Make sure you choose an accredited online university

To ensure that your online university degree is well respected, it is important to only attend an accredited online university with a trusted reputation. Below are the best accredited online universities for 2009. To request free enrollment information from a top accredited university listed below, use the “More Info” buttons below:

The 2009 Top Accredited Online Universities Rankings

1.
Kaplan University -
Largest accredited online university, best rated associates and undergraduate programs. Overall #1 ranked 2008.
2.
University of Phoenix -
Best course selection, top rated online learning integration, overall most consistent accredited top online university.
3.
AIU Online -
Most prestigious nationally accredited online university based on employer surveys. Top accredited online university for job placement.
4.
Liberty University -
The nation’s leading accredited online Christian university. Integrates Christian values and nationally ranked academics to become one of the best accredited online universities for Christian students.
5.
Baker College Online -
Best accredited online university for affordability and student feedback studies. Large number of scholarship opportunities for working adults.
6.
Devry University -
Oldest accredited online university, Devry is the best accredited online university for taking blended online and campus classes, as has over 70 campuses throughout USA.
7.
Grand Canyon University -
Fastest growing online accredited Christian university. Superior online classroom technology makes this the top accredited online university for degree programs in teaching and masters degrees students.
8.
Westwood College Online -
Large variety of online accredited associate and bachelor degree programs. Best accredited online university for criminal justice, IT, and computing students.
9.
Everest University -
Top accredited online university for working adults. Most flexible class schedules and numerous credits for previous work-experience make this a top school for working adults.
10.
South University -
South University is the best accredited online university for business majors. Top rated business professors and smaller class sizes make South rank consistently in the top 10 accredited online universities.
11.
ITT Tech -
ITT is the top accredited online university for technician students. ITT offers online only or blended online / campus accredited degrees throughout country.

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With online universities sprouting up everywhere it becomes difficult to determine which schools offer the best online university package for which individuals.  To assist you there we have taken what we consider to be the best online university among three criteria; marketability, usability, and class quality.

Marketability

There is little question that among online universities, the University of Phoenix carries the best online university reputation.  Employers consistently regard the students coming out of Phoenix as prepared for the job market and as a result, a degree from Phoenix, more than any other online university, confers marketability.  Here, Capella comes up a close second as its relative anonymity leads most employers to simply conclude that Capella is equivalent to the hundreds of other small universities spread throughout the country. 

Usability
There is no better integrated online university than Capella.  Students consistently report good experiences with their iGuide system which has replaced the tedious classroom chatroom and malfunctioning webcams of old.  Here, DeVry comes in a close second.  Having brick and mortar campuses spread throughout the US and using an online system that has been perfected over many years make DeVry’s usability a unique asset.

Class Quality
When it comes to class quality there is no beating DeVry.  Because the school has so many physical campuses to supplement its online classrooms, DeVry is uniquely able to offer students a wide array of classes and majors.  Further, students consistently report quality teaching in every department.  Phoenix here is a close second.  With low student to teacher ratios and a student body large enough to ensure a wide array of class choices, you will not sacrifice must quality by choosing the University of Phoenix.

Putting it all together

There are many good universities out there. To maximize the investment in your education,
you must choose the best online university for you. Get started on your search today! See our online university reviews:

Accreditation is a sort of check mark given by the US Department of Education.  It states that a University has met academic standards necessary to provide its students with a rigorous and comprehensive education.  So what does that mean practically for you?  Because most students enter an online university to improve their marketability for future jobs, accreditation is very important.  Employers look at accreditation as a validation of a degree.  A degree by itself is simply a sheet of paper, but accredited it ensures employers that your education has met a certain standard.  The second, and potentially more important reason why you should care about accreditation, is that you are paying for your education.  The university education you pay for should be a quality one, and one way to verify that is through accreditation.

The University of Phoenix was the first online university to become fully accredited.  As such, it is typically afforded a higher reputation than many other online universities.  After Phoenix, DeVry followed suit.  DeVry is now a leader among top online universities not only because its online courses are certified, but because it offers students the combination to take some accredited courses in its over 70 locations.  Among the best online universities, only Capella has struggled becoming accreditied.  While the overall university has remained accredited for some time, the University’s struggling Psychology School has prevented Capella from attaining complete accredidation.  While this blight is certainly important, however, because the remainder of the university is in such good standing, this will not likely be a factor for students considering other departments.

Putting it all together

Hopefully by now you understand what exactly makes an online university trustworthy. To maximize the investment in your education, you must choose an accredited university with a good reputation. Of course, there are many good schools, and you may not know where to start. In that case, you may want to check out our online university reviews: