Veterans who are returning to school after a military career may be interested in pursuing a degree online, as it provides them with increased flexibility and the possibility of being able to work while studying. There are many factors veterans may want to take into consideration when choosing an online degree program, like whether they qualify for special tuition rates or scholarships and what types of degrees are available online. Below, we will look at five of the top colleges for veterans looking for online degree programs.
School Comparison
| School Name | Institution Type | Location | In-state Tuition (2021-2022)* | Tuition Assistance/Military Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma | 4-year, public | Norman, OK | $9,312 | Bachelor's and master's degrees, some 100% online, ability to qualify for in-state tuition |
| Western Kentucky University | 4-year, public | Bowling Green, KY | $11,112 | Military scholarships, online programs from associate's to master's, in-state tuition |
| Oregon State University | 4-year, public | Corvallis, OR | $12,664 | Ecampus, low online tuition rates, bachelor's and master's degrees |
| Pennsylvania State University | 4-year, public | University Park, PA | $19,835 | World Campus, application fee waiver, military credit transfer, World Campus scholarships |
| Colorado State University | 4-year, public | Greenwood Village, CO | $8,400 | Global Campus, bachelor's and master's degree specializations, 10% tuition discount for veterans |
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics
School Highlights
The schools below all offer online degrees, though they differ from each other in tuition rates, degree offerings, and veteran benefits. Some schools have a designated online campus that charges tuition rates independent of their brick-and-mortar affiliate school, and we will look at each school in closer detail below.
University of Oklahoma
Named by U.S. News & World Report as the ninth-best school for online bachelor's degrees for veterans (2023), the University of Oklahoma offers a number of entirely online degrees designed for military personnel, veterans, and adults who are simultaneously working. This school offers an online B.S. in Criminal Justice, as well as an online B.A. in Administrative Leadership, which are two degrees that may be particularly interesting to veterans. For veterans who have already completed an undergraduate degree, OU also offers online master's degrees in areas like Criminal Justice, International Relations, Social Work, Communications, and Prevention Science just to name a few. Veterans who were stationed in Oklahoma are able to qualify for in-state tuition rates, even after discharge or release, as long as they establish a domicile in the state.
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University has created over 90 online degree programs, ranging from associate's degrees and undergraduate certificates to master's degree programs, all of which can be completed entirely online. Veterans may be interested in the online bachelor's programs in Criminology, Technology Management, and Manufacturing Engineering Technology, depending on their skillset and what job they did while in the military. The school also offers a number of military and veteran specific scholarship awards to help make tuition more affordable, and veterans at WKU also qualify for in-state tuition rates. U.S. News & World Report ranks WKU as thirty-fourth in the country for online bachelor's programs for veterans (2023).
Oregon State University
Via Ecampus at Oregon State University, veterans have access to over 45 online programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Ranked number eleventh on U.S. News & World Report's 2023 list of best online colleges for veterans, the school offers a wide variety of online degrees in fields like Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Foreign Languages, Rangeland Sciences, and Political Science. Students who are enrolled in online programs through the Ecampus pay a special tuition rate that is just over the in-state tuition rate, but around half the price of the out-of-state tuition rate. This is good news for military veterans, as they can move from state-to-state or even internationally and still benefit from the same lower tuition rate.
Pennsylvania State University
Through Pennsylvania State University's World Campus, students have access to over 125 online degree and certificate programs that cover a wide variety of majors and fields. Veterans and military members can apply to the school for free, thanks to a veteran application fee waiver. Penn State accepts military experience as college credit, allowing veterans to complete their degrees as quickly as possible. In addition to the federal aid program, veterans can also apply for World Campus Scholarships, which are designed to help students enrolled in World Campus degree programs afford their tuition. U.S. News & World Report ranks Penn State number fifteen of the best online colleges for veterans in 2023.
Colorado State University
Colorado State University offers a special online tuition rate for students who enroll in their degree programs through the Global Campus. CSU offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs that students can complete entirely online. It also offers students the option of choosing further specializations within their degree programs. Veterans who enroll in the Global Campus at CSU automatically qualify for a 10% tuition discount, as long as they were honorably discharged. CSU is tied for sixteenth on U.S. News & World Report's list of top online schools for veterans in 2023.
