2024 Nonprofit Online Colleges and Universities

New England's Southern New Hampshire University Online (SNHU) is a private institution serving over 164,000 students, with many attending remotely through its robust online curriculum. It currently has over 200 online degrees and certificates available that students can complete from anywhere. SNHU's online programming is diverse and includes popular fields such as business, criminal justice, education, engineering, health, and technology. Online programming is available from the associate level through the master's level and includes accelerated bachelor's-to-master's degrees. SNHU has a generous transfer policy that accepts up to 90 previously earned credits for bachelor's degrees.

Some of the nation's largest employers, such as Amazon, partner with SNHU to increase access to affordable higher education. If you are an Amazon employee, you can earn one of more than 100 career-focused degrees and receive free tuition for up to six classes annually. SNHU also partners with the U.S. Military and the United Service Organization to provide scholarship opportunities to service members and their families and help smooth the transition from military to student life.

With campuses in Omaha, Nebraska, Phoenix, Arizona, and the Dominican Republic, Creighton University (CU) is a private, Roman Catholic institution serving approximately 4,000 graduate students. It offers over 50 online degrees, certificates, and professional development programs at the master's and doctoral levels in various fields of study: business, education, law & negotiation, health & health sciences, humanities, ministry, and science & research. Unique online master's degree majors cover bioethics, financial planning and financial psychology, integrative health and wellness, and paramedicine. 

CU was founded by the Jesuit order. It aims to help shape students holistically beyond the classroom walls. CU supports students' emotional, spiritual, social, and intellectual development, emphasizing justice. It is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. that comprise the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. 

Virginia's Liberty University (LU) is a private, Evangelical Christian institution serving approximately 97,000 students, many remotely. It has over 800 online degrees at all levels and almost 100 online undergraduate and graduate certificates. With many online programs available, LU can offer many study areas, including criminal justice, business, nursing, Homeland Security, education, sports management, biblical studies, and addiction counseling. While most coursework may be completed remotely, some online programs may require one- or two-week on-campus intensives.

LU's mission is "Training Champions for Christ." To support this mission, online undergraduates must complete at least three courses (nine credits) of faith-based learning as part of LU's core general education curriculum, regardless of major.

Western Governors University (WGU) in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a private, distance-only institution serving over 150,000 students globally. It has online degrees in business, education, information technology, and health & nursing at the bachelor's and master's levels and post-masters certificates. Majors include human resource management, health information management, supply chain and operations management, science education, teaching, BSN-to-MSN, and software engineering. 

WGU uses a competency-based education structure and designs its online programming so students can advance at their own pace — some finish online bachelor's degree programs in 42 months or less. As students finish one course, they automatically proceed to the next one when they've proven their knowledge through projects, papers, or other assessments. WGU also accepts most lower-division transfer credits from accredited community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities.

Regent University Online (RU), in military-friendly Virginia Beach, Virginia, is a private, Christian institution serving just over 10,000 students, including those who attend remotely. It offers approximately 400 online degree and certificate programs at the associate through doctoral levels. RU's online programming is rich and includes fields of study such as communication studies, leadership studies, business, criminal justice, ministry, professional studies, human services, and law. Courses last eight weeks so that students may finish quickly. RU also has a generous transfer policy that accepts up to 90 previously earned credits, saving time and money.

RU is known for being a military-friendly school that welcomes service members and their families to attend. It accepts military transfer credits and offers discounts for service members, their dependents, and spouses — military spouses may be eligible to receive up to $4,000 through the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Scholarship. As a Christian institution, RU is known for having strict student policies. It is not an LGBT-friendly school, as outlined in its student handbook.

Southern California's California State University - Northridge (CSUN) in Los Angeles is one of 23 campuses in the state's public university system. It's a Hispanic-serving institution in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, primarily offering online master's degrees to its 5,000+ graduate students through Tseng College. CSUN's limited selection of online graduate majors includes applied behavioral analysis, diverse community development leadership, engineering management, music industry administration, and social work. An online bachelor's degree in public sector management and an online second bachelor's degree in nursing are also available. 

Students participate in online learning as part of a cohort. This can help students build community and develop life-long relationships while working together through their studies. While most coursework can be completed remotely, classes include live online sessions so students can participate in virtual discussions with instructors and peers. However, recordings are available for students who need to review lessons or catch up on a day's work.

Built on a "foundation of Christian values and a servant leadership philosophy," the University of the Southwest (USW) in Hobbs, New Mexico, is a rural, Hispanic-serving, faith-based institution serving almost 1,100 students. Many enroll throughout its 40+ online bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs. Degrees are primarily in business, healthcare, and education. Students can choose from online bachelor's degrees in business administration in accounting, e-commerce, global business management, hospitality management, and sports management. They can move on to earn MBAs in many of the same fields, or data analytics, project management, and public administration, or design their programs.

