Cheapest Online Courses/Colleges List (16+)

[ajaxwinter]

First time poster, long time lurker!

I was searching online for the cheapest UL online courses provided and created this list. Hope it will help. Would love some additions to the list, add below and I will TRY to add.

Takeaways:
-3 Formats of list: .xls (older), link to spreadsheet (most up to date), text format below (just in case, but messy AND current)
-Organized by price
-AVG Per Credit Price $117.67
-Public Spreadsheet here (no download, just click & look) : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?...wQUE#gid=0
-Has 26 colleges (looking for more)
-Not only for upper levels (but ideal for hard to find upper level courses)

School Online/Correspondance Cost (per credit hour) Self Paced Link to Online Details Notes
1 CA online community colleges Online $47.00 Varies http://www.cvc.edu/students/courses/ CA resident price
2 Patten University Online $59.00 YES http://patten.edu/patten-online/how-onli...rses-work/ $350 per month; cost per credit hour estimated at 2 classes (3 credits *2 = 6 credits)
3 New Mexico Junior College Online $62.00 ? http://www.nmjc.edu/tuitionandfees/ $35.00 in state
4 Penn Foster Online $79.00 YES http://www.pennfoster.edu/college nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA); some ACE CREDIT
5 University of Idaho Independent Study Online & Correspondance $110.00 ? http://www.uidaho.edu/academicaffairs/is...ourse-fees UPPER LEVEL TESC FRIENDLY
6 University of Arkansas Independent Study Online $110.00 ? http://globalcampus.uark.edu/Distance_Ed...ition.html UPPER LEVEL TESC FRIENDLY
7 Shoreline Virtual College Online $117.46 ? http://www.shoreline.edu/virtual-college/default.aspx
8 Western Governors University Online $121.00 ? http://www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/overview $2,890/Six-Month, unlimited classes. 12 cred = $240; 24 cred = $121
9 Salem Community College Online & Correspondance $125.00 NO http://www.salemcc.edu/prospective-stude...ne-courses maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
10 Atlantic Cape Community College Online $133.50 ? http://www.atlantic.edu/admission/tuitionFees.htm maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
11 Passaic County Community College Online $137.00 NO http://www.pccc.edu/prospective/paying-f...--payments maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
12 Eastern Oregon University Online $138.00 ? http://www.eou.edu/online/benefits/
13 Foothill College Online $144.00 NO http://www.foothill.edu/fga/ $47 for CA residents
14 Ivy Tech Community College Online $149.50 YES http://www.ivytech.edu/ohio/howitworks.html
15 California Coast University Online $150.00 ? http://www.calcoast.edu/tuition-fees-and...plans.html PER UNIT COST; nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA)
16 Colorado State University Online $150.00 YES http://coned.colostate-pueblo.edu/Indepe...fault.aspx UPPER LEVEL TESC FRIENDLY
17 Bringham Young University Online & Correspondance $168.00 YES http://ce.byu.edu/home/ http://is.byu.edu/site/about/coursetypes/index.cfm; UPPER LEVEL TESC FRIENDLY
18 Fort Hays State University Online $182.00 ? http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/admissions/tuition/
19 LSU Continuing Education Online & Correspondance $182.00 YES http://www.outreach.lsu.edu/cms/Extended...grams.aspx https://is.lsu.edu/CurrentIDLfees.asp?nid=401; UPPER LEVEL FRIENDLY
20 Macon State College + 9 (GA) schools Online $189.00 ? http://www.mga.edu/bursar/tuition-and-fees.aspx & https://ecore.usg.edu $129 - $189 for online courses
21 Columbia Southern University Online $200.00 ? http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/Financial nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA)
22 Rio Salado College Online $215.00 ? http://www.riosalado.edu/cashier/Pages/Tuition.aspx $81 for AZ residents; http://partnership.excelsior.edu/maricopacc
23 Chardron State College Online & Correspondance $220.00 ? http://www.csc.edu/businessoffice/flatrate.csc
24 Weber State University Online $220.00 YES http://departments.weber.edu/ce/distance...tions.aspx
25 Ohio State University Online & Correspondance $243.00 ? http://www.ohio.edu/ecampus/ UPPER LEVEL TESC FRIENDLY
26 Illinois Central College Online $285.00 ? http://www.icc.edu/virtualCampus/ $115 in state
AVG Per Credit Price $117.67
PRICES AS OF NOV 12, 2013
*WILL BE ADDING MORE COMMUNITY COLLGES TO MATCH CHARTER OAK & EXCELSIOR
ALL OUT OF STATE TUITION WHERE APPLICABLE
TESC articulation agreements = http://www.tesc.edu/academics/catalog/Tr...Credit.cfm
nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA) (YOU WANT RA FOR EASIER TRANSFER)
UPPER LEVEL TESC, EC FRIENDLY

