Online education is a great alternative for people that have to split their time between classes and other responsibilities, such as full-time employment or raising kids. Accredited online colleges in Wisconsin offer the flexibility of incorporating your studies into your daily life in a way that suits you best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, online degrees from virtual schools in Wisconsin are as respected as traditional degrees. Choosing to get your degree online is the first step of career development. In this article, we\u2019ve gathered everything you should know about the best online colleges in Wisconsin and the programs they offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accreditations recognize a college\u2019s credibility and quality of education. In order to gain accreditation, schools have to go through an assessment process in order to prove the quality of their academic programs and administration. Virtual schools in Wisconsin can get two types of accreditation: regional and national.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regionally accredited online colleges in Wisconsin have the approval of one of six designated regional agencies, such as the Higher Learning Commission. Typically, these schools have higher educational quality, since the standards of regional accreditation agencies are more rigorous. However, they also tend to have higher tuition rates than nationally accredited schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
National accreditation agencies compare and review institutions such as vocational, technical, and trade schools. Virtual schools in Wisconsin with this type of accreditation tend to be cheaper and have less strict admission requirements than regionally accredited schools. However, transfers are more difficult, as credits are not transferable to regionally accredited institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accreditation is important for college because it ensures the academic quality of a university and its distance education programs. Accredited schools have proven their students have positive outcomes, such as high graduation rates. Moreover, attending an accredited online school will ensure that your degree will be recognized and valued by employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can find out whether an online college in Wisconsin is accredited by consulting the US Department of Education\u2019s database, consulting the accrediting agency\u2019s website, or visiting the school\u2019s website. Another option is visiting the College Navigator on the National Center for Education Statistics website and typing the name of the school in the browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The US Department of Education\u2019s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs is a great way of finding out whether an online college in Wisconsin is accredited. All you have to do is type in the name of the school in the browser, and click on it. Then, you\u2019ll be able to see the school profile and its accreditation status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits degree-granting universities in the North Central region. You can find out whether an online college in Wisconsin is accredited by this agency by visiting HLC\u2019s online directory<\/a> and typing the name of the school in the browser. You can also select the state of Wisconsin to narrow down the school search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can learn about a school\u2019s accreditation status on its official website. Many college websites have a visible section titled Accreditation. You can also find this information by searching Accreditation on the site\u2019s search function. Look for the name of the accrediting agency, as well as the date of the accreditation or the reaffirmation of accreditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVisit the School\u2019s Official Website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Top 10 Accredited Online Colleges in Wisconsin: Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
| Ranking<\/th>\n | Online College<\/th>\n | Accreditation<\/th>\n | Graduation Rate<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1<\/td>\n | University of Wisconsin-Madison<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 87%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 2<\/td>\n | Marquette University<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 81%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 3<\/td>\n | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 70%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 4<\/td>\n | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 65%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 5<\/td>\n | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 64%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 6<\/td>\n | Viterbo University<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 61%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 7<\/td>\n | Herzing University<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 54%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 8<\/td>\n | Concordia University – Wisconsin <\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 53%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 9<\/td>\n | Lakeland University<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 50%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n |
| 10<\/td>\n | Maranatha Baptist University<\/td>\n | Higher Learning Commission (regional)<\/td>\n | 50%<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n How We Ranked the Best Accredited Online Colleges in Wisconsin<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWe ranked the best accredited online colleges in Wisconsin by looking at the graduation rates of various institutions that offer fully online degree programs. The information in the table above comes from the schools\u2019 official websites, the US Department of Education\u2019s database of accredited schools, and the US Department of Education\u2019s College Scorecard tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Accredited Online Colleges in Wisconsin: Deep Dive<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSome of the best accredited online colleges in Wisconsin are parts of the University of Wisconsin (UW) system, such as UW-Madison, UW-LaCrosse, UW-Whitewater, and UW-Eau Claire. Other accredited schools that also offer distance learning programs are Marquette University, Herzing University, Concordia University, and Lakeland University.<\/p>\n\n\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n |