USW uniquely offers all its online students free Virtual Healthcare in partnership with HealthiestYou by Teledoc. This includes $0 copays for teledoc appointments, second opinions, behavioral health, back care, and dermatology through the HealthiestYou App. This program helps increase access to affordable healthcare for students who may otherwise find it difficult.

Colorado State University Global (CSU Global), based in Aurora, is a public institution that opens its doors to 9,600 students. Distance learners can choose from over 50 online programs at the bachelor's, master's, and certificate levels that are career-relevant. Fields of study include accounting & finance, business, criminal justice, education, management & leadership, and marketing & communications. CSU offers low tuition at an average annual undergraduate cost of $12,351 and boasts that it has yet to raise its tuition in over ten years. 

CSU Global believes in supporting its distance learners through student resources available remotely. This includes access to career coaching, 24/7 academic support, and free tutoring. Additionally, each online student is assigned a unique Student Success Counselor to support them through every step of their educational journey by checking in periodically to see how they are doing and if they need help. These counselors act as a single point of contact. They can help connect students to degree planning and financial aid resources.

Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee is a public institution with over 44,000 students, including distance learners. It has online degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels through Distance@FSU. FSU offers a robust lineup of online majors, including computer science, criminology, civil engineering, business law, information technology, public administration, social work, and systems engineering. Several online certificates are also available for students seeking specific job skills to increase career advancement opportunities, such as law enforcement intelligence, institutional research, multicultural marketing communication, and project management.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, FSU has a high 81% graduation rate, a low average annual cost of $9,600 for undergraduates, higher than average median earnings at $57,000, and a 94% retention rate. It is also racially diverse, with 58% of students identifying as White, 23% as Hispanic, and 8% as Black. Students represent 130 countries globally.

Ohio's Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public institution serving over 14,000 students on-campus and via distance learning. Remote learners enroll throughout CSU's 26 online bachelor's and master's degrees and certificate programs. Fields of study include business, healthcare, education, social work, and law. Majors include RN-BSN, business administration, healthcare management, cybersecurity and data privacy, forensic nursing, and educational leadership. Courses are asynchronous, allowing for varying schedules and availability. Online student services include tutoring, advising, academic support, library resources, and writing assistance.

CSU partners and collaborates with over 250 local and national organizations to support its academic programs and research. These organizations include the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, NASA Glenn Research Center, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and the City of Cleveland. Through CSU's partnership with Northeast Ohio College of Medicine, students may have a unique opportunity for early admission to medical school via the NEOMED-CSU Partnership for Urban Health.

The University of Findlay (UF) in Ohio is a private institution affiliated with the Church of God. It hosts a total of 5,000 students — almost a third of which participate in distance-only education through online degree programs at the master's and doctoral levels. UF alosts hosts one online bachelor's degree completion program in business management. Majors include business administration, education, health informatics, and radiologic sciences. UF also offers an online Doctor of Pharmacy, one of the most popular majors. Distance learners can access the same student resources as their on-campus peers, such as tutoring, the library, advising, and tech support. 

UF offers merit scholarships for first-time freshmen who meet eligibility requirements. Scholarship awards are based on GPA and range from $15,000 (2.75 GPA) to $21,000 (3.95 GPA). Three additional scholarships are offered, and the financial aid office can help determine if they are available to online students. In 2022, over $51 million in scholarships and financial aid were awarded to 98% of UF students.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Online is a private institution with campuses in Illinois, California, Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., primarily serving graduate students. It offers over 30 online programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, including six online PhD programs. Majors include criminology, psychology, behavioral economics, counseling, clinical psychopharmacology, and organizational leadership. While most coursework is completed online, some programs may periodically require immersive residencies to be completed on campus.

The Chicago School uniquely combines four core elements in its approach to learning: education, innovation, community, and impact, to help arm students with practical and solutions-oriented training for the classroom and beyond. As such, it has earned the distinction of being one of only eleven universities inducted into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society and is recognized by the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Located on the shores of New York's Finger Lakes, Keuka College (KC) in Keuka City is a small private institution serving 1,300 students, many of whom attend remotely. It has five online bachelor's and master's degrees in business management, social work, and literacy. Distance learners can finish these programs more quickly than traditional on-campus programs. For example, a full-time online student may complete an online bachelor's degree in business management in as little as two years. KC accepts transfer credits from other accredited institutions and awards up to 90 credits for prior knowledge and work experience. 

