Best Online Colleges in Utah
for 2023

Search Programs

Expand in page Navigation

Utah is a beautiful state. Its desert landscapes are second to none and everyone is impressed with Lake Tahoe and other beautiful places in the state. Utah also has a strong economy that supports its vibrant populace who can find work in the sector that suits them best. The diverse Utah economy is led by its real estate sector, professional & business services, manufacturing, financial sector, and social services including education and healthcare. The state is also reportedly focusing on developing a healthy technology industry that may someday rival Silicon Valley.

In fact, the information technology sector expanded its employment numbers by over 10% in the 12 months ending in March 2022. While technology reported the highest percentage growth to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the rest of the state's businesses are reporting employment growth in March 2022. For instance, construction added 6.2% more workers and the leisure & hospitality sector grew by more than 8%.

Whether workers are located in Salt Lake City, Logan, or Provo, they all need strong online degree programs to stay competitive.

utah_map_university

Search Programs

Online Higher Education in Utah

The cost of education is always a pressing issue for students and their families. The cost of online education in Utah varies according to whether the student is in a two-year community college environment or a full, four-year degree granting college or university. However, the average cost of tuition for Utah residents is just over $6,000. Once books, supplies, room, and board are tallied, Utah students pay under $20,000. Meanwhile, non-Utah residents see a total bill that averages just over $32,000.

One key variable in a student's overall expenses for a college education is their living expenses. While that expense is unavoidable, students can take measures to reduce their living expenses. With online education, students can attend a degree program in, say, Salt Lake City, but live in a rural, and far more affordable, town. In fact, it would appear that many Utah students are taking this approach.

A full 52% of Utah college students are enrolled in exclusive online degree programs. On top of that, 27% of Utah students take at least some of their courses online. This leaves a mere 21% of Utah college students who take their courses exclusively in a classroom. The numbers for online graduate students are even more dramatic. Over 77% of Utah's graduate students are enrolled in exclusively in online master's degree programs and only 9% take no online graduate degree courses at all.

Interestingly, Utah students have the option to earn their university degree from a program in another state that participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). This program allows students to attend out-of-state schools without incurring out-of-state tuition rates. Since the WUE includes online courses, Utah students can attend courses somewhere like UCLA and never have to pay rents at Los Angeles rates.

Our School Rankings Methodology

To arrive at our list of the best online degree programs in Utah, our research team needs to rely on the very best information possible. They use reliable, government sources to pull the educational data they need. That data includes metrics such as each online college's retention rate, graduation rate, net price, and even the salary outcomes of previous students.

The retention rate may be unfamiliar to some students. This is a measure of how many first-time, full-time students return to a college or university for their second year. It's assumed that students who return have found a great value on that campus. This naturally correlates with the graduation rate. However, researchers also factor in the school's transfer out rate when considering the graduation rate. This is because transfer students are often well-prepared enough that they gain admission into more competitive online degree programs.

What are the Best Online Associate & Community College Programs in Utah?

Best Online Associates & Community Colleges In Utah badge
See Methodology Get Ranking Seal

Community colleges offer Utah students a terrific opportunity to earn an associate degree without having to rush to class or even move to a new city solely to take courses. Students often choose to take their associate degrees online, especially if they are thinking of later working toward a bachelor’s degree. This is because they can attend an online associate degree program from their hometown while working or taking care of a family. Later, they might choose to move to complete their four-year degree and thus won't have to move twice.

Students should always check to make sure their online associate degree program is fully accredited by a CHEA-approved regional accreditation agency.

Utah Valley University
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
40,936		 Graduation Rate
32%		 Net Price
$8,184		 Grads Salary
$43,800
Snow College
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
5,800		 Graduation Rate
41%		 Net Price
$7,896		 Grads Salary
$37,400
Dixie State University
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
12,043		 Graduation Rate
35%		 Net Price
$13,542		 Grads Salary
$40,900

What are the Best Online Universities & College Programs in Utah?

Best Online Colleges In Utah
See Methodology Get Ranking Seal

The best online college degree programs in Utah have a few things in common. They all tend to have a high retention rate, which may correlate with a high graduation rate. They also hold at least regional accreditation from a CHEA-approved accrediting agency. It should be noted that not all students will follow our rankings when finding the best online bachelor’s degree program for them.

However, our rankings are intended to be an objective accounting of each college's online degree programs. Students may have their own criteria such as the focus of their intended degree program, the presence of certain faculty members, or even the association with a popular sports team. Also, online degree programs are not all structured the same. Some, for instance, offer asynchronous courses, while others don't. This is a vital factor to consider if scheduling is an issue.

University of Utah
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
33,081		 Graduation Rate
67%		 Net Price
$12,881		 Grads Salary
$76,000
Western Governors University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Student Population
147,866		 Graduation Rate
47%		 Net Price
$8,786		 Grads Salary
$75,000
Utah State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
27,691		 Graduation Rate
50%		 Net Price
$13,530		 Grads Salary
$71,000
Weber State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
29,596		 Graduation Rate
36%		 Net Price
$11,767		 Grads Salary
$73,000
Southern Utah University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Student Population
12,582		 Graduation Rate
46%		 Net Price
$13,432		 Grads Salary
$62,000
Utah Valley University
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
40,936		 Graduation Rate
32%		 Net Price
$8,184		 Grads Salary
$63,000
Dixie State University
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Student Population
12,043		 Graduation Rate
35%		 Net Price
$13,542		 Grads Salary
$57,000

Search Programs

✖