 Best Online Associate in Emergency Management 2025 #3 Best Online Associate Degrees in New York 2025 #7 Best Online Colleges in New York 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $44K

    Acceptance

    73%

    Graduation

    67%

    Student body

    8K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1210/25

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Adelphi University

    Cost of Degree: $48,075
    Expenses: $24,544
    Starting Salary: $77,391
    Salary after 4 years: $91,805
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 39
    • Completion time: 2-3 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  10. #9

    University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Baltimore , MD
    #4 Best Research Universities in Maryland 2025 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Maryland 2025 #4 Best Grad Schools in Maryland 2024 #6 Best Public Colleges in Maryland 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    81%

    Graduation

    70%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1300/26

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Cost of Degree: $15,840
    Expenses: $19,218
    Starting Salary: $94,292
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Health Services
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  12. #10

    Nova Southeastern University

    Fort Lauderdale , FL
    #3 Best Private Colleges in Florida 2024 #9 Best Research Universities in Florida 2025 #10 Best Grad Schools in Florida 2024 #1 Best Online Master’s in Forensics Degree Programs 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $36K

    Acceptance

    76%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1175/23

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Nova Southeastern University

    Cost of Degree: $24,140
    Expenses: $22,596
    Starting Salary: $68,301
    Salary after 4 years: $81,021
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Disaster and Emergency Management

    Concentrations

    • Criminal Justice
    • Environmental Hazards
    • Fire Administration
    • Public Health
    • Maritime Safety And Security
    • Emergency Preparedness Leadership
    • Cyber Security
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  13. #11

    Regent University

    Virginia Beach , VA
    #13 Best CCCU Colleges and Universities 2024 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Virginia 2025 #5 Best Private Colleges in Virginia 2025 #9 Best Grad Schools in Virginia 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    32%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1140/22

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Regent University

    Cost of Degree: $17,828
    Expenses: $12,146
    Starting Salary: $56,017
    Salary after 4 years: $66,449
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MPA in Emergency Management And Homeland Security
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: 2.5 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  14. #12

    University of Nebraska Medical Center

    Omaha , NE
    #3 Best Online Master's Programs in Nebraska 2025

    Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Student body

    4K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at University of Nebraska Medical Center

    Cost of Degree: $9,789
    Starting Salary: $171,656

    Online Degrees

    MPH in Emergency Preparedness
    • Required Credits: 42
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  15. #13

    Arkansas State University

    Jonesboro , AR
    #3 Best Grad Schools in Arkansas 2025 #3 Best Colleges in Arkansas 2024 #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas 2024 #3 Best Public Colleges in Arkansas 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    53%

    Student body

    18K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1090/22

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Arkansas State University

    Cost of Degree: $6,980
    Expenses: $18,472
    Starting Salary: $57,904
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  16. #14

    Southern New Hampshire University

    Manchester , NH
    #11 Top 20 Best Military Friendly Online Colleges Ranked for 2025 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New Hampshire 2025 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in New Hampshire 2024 #2 Best Private Colleges in New Hampshire 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Acceptance

    96%

    Graduation

    41%

    Student body

    224K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Southern New Hampshire University

    Cost of Degree: $20,469
    Expenses: $24,000
    Starting Salary: $61,667
    Salary after 4 years: $73,152
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Management

    Concentrations

    • Construction Management
    • Emergency Management
    • Healthcare
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  18. #15

    Eastern Kentucky University

    Richmond , KY
    #12 Top 20 Best Military Friendly Online Colleges Ranked for 2025 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kentucky 2024 #5 Best Public Colleges in Kentucky 2025 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Kentucky 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    64%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    17K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1062/20

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Eastern Kentucky University

    Cost of Degree: $10,596
    Expenses: $14,535
    Starting Salary: $62,176
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Safety, Security and Emergency Management

    Concentrations

    • Occupational Safety
    • Corporate Security Operations
    • Emergency Management and disater Resilience
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  19. #16

    University of New Haven

    West Haven , CT
    #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Connecticut 2025 #6 Best Grad Schools in Connecticut 2024 #9 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $44K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    9K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at University of New Haven

    Cost of Degree: $19,240
    Expenses: $23,874
    Starting Salary: $67,072
    Salary after 4 years: $79,564
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: 2 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  20. #17

    Jacksonville State University

    Jacksonville , AL
    #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Alabama 2025 #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Alabama 2024 #6 Best Public Colleges in Alabama 2024 #9 Alabama's Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    78%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    11K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1070/19

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Jacksonville State University

    Cost of Degree: $11,304
    Expenses: $12,398
    Starting Salary: $60,278
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MPA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Administrative Management
    • Criminal Justice
    • Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 39
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MS in Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  21. #18

    National University

    San Diego , CA
    #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in California 2025 #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Strategic Communications Degree Programs #3 Best Online Bachelor's in Math Degree Programs Ranked for 2025 #3 Fastest Accelerated Online Doctorate of Cybersecurity
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Graduation

    22%

    Student body

    29K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at National University

    Cost of Degree: $15,912
    Starting Salary: $72,478
    Salary after 4 years: $85,976

    Online Degrees

    MS in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 45
    • Completion time: 2.5-3.5 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  22. #19

