Universities increasingly offer online course options, but many are still transitioning toward awarding degrees earned entirely online. Penn State is among the leading schools in offering degrees that can be completed online. Penn State's "World Campus" offers students an opportunity to pursue over 60 degrees from the comfort of their own home or any other location they choose. Penn State makes no distinction between its online degrees and its on-campus degrees, so students are assured that their degree will receive the same recognition by employers as it would for attending campus classes. A bachelor's degree from Penn State typically costs around $57,000, as of December 2009. East Carolina University also is among the online leaders. Geteducated.com rates ECU as the top online university for business at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The cost of ECU's program is more reasonable for students who are North Carolina residents. For resident students, the cost is $11,880, as of December 2009. But for non-resident students, the price jumps to $54,480. Both Penn State and ECU are regionally accredited universities. Regional accreditation is generally considered more important than national accreditation because of the higher standards imposed by the accrediting bodies.
Other regionally accredited schools like Oklahoma State University and the University of Wyoming also deserve mention because they are nationally recognized programs with a variety of online classes. Both schools have undergraduate and graduate degrees available and are consistently rated as "best buys" by geteducated.com because of their affordability, reputation and student satisfaction. Each school also has nationally recognized Master's in Business Administration programs.
Other universities have created online degree programs that are nationally or regionally accredited. Online Education Database rated Nova Southeastern University and Regent University near the top, as of December 2009, while the University of Phoenix was in the middle of the pack. Online Education Database rates schools according to acceptance rate, financial aid, graduation and retention rates. When these factors are considered, Nova Southeastern and Regent emerge as two of the leaders. However, geteducated.com has not rated either of these schools as particularly affordable when compared to others around the country. Both schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.