Are you searching for online statistics courses for college credit? Perhaps you’re a student looking for an accredited institution with high-value instructors who will prepare you with the necessary statistics and data skills for your professional development. If you’re someone who cannot maintain a mandatory in-person classroom schedule, whether due to personal or professional responsibilities, look no further than online courses. Online statistics courses allow you to study at any time of day, providing maximum flexibility to fit any schedule.
There are a myriad of online courses available to you—including some that feature affordable tuition pricing and some that are completely free to enroll in. We’ve put together a list of online college statistics courses for credit, as well as some free online statistics courses, for you to explore for a future career in data science or statistics.
Why Should I Take an Online Statistics Course for College Credit?
Taking an online statistics course for college credit can be a more convenient way to earn college credits to satisfy degree requirements if you have a busy schedule. Online statistics courses often allow students to complete coursework at their own pace, making it easier to fit studies into a busy schedule. Moreover, these courses can help you enhance your skills and acquire the necessary knowledge for your career development.
Prospective students should review all available course information, such as tuition, technology requirements, and credit policies, before enrolling to ensure the course meets their needs.
Online Statistics Courses for College Credit
| Course Title | Provider |
| STAA 551 – Regression Models and Applications | Colorado State University |
| ILRST 2100 Introductory Statistics and Data Science | Cornell |
| Statistics (MAT-261E) | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
| STAT 1201: Introduction to Probability and Statistics | Thompson Rivers University |
| CSE-41264 – Statistics for Data Analytics | UC San Diego Extension |
| MATH 1050: Applied Statistics | University of New England |
| Principles of Data Structures, Harvesting and Wrangling | University of North Texas |
| Statistics 1 | University Of Phoenix |
1. STAA 551 – Regression Models and Applications (Colorado State University)
Also known as CSU, Colorado State University’s catalog of courses includes more than 350 academic programs across several colleges.1 This course is part of the Theory and Applications of Regression Models certificate program.2,3 It focuses on hypothesis testing, linear models, and multiple regression.
The two credits earned in this course can contribute toward acquiring a college degree in applied statistics, biomedical engineering, and applications of regression models graduate certificate. However, in order to access the program, you must fulfill certain prerequisites and be admitted to the Master of Applied Statistics program or the Theory and Applications of Regression Models course.
2. ILRST 2100 Introductory Statistics (Cornell)
Cornell University is a large private school, offering a course that introduces students to statistics and the world of data science. This course is structured into individual lessons, each focusing on key statistical concepts, and covers data exploration, data gathering methods, probabilities, and provides a foundation in both descriptive and inferential statistics.4
Throughout this program, you’ll learn how to use statistical software and simulation tools. Although this course does not cover data from specific disciplines, it will use real-world examples from current events to provide you with essential knowledge and hands-on projects from the world of statistics.
3. Statistics MAT-261E (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)
Simply known as MCPHS, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private, not-for-profit institution known for its array of healthcare programs. MCPHS offers a 16-week statistics program where you can begin learning within two business days of enrolling.5
This three-credit program does not have specific class meeting times or deadlines, as it is a self-paced course. After enrolling, you’ll learn various statistics topics such as means, variance, sampling, linear regression, normal distribution, regression analysis, regression models, estimation of parameters, and hypothesis testing.
4. STAT 1201: Introduction to Probability and Statistics (Thompson Rivers University)
This is an excellent course for beginners who want to start their academic career in statistics. As a student, you’ll learn probabilities, interval estimation, inference for relationships, how to gather data using random sampling, and the relationship between variables. You will also learn how to apply statistical methods to real-world data. By the end of this three-credit program, you’ll have learned how to use statistical software programs.6
5. CSE-41264 – Statistics for Data Analytics (UC San Diego Extension)
UC San Diego offers this three-credit course designed for learners with no prior knowledge of statistics or data.7 The topics covered here include descriptive statistics, probability distributions, two-variable relationships, categorical data, and confidence intervals.
6. MATH 1050: Applied Statistics (University of New England)
The University of New England is known for its excellent education programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in healthcare and science. The University of New England offers this course that doesn’t impose any prerequisites.8
This four-credit statistics program is designed to cover the relevant content in traditional statistics, with a strong emphasis on applications. Considered an upper-level undergraduate course, you’ll learn data sets, descriptive statistics, normal distribution, confidence intervals, and methods of hypothesis testing, among other topics.