[Jonathan Whatley]

Note that

• Penn Foster College is nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA). PF courses will only transfer to TESC and COSC if they also hold credit recommendations from ACE CREDIT current at the time credit is earned. Some PFC courses do, some don't. I believe EC has a procedure where students can request acceptance of up to 30 sh of NA credit, subject to EC's discretion. Opportunities to transfer NA credit to other RA schools is also limited.

• California Coast University is NA, not RA, and I don't believe they have any ACE CREDIT or other similar approvals.

• Columbia Southern University is NA, not RA, and I don't believe they have any ACE CREDIT or other similar approvals. Columbia Southern is currently applying for RA, a long process with approval uncertain even for a good NA school.

[ajaxwinter]

Wow, thanks so much. I will add these notes to the list.

Note that

• Penn Foster College is nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA). PF courses will only transfer to TESC and COSC if they also hold credit recommendations from ACE CREDIT current at the time credit is earned. Some PFC courses do, some don't. I believe EC has a procedure where students can request acceptance of up to 30 sh of NA credit, subject to EC's discretion. Opportunities to transfer NA credit to other RA schools is also limited.

• California Coast University is NA, not RA, and I don't believe they have any ACE CREDIT or other similar approvals.

• Columbia Southern University is NA, not RA, and I don't believe they have any ACE CREDIT or other similar approvals. Columbia Southern is currently applying for RA, a long process with approval uncertain even for a good NA school.

[rebel100]

In addition to being Regionally Accredited, all of the following are essentially start anytime, finish as fast as you like (there may be some minimal time before you can get the grade; 6 weeks for UofI and UofA I think and as much as 12 weeks for CSU-P, but you can be finished quicker than that). CSU-P even has a degree completion program that can be mostly done via online self paced courses Undergraduate Degree Program > Division of Continuing Education > Colorado State University-Pueblo

For individual cheap courses:
University of Idaho Independent Study: Course Fees-Independent Study in Idaho-University of Idaho ($110/Credit)
University of Arkansas Independent Study: Independent Study - Tuition & Fees ($105.25/credit)
Colorado State University - Pueblo: English > Division of Continuing Education > Colorado State University-Pueblo ($150ish/credit)
Brigham Young University: University Online Course Catalog - BYU Independent Study ($168ish/credit)

I like that all 4 of these have plenty of UL credit available. I took 15 UL and 3 LL credits at CSU-Pueblo.

[Daithi]

Also, TESC no longer awards UL credit earned at community colleges. I don't know the policies at COSC and EC, but this greatly reduces the list in terms of UL credit.

[rebel100]

Among cheap CC's one should definitely take a look at New Mexico. The State CC's there often max out tuition at 12 credit....so anything over that you don't pay tuition just the fee's. Somewhere on the site there is a post of someone who managed 12 credits in the first half of the semester (8 weeks) then 12 more in the 2nd half...the per credit was something ridiculous like $35/credit. 12 credits will only run about $100/credit at NMJC Tuition and Fees - New Mexico Junior College

Also take a look at Clovis CC and Luna....especially if your in state.

[Getiton1]

Thanks so much for this list!

First time poster, long time lurker!

