As Utah grows in population, it also expands its higher education programs, particularly when it comes to distance education. Online colleges in Utah host a higher percentage of online students than the national average, with more out-of-state students than those living in state.
Utah's key industries remain technical in nature and require highly trained professionals. With that in mind, the state pushes for greater education funding in hopes of retaining Utah residents after high school, bringing new people to the state, and enrolling out-of-state students into online schools in Utah. This guide can give you an idea of what Utah offers when it comes to online education, including a ranking of the best online colleges in Utah, the state of higher education, scholarship opportunities, and job outlooks for some of the fastest growing career fields.
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Overview of Online Colleges in Utah
A Brief Overview of Higher Education in Utah
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2015-16 academic year, Utah hosted 36 degree-granting institutions: eight public universities, 11 nonprofit schools, and 17 for-profit institutions. In 2016, 311,500 students attended those schools, which was a 17.8% increase from 2011.[dataviz-stats public="8" non-profit="11" for-profit="17"]According to CollegeBoard, in the 2017-2018 academic year, the average cost of tuition and fees for a public, four-year school in Utah stood at $6,800, making it one of the cheapest states in which to study. In-state tuition for this same year at the University of Utah averaged $8,800, while out-of-state tuition averaged $28,100.According to the National Association of State Student Grant & Aid Programs, in the 2015-2016 academic year, Utah awarded $2.5 million in student aid though need-based grants and $10.8 million though non-need-based grants.
Higher Education in Utah
Featured Online Programs
The State of Online Higher Education in Utah
As online colleges in Utah grow, more students opt to take classes online every year. According to the Distance Education State Almanac, in 2015, 46.4% of students took online classes, with a total of 259,500 undergraduate students enrolled in all Utah institutions at that time. Of those, 116,500 took at least one course online, and 77,000 of them took all classes online. Out of the 34,000 graduate students at Utah schools in 2015, 19,600 of them took at least one online course, and 18,100 took all their classes online. Of all entirely online students, 80% lived in another state.[dataviz-nces online="14" undergrad="81.6" in-state="20"]These numbers do not mean much out of context, so how do they compare to the rest of the country? In 2015, 30% of college students enrolled in the U.S. took at least one class online. Only 14% of all students enrolled in classes exclusively online. This put Utah a little above the average for students taking online classes and almost twice the average for students taking all their classes online. Nationally, 55% of students studying entirely online attend schools in the state they live, but only 20% of Utah's distance learners do this.
Tuition Breaks for Out-of-State Students
Public universities generally charge higher tuition rates for nonresident students. This out-of-state tuition occurs mainly due to the fact that those students and their families have not contributed to taxes in that state. There are many options to help reduce the cost of studying in a different state. Many online colleges in Utah charge the same tuition rates to both resident and out-of-state students.One of those options is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), a program offered by the Western Interstate Commission For Higher Education (WICHE). The WUE allows students from a WICHE state or territory to attend any of over 160 universities in another WICHE state or territory at a nonresident tuition rate of 150% of the resident tuition rate. The average student taking advantage of WUE saves around $9,000.Utah is one of the 16 participants in WUE. Others include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, the United States Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States (including Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands), Washington, and Wyoming.
Best Online Colleges in Utah
Below, you can find our rankings of the best online four-year programs in Utah. Our profiles look at how schools approach online education and then list its services for distance students and its popular, fully online degrees. After reviewing the best online schools in Utah, explore our state resources, including a database of every college and university in Utah or our index of popular in-state scholarships.
Ranking Methodology
To determine the best online colleges in each state, we examined the factors most important to prospective students: Academic quality and reputation, online program strength, and cost and student aid. At the most basic level, we use the following formula to determine the best online colleges: Academic Quality + Online Offerings + Cost and Student Aid = Final Score. Of course, there's more to these calculations than meets the eye. Visit our methodology page to discover the data points that shape our formula and to learn more about the process we use to rank schools.
Most Affordable Online Colleges in Utah
Below, you'll find the best online colleges in Utah, sorted by affordability.
Affordability Methodology
Our list of the most affordable online schools in UT is based on in-state yearly tuition, or annual tuition rates if a school does not differentiate between in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition rates are based on a full course load each semester or term. All colleges on the list offer at least one bachelor's degree completion program available entirely online.Those institutions with the lowest tuition are ranked highest, providing prospective students with a true list of the most affordable online colleges in Utah.
College Graduate Outlook in Utah
Job Outlook for College Graduates in Utah
Utah's rapid population growth provides an opportunity for the best online colleges in Utah to cater to varying career fields. The unemployment rate in Utah stands at 3%, which is slightly lower than the national average of 4%. Utah's governor's office lists aerospace and defense, energy, financial services, lifespaces, software and IT, and outdoor products and recreation as targeted industries, meaning those promoted by the state. These industries can provide numerous opportunities for student internships within the state.The annual growth rate and projected jobs in 2026 come from national data. If the following careers do not appeal to you, you can find additional information through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).