KU's Office of Inclusion & Belonging strives to support students of color, the LGBT community, students of all secular and religious identities, and students of all underrepresented identities. Its academic focus areas include intercultural engagement, interfaith management, and international support. In support of inclusion and diversity, KU's clubs and teams have the Multicultural Student Association, PRIDE for members of the LGBT community, and the Interfaith Student Leadership Team.

Roman Catholic Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJCME) in Standish is a private institution with 1,500 students throughout its liberal arts programs. It offers online associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in nine areas of study, including business, education, nursing, sport and exercise science, and theology. Majors include finance, human resource management, radiologic science, health information management, theology, and RN-BSN. Fast-track accelerated, and dual degree programs are available in health administration, nursing, and business, designed to save time and money. 

SJCME is a member of the Maine Campus Compact, a coalition of 18 member campuses committed to reinvigorating the civic mission of higher education. It also participates in community-based learning. This experiential instructional strategy gives students opportunities to help solve problems within their communities as part of their studies.

San Diego's Northcentral University (NCU) was a private, distance-only institution that merged with private National University (NU) in 2022. NCU continues as NU, which picked up all of its online programming and serves over 18,600 students. NU offers 119 online degree programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels — along with 58 certificate and credential programs. Areas of study include teaching & education, business & marketing, healthcare & nursing, social science & psychology, engineering & technology, law & criminal justice, arts & humanities, and science & math. 

Courses last four to eight weeks, so students can complete one class per month and finish early. This schedule can also support a healthy work-life balance. For example, students can complete NU's online RN-BSN program in as few as 11 months due to four- and eight-week courses taken back-to-back and year-round enrollment. Earning an online MBA may take as little as a year due to a similar pace and schedule.

Catholic Saint Leo University Online (SLU) is rooted in Benedictine values. It's a private liberal arts institution based in Florida, serving approximately 10,000 students. SLU offers over 65 online degrees at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels in business, criminal justice, education, health professions, information technology, psychology, and social work. Online bachelor's degrees include accounting, information systems, cybersecurity, emergency management, and software engineering.  

SLU is very diverse. While less than half identify as White, 20% are unknown, 23% are Black, and 18% are Hispanic. Online programs foster inclusion and a sense of community through online clubs and organizations and the ability to network and communicate with peers from around the globe through WorldWide Student Life. These remote opportunities include Community Service Club, Omega Nu Lambda Online Honor Society (invitation only), WorldWide Student Advisory Council, The Voice: WorldWide Student Newsletter, and Catholic Mass WorldWide.

Kansas City's Rockhurst University (RU) in Missouri is a private, Catholic institution in the Jesuit tradition, and it hosts approximately 1,000 graduate students. RU offers ten online master's degrees in data analytics, nursing, and education and several certificates. The online Master of Science in Nursing includes several concentrations, such as adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nursing leadership, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Online EdDs in Education and Leadership include healthcare education, higher education, and organizational leadership. 

RU strives to support its students including its distance learners. Many student resources include counseling and psychological services, career development, academic advising, success coaching, and supplemental instruction. RU also has a low 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes, which can help instructors provide individualized instruction, foster student engagement, and help build community.

Pennsylvania's Holy Family University (HFU) is a Roman Catholic institution sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth with campuses in Philadelphia and Newtown and online that serve about 3,000 students. It has more than a dozen online degrees at the bachelor's and master's levels, one online doctoral degree program, several online certificate programs, and one online certification program. Areas of study include business, education, nursing, psychology, and radiologic science. Accelerated online master's degrees are available in accountancy, education, and teaching. 

HFU has a low 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio which can be ideal in the online learning environment. Smaller class sizes promote interaction between students, instructors, and peers. Students can receive individualized instruction as instructors have the opportunity to learn more about their strengths and areas for improvement while progressing through their degree program. These benefits help build community and trust as students feel more supported and engaged.

Bryant & Stratton College — located in Orchard Park, New York — is a two-year, private college that recently changed its status to be a nonprofit institution. According to the most recent federal data, 6,211 undergraduate students are attending online, with approximately 16% graduating on average. Bryant & Stratton offer robust online degree offerings at the bachelor's and associate levels. Offerings include nine fully online bachelor's degrees and sixteen online associate programs that cover five main areas of study: business, healthcare, technology, education, and legal services. They also offer a wide range of online certificates. 

Distance learners may earn their degree in just under 20 months through the school's accelerated online learning format. While students only take two classes at a time, they finish these courses in less than eight weeks. If students maintain this full-time schedule, they can graduate earlier than most traditional students while still participating in real-time interactions with both peers and professors. In addition to this advantage, fully remote students at Bryant & Stratton can access tutoring, tech support, and career-matching services, to name a few of the resources available.