    Saint Leo University

    Saint Leo , FL
    #18 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities Ranked for 2024 #5 Best Christian Colleges in Florida 2024 #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Florida 2025 #2 Best Online Associate Degrees in Florida 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $27K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/23

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Saint Leo University

    Cost of Degree: $15,840
    Expenses: $21,388
    Starting Salary: $62,036
    Salary after 4 years: $73,589
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency And Disaster Management

    Concentrations

    • Fire Science Administration
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MS in Criminal Justice

    Concentrations

    • Emergency And Disaster Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  24. #20

    Park University

    Parkville , MO
    #20 Most Affordable Online Colleges Ranked for Students 2024 #7 Best Private Colleges in Missouri 2025 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Missouri 2025 #1 Best Online Associate in Building and Construction Degree Programs
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Graduation

    23%

    Student body

    12K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Park University

    Cost of Degree: $7,942
    Expenses: $14,178
    Starting Salary: $62,404
    Salary after 4 years: $74,027
    Cost Recoup Time: 4 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MHA in Healthcare Administration

    Concentrations

    • General
    • Disaster Emergency Management
    • Finance
    • Homeland Security
    • Human Resource Management
    • Global Business
    • Management Accounting
    • Management Information System
    • Project Management
    • Quality and Innovation Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MPA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Criminal Justice Administration
    • Disaster and Emergency Management
    • Information Systems and Business Analytics
    • M.P.A.
    • Management Information Systems
    • Nonprofit and Community Services Management
    • Project Management
    • Public Management
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  25. #21

    Auburn University at Montgomery

    Montgomery , AL
    #5 Best Small Colleges in Alabama 2024 #9 Most Affordable Colleges in Alabama 2024 #9 Best Public Colleges in Alabama 2024 #9 Top 10 Best Online Counseling PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    92%

    Graduation

    36%

    Student body

    6K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1100/21

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Auburn University at Montgomery

    Cost of Degree: $8,884
    Expenses: $13,346
    Starting Salary: $60,119
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Homeland Security And Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  26. #22

    Bellevue University

    Bellevue , NE
    #7 Most Affordable Online Colleges Ranked for Students 2024 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #2 Best Private Colleges in Nebraska 2024 #4 Best Grad Schools in Nebraska 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Graduation

    41%

    Student body

    19K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Bellevue University

    Cost of Degree: $12,432
    Expenses: $16,440
    Starting Salary: $74,320
    Salary after 4 years: $88,162
    Cost Recoup Time: 4 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  27. #23

    Arkansas Tech University

    Russellville , AR
    #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas 2024 #5 Best Public Colleges in Arkansas 2024 #7 Best Grad Schools in Arkansas 2025 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Arkansas 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    94%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    11K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/20

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Arkansas Tech University

    Cost of Degree: $7,546
    Expenses: $15,186
    Starting Salary: $61,069
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MS in Emergency Management and Homeland Security
    • Required Credits: 36
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    MSN in Nursing Administration and Emergency Management
    • Required Credits: 39
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  28. #24

    Anna Maria College

    Paxton , MA
    #5 Best Christian Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #24 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees #17 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024 #18 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024

    Tuition + fees

    $41K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    40%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for Emergency Management degree at Anna Maria College

    Cost of Degree: $12,203
    Expenses: $20,310
    Starting Salary: $59,088
    Salary after 4 years: $70,092
    Cost Recoup Time: 6 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    MA in Public Administration

    Concentrations

    • Emergency Management
    • Fire And Emergency Services
    • Required Credits: 33
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school

Career Outlook for Students with Emergency Management Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management

Degree Level: Master's

  • Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
  • Avg. Cost of Degree*: $10,802
  • Avg. Expenses*: $16,952
  • Avg. Starting Salary*: $80,816
  • Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 5 years
  • Job Growth: 5.54%
  • Number of Jobs: 1,439,400
  • * denotes ‘annually’
  • ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

CareerJob GrowthAvg. Salary
Managers, All Other5.75%$133,560
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives3.81%$101,750
Emergency Management Directors4.03%$83,960
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other3.21%$79,870
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary3.11%$69,030

Top Industries

IndustryAvg. Salary
Managers, All Other$133,560
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$101,750
Emergency Management Directors$83,960
Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Management Degrees

Pursuing a master’s degree in emergency management and homeland security can help further your career and strengthen your expertise in areas such as public safety, disaster mitigation, and crisis management.

This degree combines two unique but closely-related fields, providing students with an understanding of the emergency response tactics required in the face of natural, technological, or human-made disasters.

Back to Top

Back to top.

Students can pursue this 30- to 45-credit degree both online or in person, with most completing their studies in about two to three years.

Back to Top

Back to top.

What will I be learning?

Programs often require a thesis or final project and courses cover topics like homeland security, public health administration, and multi-agency coordination.

Back to Top

Back to top.

Graduates will have the opportunity to advance in their current roles or obtain jobs like risk management specialists,security analysts, and emergency management directors.

Back to Top

Back to top.

Learn more about what you can do with a mater’s in criminal justice.

Back to top.

Back to Top

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build 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 is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And 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 or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new 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 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.

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 require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

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.

Resources for Prospective Grad Students

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