Best Online Colleges in Arizona 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE COLLEGES IN ARIZONA

Published: Dec 20, 2021
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Arizona 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 Arizona

University of Arizona
Arizona State University
Northern Arizona University
Prescott College
Grand Canyon University
University of Advancing Technology
University of Phoenix
American InterContinental University
Pima Medical Institute
Brookline College

University of Arizona
Arizona State University
University of Phoenix
Northern Arizona University
Grand Canyon University
Prescott College
Ottawa University
American InterContinental University
University of Advancing Technology
Brookline College

Prescott College 98%
University of Advancing Technology 92%
Arizona State University 90%
University of Arizona 87%
Northern Arizona University 80%
Grand Canyon University 78%
Ottawa University 78%

National Paralegal College 43 to 1
American InterContinental University 40 to 1
Bryan University 28 to 1
Brookline College 24 to 1
Northern Arizona University 20 to 1
Grand Canyon University 20 to 1
Arizona State University 19 to 1
University of Arizona 17 to 1
Ottawa University 11 to 1
University of Advancing Technology 11 to 1

Brookline College $89,404
Prescott College $35,450
Ottawa University $33,380
University of Advancing Technology $18,794
Grand Canyon University $17,800
American InterContinental University $12,422
Bryan University $12,184
University of Arizona $11,210
Arizona State University $10,978
Northern Arizona University $10,644

Bryan University $25,100
Prescott College $16,824
University of Advancing Technology $15,164
University of Arizona $12,348
Arizona State University $12,014
American InterContinental University $11,786
Northern Arizona University $11,103
Grand Canyon University $10,655
Ottawa University $9,892
National Paralegal College $5,850

National Paralegal College
Ottawa University
Bryan University
Brookline College
Pima Medical Institute
American InterContinental University
University of Phoenix
University of Advancing Technology
Grand Canyon University
Prescott College

National Paralegal College
Bryan University
Pima Medical Institute
Brookline College
University of Advancing Technology
American InterContinental University
Ottawa University
Prescott College
Grand Canyon University
Northern Arizona University

Ottawa University 78%
Grand Canyon University 78%
Northern Arizona University 80%
University of Arizona 87%
Arizona State University 90%
University of Advancing Technology 92%
Prescott College 98%

Prescott College 9 to 1
Ottawa University 11 to 1
University of Advancing Technology 11 to 1
University of Arizona 17 to 1
Arizona State University 19 to 1
Northern Arizona University 20 to 1
Grand Canyon University 20 to 1
Brookline College 24 to 1
Bryan University 28 to 1
American InterContinental University 40 to 1

National Paralegal College $7,995
Northern Arizona University $10,644
Arizona State University $10,978
University of Arizona $11,210
Bryan University $12,184
American InterContinental University $12,422
Grand Canyon University $17,800
University of Advancing Technology $18,794
Ottawa University $33,380
Prescott College $35,450

National Paralegal College $5,850
Ottawa University $9,892
Grand Canyon University $10,655
Northern Arizona University $11,103
American InterContinental University $11,786
Arizona State University $12,014
University of Arizona $12,348
University of Advancing Technology $15,164
Prescott College $16,824
Bryan University $25,100

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Arizona

Both traditional and online students hoping to attend college in Arizona have a lot to choose from. With both in-person and online degrees at every level of education, Arizona offers educational variety and excellence. Students can choose from associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs anywhere in the state.

The state’s largest university, the University of Arizona located in Tucson, offers a competitive tuition rate, at $12,000, for its 39,000 students.Moreover, Arizona’s most affordable schools, such as the tribally-owned Diné College, offer tuition as low as $1,000.

Private schools make up about one third of the higher education institutes in Arizona. Arizona’s private schools offer a comprehensive range of traditional and online degrees from fine arts to naturopathic medicine.

Arizona’s public universities and colleges, such as Northern Arizona University located in Flagstaff, offer both on-campus and online students a variety of study concentrations, including mathematics, education, political science, and psychology. If you’re looking for flexibility, Arizona has 14 colleges and universities offering entirely online degrees.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Arizona is also home to three religiously affiliated schools: Arizona Christian University, Phoenix Seminary, and International Baptist College. While tuition varies greatly among these three schools, each school provides unique degree programs, such as music ministry at International Baptist College.

Arizona boasts year-round sunshine, the Grand Canyon, award-winning restaurants, and several professional sports teams? With more than 30 colleges and universities to choose from, Arizona allows students to get their degrees while cashing in on some of life’s greatest pleasures.

If you want to experience the state of Arizona while taking some online courses, you may be able to take a hybrid degree program. Many Arizona colleges and universities allow you to earn a degree through a combination of online learning and on-campus courses.

Arizona offers a variety of excellent and affordable colleges and universities for on-campus and online students at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree level.

What are Arizona’s Colleges & Universities?

Arizona’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.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Colleges in Arizona 2023

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Best Online Colleges in Arizona 2024

Top 10 Online Colleges in Arizona

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Arizona

What are Arizona’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Online Colleges in Arizona 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of Arizona

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Career Outlook for degree at Arizona State University

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