WHICH ONLINE COLLEGES FOR VETERANS ARE REALLY THE BEST IN 2022?
Introduction
Maybe you’re testing the waters and are curious about online schools for veterans. Or, maybe you’re ready to enroll but want to know which are the best online colleges and universities for veterans for different categories. No matter why you are thinking about online education, we’re going to try to help you find the right schools with the best programs that meet your needs. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, online schools for veterans had become a great option to get academic degrees and professional certifications. In fall 2018, there were already about 3.3 million higher education students enrolled exclusively in distance educational programs. A year or so after the pandemic started closing or restricting on-campus education, it is now even clearer that online schools for veterans aren’t only great options, but for some, the only option—especially for those that cannot or do not want to risk getting infected or infecting their family.
The ‘Best’ Online College for Veterans Depends on You
More options are available to you than ever, which makes it more challenging to find the “best” online college for veterans like yourself. The best choices depend on who you are and what you want. Here are some things to consider that might help you make a choice.
1. Education Level: Where are You Starting?
Whatever educational level you’re starting at now, there’s a path to the success you want to achieve. Let’s take a look at some levels of education and understand where you’re starting and where online learning can take you.
Basic
A high school diploma or a GED are important accomplishments and create a solid foundation for future learning. If this is your current level of education, you’ll probably be searching for online schools that will let you take advantage of your military training and can open job opportunities and career paths.
Intermediate
Do you have a high school diploma and the determination to get a four-year college degree so you can be more hirable? Or, maybe you are employed and want to boost your income? If so, you will want to attend online colleges or universities with accredited four-year programs (or even starting at a two-year college with transferable credits).
Advanced
o you already have a four-year college degree, and want to take your career to the even higher levels? Or are you retired or semi-retired and attempting to make a splash as you re-enter the workforce? If so, getting a master’s degree at an online college or university would be an excellent next choice.
2. Motivation: Goals To Set for College
We all know convenience and affordability are some of online education’s greatest advantages, but it’s still a major investment of time and money to attend an online college. That’s why it’s a good idea to ask yourself why you are looking for online college for veterans—and that means your goals. Are any of these resonating with you?
Job Opportunities
Continuing education, vocational training and skill-certification courses are excellent ways to open the door to gainful employment.
Career Advancement
Some occupational paths definitely favor job candidates or employees with academic degrees. Depending on your field, a degree may be necessary for advancement.
Increased Income
Hoping to add more power to your paycheck? Acquiring skills and learning new concepts through online education is a crucial bargaining tool when negotiating a raise.
Personal Pride / Unfulfilled Plans
Maybe you were interested in following a different dream than military service when you were younger? Or perhaps you previously attempted higher education but weren’t ready for it? Or maybe you just want to keep challenging yourself to higher standards of character like your days in uniform? The bottom line is you now have an opportunity to reward yourself with the pride and benefits of going (or going back) to school!
3. Costs and Computers: What is Doable for You?
Although there are some free online colleges for veterans—as well as programs to help with other costs and fees—it's important to also think about the financial and practical parts of online education. Here are some to consider.
Tuition and Fees
The first thing you’ll need to find out is how much it will cost to enroll and attend classes. Although you might have found what is one of the best online colleges for military veterans, it can quickly become one of the worst if you can’t pay for it. Be sure to not only learn about the tuition for the courses you want to take, but also find out about additional fees. For example, “lab fees” are a common additional cost that often catch students off guard. Books (whether they are print or digital) and other materials you’ll need to complete a course also need to be factored into your total costs to attend an online college.
Funding / GI Bill Eligibility
After you get an idea about how much it will cost to go to an online college, the next step is to figure out how to pay for it. This is where you can take advantage of one of the very best veteran benefits: the GI Bill. Your GI Bill eligibility will vary, depending on when you enlisted in the military. Here are some examples of different GI Bill eligibility:
- Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are available to veterans that entered active duty on or after September 11, 2001. This GI Bill has a transferability option.
- Montgomery GI Bill benefits are available to veterans that entered active duty after June 30, 1985.
There are other veteran education benefits, too! Look into:
- Veterans’ Education Assistance Program (VEAP), which is available to veterans that were active duty between January 1, 1977–June 30, 1985.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which provides what its name implies!
