University

Unity Environmental University (formerly Unity College) is a private not-for-profit university in New Gloucester, Maine, that specializes in sustainability and environmental science and now teaches most of its students online. Its pros are a clear environmental focus, accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), moderate online tuition and flexible start options for […]

Touro University Worldwide (TUW) is a private not-for-profit online university based in Los Alamitos, California, and the online branch of the Touro University system, a private Jewish university system headquartered in New York City. Its pros are WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) accreditation, fully online programs from the associate to the doctoral level,

University of the People (UoPeople) is a private, nonprofit online university based in Pasadena, California, founded in 2009 to offer a tuition-free alternative to traditional college. It had 41,961 students in fall 2024, most of them adults and many outside the United States. Its pros are an extremely low cost, fully online study and WASC

Columbia Southern University (CSU) is a private for-profit online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama, founded in 1993. It had 17,763 students in fall 2024, all undergraduates studying online and 92% of them aged 25 or over. Its pros are low tuition, respected occupational safety and fire science programs, military tuition assistance and regional (SACSCOC)

Post University is a private for-profit university in Waterbury, Connecticut, founded in 1890. It had 16,178 students in fall 2024, and 92% of undergraduates studied entirely online. Its pros are regional (NECHE) accreditation, small on-campus classes, flexible online programs and Division II athletics; its cons are very low retention and graduation rates, a high net

Strayer University is a private for-profit university headquartered in Washington, D.C., owned by the publicly traded Strategic Education, Inc. It teaches business, IT, criminal justice, education, health services and public administration to working adults, online and at campuses mainly in the eastern and southern United States. Its pros are long history, regional accreditation, admission with

Full Sail University is a private for-profit university in Winter Park, Florida, focused on audio, film, games, animation and other media and entertainment fields. It had 27,169 students in fall 2024, and 84% of undergraduates studied entirely online. Its pros are specialised creative programs, extensive studio facilities and open admission; its cons are a very

American Military University (AMU) is an online, for-profit university in Charles Town, West Virginia, and one of the two brands of American Public University System (APUS), which had 50,715 students in fall 2024. Its pros are low tuition that fits military tuition assistance, fully online courses built for service members, open enrollment and Higher Learning

DeVry University is a private for-profit university headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, that now teaches almost entirely online. Its main federal record, DeVry University-Illinois, reported 31,296 students in fall 2024, 97% of undergraduates studying exclusively online. Its pros are flexible online programs for working adults, a long history in technology and business education, and HLC accreditation;

The University of Phoenix is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, that teaches mostly online. It had 111,248 students in fall 2024, 85% of its undergraduates aged 25 or over. Its pros are open admission, a fixed tuition figure, generous transfer credit and regional accreditation; its cons are very low federal graduation and