7. Principles of Data Structures, Harvesting, and Wrangling (University of North Texas)
The University of North Texas (UNT) offers an undergraduate certificate in data analytics.9 In five classes and 15 credit hours, students can learn about Hadoop framework development, cloud technologies, data lakes, data cleansing, data collection, and Python API for Spark. By completing this three-credit course, students will have developed a deep understanding of the fundamental concepts and statistical methods of modern data management and how to structure data.
8. Statistics 1 (University of Phoenix)
The University of Phoenix offers a five-week, online introduction to statistics course.10 This three-credit program is designed for learners with no background in statistics as it has no prerequisites. As a student, you’ll learn statistical analysis, statistical terminology, statistical techniques, probabilities, and quantitative reasoning.
Free Online College Statistics Courses
- Statistical Inference and Modeling for High-throughput Experiments | Harvard University through edX. This free course will teach you a wide variety of statistical concepts, including multiple testing problems, false discovery rates, exploratory data sets, and error rate controlling procedures.11 This is an intermediate-level course.
- Probability & Statistics – Open & Free | Carnegie Mellon University. This introductory program will teach you the basics of statistics. It’s designed for students with no prior statistical knowledge.12 However, you’ll need to know basic algebra before enrolling.
- Introduction to Statistics | Stanford Online. Although this is a free course, you can purchase a certificate upon completion.13 Stanford designed this program for beginners as it introduces learners to descriptive statistics, probabilities, regression, correlation coefficients, and resampling stats.
- Introduction to Probability and Statistics | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). If you are looking for an elementary introductory course that covers probabilities and basic statistics, consider this one.14 MIT allows students to download course materials, including free practice questions, to help them test themselves after completing each topic and gain better familiarity with statistics.
Before enrolling in any of these free courses, check with your institution to confirm whether credits are transferable.
Are Online Statistics College Courses Worth It?
Depending on your career and educational goals, online statistics college courses can be worth it. An online college statistics course can provide you with a lot of benefits. One of the most significant advantages of distance education courses is the opportunity for independent study—learning according to your schedule and attending online classes from the comfort of your home.
One important consideration is the transferability of credits earned in these courses; whether your credits will be accepted depends on the discretion of the receiving institution.
Online College Statistics Courses FAQ
There are too many online courses that cover stats for there to be a “best one,” however, if you are new to the statistics field, you should consider Cornell University’s Introductory Statistics and Data Science program, as it sets a strong foundation in probabilities, statistical inference, and linear regression. Other excellent courses include MIT’s Introduction to Probability and Statistics and Stanford’s Introduction to Statistics.
You can learn statistics for free on sites like Coursera, edX, and select university websites. Universities like Stanford and MIT offer free online stats courses where you can learn online at your own pace. Coursera, Udacity, and edX also feature free programs from some of the top-rated universities around the world.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for a statistician was $104,350 in 2024.15 Plus, the BLS also estimates that the demand for these professionals will grow by eight percent over the next 10 years—through 2034.15
Learning statistics can be hard or easy, depending on where you’re starting on your stats journey. Although statistics uses concepts from math and algebra, it is not necessarily a hard discipline to learn. Once you master the processes involved in estimation and analysis, you may find statistical concepts relatively simple to understand.
Sources:
1 https://admissions.colostate.edu/academics/
2 https://online.colostate.edu/courses/STAA/STAA551.dot?Term=Spring%202025
4 https://sce.cornell.edu/courses/roster/ilrst-2100
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5 https://www.mcphs.edu/academics/prerequisite-courses/statistics
6 https://www.tru.ca/distance/courses/stat1201.html
7 https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/courses/statistics-for-data-analytics-cse-41264
9 https://dataanalytics.unt.edu/data-analytics-undergraduate-certificate.html
10 https://www.phoenix.edu/online-courses/mth217.html
12 https://oli.cmu.edu/courses/probability-statistics-open-free/
13 https://online.stanford.edu/courses/xfds110-introduction-statistics
14 https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/18-05-introduction-to-probability-and-statistics-spring-2022/15 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/mathematicians-and-statisticians.htm
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