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For the increasing number of veterans and service members heading back to school, online education can seem like a great option.
Online learning gives adults the chance to earn a degree while balancing work and family commitments. And it allows veterans with physical or mental wounds the chance to do so while avoiding the challenges they might face at a brick-and-mortar campus.
[Explore the U.S. News Best Online Programs for Veterans rankings.]
Veterans who choose online classes will likely be able to connect with others who have military experience. In 2013-2014, for example, an average of 11.2 percent of the students in the 141 online bachelor’s programs that reported the data to U.S. News in an annual survey were either veterans or members of the military.
At the 10 online bachelor’s programs with the largest percentages of veterans and active-duty service members in 2013-2014, more than a quarter of the student body had military experience.
On the other end of the spectrum, 58 schools reported that 5 percent or less of the student body was made up of veterans or active-duty service members.
American Public University System, which operates two schools — American Military University and the American Public University — was the only for-profit institution among the top 10.
[Weigh the pros and cons of online education for veterans.]
The for-profit University of Phoenix, which has 213,944 online bachelor’s students — the largest program of all those that submitted data to U.S. News — didn’t crack the top 10. At the Arizona-based school, about 19 percent of students were either veterans or active-duty military.
Below are the 10 ranked online bachelor’s programs with the highest percentage of military veterans and active-duty service members enrolled in 2013-2014. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report. Cameron University was labeled RNP, or Rank Not Published, which means it fell in the bottom one-fourth of its ranking category. U.S. News calculates numerical ranks for RNP schools, but does not publish them.
| School name (state) | Total veterans and active-duty service members enrolled (2013-2014) | Percentage of veterans and active-duty service members (2013-2014) | U.S. News rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern College (KS) | 1,471 | 81.5% | 136 (tie) |
| Norwich University (VT) | 359 | 81% | 98 (tie) |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University–Worldwide (FL) | 10,185 | 73.7% | 5 (tie) |
| American Public University System (WV) | 45,461 | 73.5% | 27 (tie) |
| University of the Incarnate Word (TX) | 1,241 | 47.8% | 50 (tie) |
| Amridge University (AL) | 168 | 35.8% | 214 (tie) |
| United States Sports Academy (AL) | 111 | 34.9% | 131 (tie) |
| University of Wisconsin–Platteville | 237 | 32.4% | 50 (tie) |
| St. Leo University (FL) | 1,822 | 30.4% | 50 (tie) |
| Cameron University (OK) | 166 | 29.4% | RNP |
School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.
U.S. News surveyed 296 public, private and for-profit schools for our 2015 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings. Schools reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News’ data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of these survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. These data are specific to schools’ online bachelor’s degree program offerings and have no influence over U.S. News’ Best Colleges rankings assessing traditional bachelor’s programs. The demographic data above are correct as of May 26, 2015.
More from U.S. News
U.S. News Releases Best Online Programs for Veterans Rankings
Veterans Weigh Pros, Cons of Online Education
3 Ways to Connect With Fellow Veterans as an Online Student
10 Online Bachelor’s Programs With the Most Veterans originally appeared on usnews.com