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The educational programs of the best online military colleges find a perfect partner in both the active-duty and veteran lifestyles. Distance learning is all about meeting the student on his or her terms — serving adults living busy lives, while looking to improve their education, who can’t linger in classrooms all day. Since they have their duties to perform, they need to seek that college degree online.
Options for the best online colleges for military members expanded over recent years as distance learning programs multiplied. The pandemic inspired more traditional colleges to add distance learning credit and degree programs. As a result, the online college world now offers educational opportunities for most serving military members and veterans.
This list of the best online military colleges looks at multiple rating services and certification programs to make certain each option is properly accredited, allowing serving students to earn a degree directly or earn compiled credits that can be transferred to a traditional institute of higher learning.
- Best Overall: Arizona State University
- Best Budget: University of Florida-Online
- Best for Active-Duty: Liberty University Online
- Best for Spouses: Columbia College
- Best for Veterans: Park University
- Best Graduate Program: Texas A&M University – College Station
- Best Under the Radar: Milwaukee Area Technical College
Best Overall
Arizona State University
Pros
- High national rankings
- Special dedicated services for military
- Rolling application deadline for online students
Cons
- More expensive per credit
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $541
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $1,343
- Military considerations: Pat Tillman Veterans Center
- Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Why It Made The Cut
- Highly ranked nationally for traditional and military students alike, Arizona State University offers unique benefits for those serving.
Best Budget
University of Florida-Online
Pros
- Very affordable
- Dedicated military services website
- Special information sessions for incoming military
Cons
- More demanding entry requirements
- Limited undergraduate degree options
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $111.92
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $518.19
- Military considerations: Yellow Ribbon Program for G.I. Bills
- Accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Why It Made The Cut
- The University of Florida Online offers distance learning from a major national university for one of the country’s lowest per-credit costs.
Best for Active-Duty
Liberty University Online
Pros
- MIlitary tuition dIscounts
- Dedicated Office of Military Affairs
- Maintains updated listings of benefits
Cons
- More expensive per credit
- Full tuition costs in effect at 12 credits
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $395
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $11,900 block fee
- Military considerations: Tuition discounts, assigned advisors
- Accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Why It Made The Cut
- A Christian university in Virginia, Liberty maintains an identity of dedication to active-duty military with specially dedicated advisors.
Best for Spouses
Columbia College
Pros
- Reduced tuition and benefits for spouses and dependents
- Eight-course completion
- Official list of affiliated bases and installations
Cons
- Cost more expensive for spouses and dependants
- Non-rolling admissions
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $250
- Cost per course to non-military full-time study: $1,125
- Military considerations: Benefits for family members
- Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission
Why It Made The Cut
- Offering the Military Affiliated Benefit program since 2021, Columbia College offers reduced tuition and other benefits to the spouses and dependents of military members.
Best for Veterans
Park University
Pros
- Specially discounted per-credit rate for past and present military
- Financial aid allowed with discounted credits
- More than 500 course offerings
Cons
- Less prestigious name recognition
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $250
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $1,356
- Military considerations: Global Warrior Center
- Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission
Why It Made The Cut
- Offering significant tuition discounts for veterans and active military members before financial aid consideration, Park University extends a special invitation to those who serve.
Best Graduate Program
Texas Au0026M University – College Station
Pros
- Long-time military education history
- Aggie One Stop Qu0026A Service
- Rolling admission period
Cons
- Varying price-per-credit scale
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $40 to $550
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $1,377
- Military considerations: Senior Military College
- Accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Why It Made The Cut
- As a long-time senior military college, Texas Au0026M University – College Station specializes in offering its military graduates ongoing education options online.
Best Under the Radar
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Pros
- Affordable
- Offers practical professional training
- Credits transfer to four-year colleges and universities
- Special services for active-duty military and veterans
Cons
- More limited course and program options
- Lesser-known online college
Key Features
- Online college cost per credit: $161.25
- Cost per course to non-military for full-time study: $620.10
- Military considerations: Military Education Support Office and Veterans Resource Center
- Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission
Why It Made The Cut
- Specializing in hands-on technical studies, MATC offers practical and highly affordable training and education.
Things to consider before enrolling in college online
Choosing the best online military college involves more than just considering the cost per credit hour and course offerings — though those are as important to active serving military and veterans as they would be to average students. It’s equally important to consider how dedicated a given college is to the military by closely examining its services.
Look beyond the possible military discounts and explore the additional benefits for those who serve. Check out if the online military college has an office or department for military members or an office of veteran affairs. Determine if the school offers dedicated advisors for the military. If the college in question offers any of the above, contact that office or those officials directly and get a feel for their expertise and concern.
Finally, if possible, reach out to military alumni and active students of the college, or even better, those studying directly in your intended field of study.
FAQs about online military colleges
Q: Can I do online college in the military?
A: As long as online college study doesn’t interfere with assigned duties, ongoing secondary education is allowed, and often encouraged, in all branches of the U.S. military.
Q: Is online college free for the military?
A: Online military colleges are not free by a matter of standard policy unless the student already earned a full scholarship. However, many online colleges offer reduced credit costs and special financial aid for serving students and veterans.
Q: How many college credits does it take to rank up in the Army?
A: Ranking up via college credits differs by branch, but in the Army, for example, you need at least 24 credits to enlist as an E-2; 48 credits to enlist as an E-3; and a four-year degree to enlist as an E-4.
Q: Do online colleges accept the G.I. Bill?
A: All accredited online colleges inspected by the U.S. government and one of its approved accreditation bodies will accept the G.I. Bill regardless of whether they already offer discounted credits to the military.
Q: Can I trust college accreditations for online colleges?
A: The official accreditation bodies certifying online colleges (listed below) are all officially approved by the U.S. Department of Education. If an online college is accredited by such a body, they meet the national criteria as a legitimate institution of higher learning.
Final thoughts
The best online military colleges distinguish themselves through their dedicated service to both active-duty and military students. They offer special assistance and tuned-in advisors to help prospective students explore academic expectations, admissions requirements, and financial aid options. Put simply, the best online military colleges conduct their business as though they value their active serving or veteran students as valuable individuals facing unique challenges.
Methodology
In addition to examining the websites of each online college as though we ourselves were looking to further our education, we considered per-credit price and program flexibility as prime factors. We also made certain each college is fully accredited by one of these certified regional collegiate accreditation bodies:
- Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
If those bodies are good enough for the U.S. Department of Education, they’ll work for our purposes.
We also put priority on those online colleges placing an emphasis on active military members and veterans by offering special considerations such as advisors and financial programs for both active-duty military and veterans. If a military college option merely honored the G.I. Bill and failed to extend more financial assistance opportunities (or the resources to research and access those opportunities), that was a strike against it.
Finally, since active-duty personnel can often find themselves transferred or otherwise asked to change their location and residence, we made certain every program on this list allowed for other colleges’ credits to import into their academic degree schedules — while producing college credits ready to export to another accredited online or traditional college environment.
For more information on our process, check out the Task & Purpose review guidelines.