The independent, trusted guide to online education for over 26 years!

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Going to a public online state university for your degree offers numerous benefits. State universities with online degree programs provide high-quality distance learning at low rates. Plus, state colleges have brand names that enjoy a high level of familiarity and trust with local employers.

 
Degrees from online state universities are subject to the same accreditation standards that apply to residential degrees. However, state universities receive government funding becuase they are public schools. This helps them offer degrees at a lower cost than their private university peers.
 
Offering online degrees helps state universities educate the public while minimizing the high costs often associated with building new brick-and-mortar campuses. Online courses cost less to run than traditional courses, both in terms of a physical classroom space and tenured faculty costs.
 
If you’re interested in finding a low-cost online degree, view our Get Educated Cost Rankings. Many of the most affordable degrees online are offered by traditional state universities. Tuition rates are typically lowest for state residents, but some schools give online students a reduced rate, regardless of their home state.
 
Check the handy list below to see which online state universities are available to you.
 
If we missed anyone or you have suggestions for additions to this list, let us know at info (at) geteducated.com.

Online State Universities & Colleges

 

Alaska

University of Alaska Distance Learning

• Online certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s and master’s from the University of Alaska

 

California

California Virtual University Online

• Guide to degree programs and courses from online colleges in California

 

Colorado

Colorado Online and Distance Education

• Online courses and degree programs are offered by 11 public colleges and universities in Colorado

 

Connecticut

Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium

• Lists 350+ courses available through Connecticut universities online

 

Florida

Florida Virtual Campus

• Online courses and degrees offered by Florida state colleges and universities

 

Georgia

Georgia Virtual Technical College

• Central point of reference for all online courses and degree programs offered Georgia’s technical colleges

 

Idaho

Idaho Electronic Campus

• Courses and programs from Idaho’s seven publicly-funded online universities

 

Illinois

University of Illinois Online

• Online classes and degree programs from U of I’s campuses at Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield

 

Indiana

Indiana College Network (ICN)

• A service of the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System, this site helps students locate and enroll in distance learning and online courses and programs offered by Indiana’s public colleges and universities

 

Iowa

Iowa Learns

• Distance learning catalog from Iowa’s state colleges and universities online

 

Kansas

Kansas City Regional Access Consortium for Higher Education (KC REACHE)

• Degrees and online learning programs from colleges located within the Kansas City region

 

Kentucky

Kentucky Virtual University

• Comprehensive catalog that features online state colleges and public schools in Kentucky

 

Maine

University of Maine System

• University of Maine public university system’s guide to eight centers that offer distance learning and online degrees and courses in Maine

 

Maryland

MarylandOnline

• E-learning opportunities from Maryland’s community colleges and public universities online

 

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO)

• Online learning from 15 community colleges and nine Massachusetts state colleges online

University of Massachusetts Online

• Catalog of 100+ online degree and certificate programs from the University of Massachusetts System

 

Minnesota

Minnesota Online

• 300+ online degrees, courses and certificate programs offered by 31 state colleges and universities in Minnesota

ISEEK Online Learning

• Explore Minnesota’s online public universities and colleges through this comprehensive list

 

Mississippi

Mississippi Public Universities

• Distance learning and online programs offered by public universities in Mississippi

 

Montana

Montana University System

• List of online classes and degree programs offered by Montana’s 11 public state universities

 

Nevada

Nevada System of Higher Education

• Distance learning catalog of courses and online degrees in Nevada from public colleges online

 

New York

State University of New York (SUNY) Learning Network

• List of accredited online courses and degrees in New York from the State university system

 

North Carolina

Distance Education Inventory

• Searchable inventory of online colleges in North Carolina that have courses

 

North Dakota

North Dakota University System Online

• Online learning courses and degrees from the 11 public North Dakota Universities

 

Ohio

OhioLearns

• Catalog of distance learning degrees and online programs from state colleges in Ohio

 

Oklahoma

Online College of Oklahoma

• Online learning programs offered by public universities in the Oklahoma State System

 

Oregon

Oregon University System Distance Education Programs

• Links to seven online state colleges and universities with e-learning programs

 

Pennsylvania

Penn State World Campus Online

• Online degrees, certificates and programs through Penn State World Campus

 

South Carolina

SC Technical College System

• Consortium of South Carolina state and technical colleges with online courses and degrees

 

South Dakota

Electronic University Consortium (EUC) of South Dakota

• Information and access to the six South Dakota public universities online

 

Tennessee

Regents Online Campus Collaborative

• A collaboration of Tennessee universities, community colleges and technology centers that offer online classes and degree programs

 

Texas

Virtual College of Texas

• A collaborative of Texas community and technical colleges; students may register at their local colleges to take credit and non-credit distance learning courses from other colleges throughout Texas

Online Education from University of Texas System Institutions

• Undergraduate and graduate online degrees and courses in Texas offered by the University of Texas system

Texas Distance Education

• An electronic “marketplace” of courses and programs available from Texas public universities online

 

Utah

Utah Education Network

• Searchable list of online courses offered by Utah’s public institutions

 

Virginia

Virginia Education Wizard

• Catalog that showcases public community colleges and universities in Virginia

Electronic Campus of Virginia

• A cooperative instructional technology initiative among the state’s public and private colleges and universities

 

Washington

WashingtonOnline

• A group of participating Washington state colleges online that offer e-learning classes

 

West Virginia

Community and Technical College System of West Virginia

• List of programs offered by West Virginia technical and community colleges

 

Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Colleges Online

• Online associate’s degree and courses offered in Wisconsin by the state universities

University of Wisconsin Distance Learning

• Degrees and programs offered by the entire University of Wisconsin online system

 

Wyoming

Wyoming WyCLASS

• Distance learning in Wyoming from the University of Wyoming and seven online colleges

 

Other

Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (IDEA)

• Catalog of 20 online public universities in the U.S. with online degree programs
 

National Universities Degree Consortium

• Seven public universities online from different states that offer distance degrees
 

Southern Regional Education Board

• The “electronic marketplace” of online courses and degree programs from the South’s colleges and universities

 

 


Vicky Phillips, Founder of Get EducatedVicky Phillips was cited in 2009 by US News & World Report as “for 20 years the leading consumer advocate for online college students.” In 1989 she designed America’s first online counseling center for distance learners on AOL. In 1998 she authored the first print guide to online graduate degrees – Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools put out by the Princeton Review. In 2001, she authored Never Too Late to Learn the Adult Student’s Guide to College.