Best Online Military Colleges in 2023

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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

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 Au0026M University – College Station

Best Under the Radar

Milwaukee Area Technical College

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:

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.