Housing: Post-9/11 GI Bill BAH Rates
Your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits also can help you with housing costs while attending college (unfortunately, they are available for Montgomery GI Bill students). Generally, you are entitled to a monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on where your school is located and if you are attending classes on-campus. However, if you are attending an online college, your MAH is a flat-rate, which—like Post-9/11 GI Bill BAH rates—changes annually. Things have gotten a bit confusing because of the Covid-19 pandemic—especially with schools that have moved to a “hybrid” system of on-campus and online courses. If you have questions, you are highly recommended to read the VA’s Student FAQs: COVID-19 Information Affecting Education Benefits for Students, which provides updated information on this evolving situation.
Accessibility and Support for Veterans
Getting back into education shouldn’t feel like a sink-or-swim test. Although navigating your way through online education isn’t impossible, having some help sure doesn’t hurt! When narrowing your list of the best online colleges for veterans, think about if you would benefit from schools with programs and policies to help veterans. Those schools will often provide liaisons to help you get enrolled, apply your tuition assistance, transfer credits, get into preferred classes, etc.
Communications and Technology
Finally, you’ll want to be sure you either already have or know the cost to actually attend an online college. This includes:
- Access to a computer, preferably one that you can use whenever you want.
- Dependable Internet service with adequate bandwidth and speed.
- Hardware and software that you know how to use for communicating with video and audio.
Online College Tools
If you want to get ahead of the game, learn what you can about applications that you'll probably use to attend classes, complete assignments, take tests, and communicate with instructors:
- Web conferencing apps like Google Meet and Zoom. If you aren’t already using these to see and hear your friends, family and colleagues, you probably will use them with your instructors and classmates!
- Learning management systems (LMS) like Blackboard or Canvas are commonly used for instructions to post a syllabus, assign and review graded projects, host class discussion boards, etc.
Don’t be intimidated if you haven’t any of these apps before. Just consider it a necessary part of your ongoing education!
The 35 Best Online Colleges for Veterans for 2022
As we’ve been explaining, there is no single “best online college for veterans,” as everybody’s needs, requirements, eligibility and capabilities differ. But, now, let’s get down to brass tacks and start identifying some actual schools! There is no better resource than U.S. News and World Report when it comes to ranking colleges and universities. Since 1983 (well before online colleges and schools were a thing), they’ve provided some of the most popular and trusted rankings. In more recent years, they’ve started including rankings for online schools. Better yet, they even provide some rankings just for veterans! Here are seven sets of “best five” rankings that will almost certainly help you with finding a program that best matches your ideas for the “best online colleges for veterans.” Good luck!
Overall Bachelor’s Degrees
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—Worldwide
- University of Florida, Gainesville
- Oregon State University
- Arizona State University
- University of Arizona
MBA Degrees
- Indiana University–Bloomington (Kelley)
- University of Florida (Hough)
- University of Southern California (Marshall)
- Arizona State University (Carey)
- Pennsylvania State University–World Campus
Graduate Criminal Justice Degrees
- Sam Houston State University
- University of Massachusetts–Lowell
- Michigan State University
- Boston University
- Florida State University
Graduate Education Degrees
- University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign
- Michigan State University
- Pennsylvania State University—World Campus
- Texas A&M University–College Station
- University of Missouri
Graduate Engineering Degrees
- Pennsylvania State University–World Campus
- University of Southern California (Viterbi)
- Purdue University–West Lafayette
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
- University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign, The Grainger College of Engineering
Graduate Info Tech Degrees
- Virginia Tech
- University of Southern California
- Florida State University
- University of Arizona
- Pennsylvania State University–World Campus
Graduate Nursing
- University of South Carolina
- George Washington University
- Duke University
- Stony Brook University–SUNY
- University of Cincinnati
Conclusion
It’s never too late to dive into online education, whether you’re newly freed from those active-duty PowerPoint presentations or you last went to school in days that are now in history books. Whatever your field of study or your reasons for pursuing it, lifelong learning is a challenging-yet-rewarding pursuit that builds valuable skills and keeps minds sharp. Veteran-friendly online colleges provide more opportunities than ever before to learn at just the right level for you. Are you a veteran considering distance learning or are you already in an online program that you think would benefit others? Do you have any advice for a veteran that is thinking about online college?