I was searching online for the cheapest UL online courses provided and created this list. Hope it will help. Would love some additions to the list, add below and I will TRY to add.

Takeaways:
-3 Formats of list: Attached as .xls, link to spreadsheet, included in text format below (just in case, but messy)
-Public Spreadsheet here (no download, just click & look) : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?...wQUE#gid=0
-Has 16 colleges (looking for more)
-Not only for upper levels (but ideal for hard to find upper level courses)

School Online/Correspondance Cost (per credit hour) Self Paced Link to Online Details Notes
1 CA online community colleges Online $47.00 Varies California Virtual Campus » Students » CVC Course Catalog CA resident price
2 Penn Foster Online $79.00 YES Penn Foster College Online College Degree & Certificates | Penn Foster nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA); some ACE CREDIT
3 Shoreline Virtual College Online $117.46 ? Online Learning
4 Western Governors University Online $121.00 ? WGU Tuition and Financial Aid | Federal Financial Aid | Grants for College | Western Governors University Online $2,890/Six-Month, unlimited classes. 12 cred = $240; 24 cred = $121
5 Salem Community College Online & Correspondance $125.00 NO Salem Community College maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
6 Atlantic Cape Community College Online $133.50 ? Tuition & Fees - Atlantic Cape maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
7 Passaic County Community College Online $137.00 NO Passaic County Community College maintains specialized articulation agreement (TESC guaranteed accept classes)
8 Eastern Oregon University Online $138.00 ? Benefits | Online
9 Foothill College Online $144.00 NO Foothill Global Access $47 for CA residents
10 Ivy Tech Community College Online $149.50 YES How It Works | Ivy Tech Online Ohio
11 California Coast University Online $150.00 ? Tuition and Payment Plans | Online Degree Programs - California Coast University PER UNIT COST; nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA)
12 Bringham Young University Online & Correspondance $168.00 YES Continuing Education Online Education - Types of Courses | BYU Independent Study
13 Fort Hays State University Online $182.00 ? Tuition and Fees - Fort Hays State University
14 LSU Continuing Education Online & Correspondance $182.00 YES http://www.outreach.lsu.edu/cms/Extended...grams.aspx https://is.lsu.edu/CurrentIDLfees.asp?nid=401
15 Macon State College + 9 (GA) schools Online $189.00 ? MGSC: Tuition Rate & https://ecore.usg.edu $129 - $189 for online courses
16 Columbia Southern University Online $200.00 ? Tuition & Financing - Columbia Southern University nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA)
17 Rio Salado College Online $215.00 ? Cashier | Rio Salado College $81 for AZ residents; Excelsior College
18 Chardron State College Online & Correspondance $220.00 ? Chadron State College / Online & Correspondence Course Costs - Business Office - Chadron State College
19 Weber State University Online $220.00 YES Weber State University Distance Learning
20 Ohio State University Online & Correspondance $243.00 ? eCampus
21 Illinois Central College Online $285.00 ? Virtual Campus :: ICC $115 in state
AVG Per Credit Price $145.73
PRICES AS OF NOV 12, 2013
*WILL BE ADDING MORE COMMUNITY COLLGES TO MATCH CHARTER OAK & EXCELSIOR
ALL OUT OF STATE TUITION WHERE APPLICABLE
TESC articulation agreements = Transfer Credit
nationally accredited (NA), not regionally accredited (RA) (YOU WANT RA FOR EASIER TRANSFER)

[sanantone]

Also, TESC no longer awards UL credit earned at community colleges. I don't know the policies at COSC and EC, but this greatly reduces the list in terms of UL credit.

EC and COSC don't grant UL credit for CC courses.

I have two to add to the list: Peru State College ($220 per credit hour) and Columbia College ($245 per credit hour). These aren't as cheap as some of the CC and IS courses, but they are cheap places to earn degrees online.

[sanantone]

Patten University: $1316 per 4 months. $1316/12=$109.67.

[andrewtn]

Some inexpensive out of state tuition community colleges can be found here:

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...-up-3.html