Online colleges in Wyoming provide students with accessible classes, flexible scheduling, and affordable tuition. Wyoming follows national trends by embracing distance education and delivering relevant academic guidance and financial support to students. In Wyoming's 2016-2017 Digital Learning Plan, the state sets forth a five-year plan to promote the benefits of online higher education while minimizing its costs and time commitment. To achieve this, Wyoming prepares to offer more part-time courses and open classes that students can access at no charge through participating colleges and universities. The plan also calls for more collaboration among the state's institutions and specialized training for educators and school administrators so they can better support online student's goals.
While too early to fully determine the results of the state's five-year plan, Wyoming is already enjoying a steady increase in distance learner enrollment. According to the Digital Learning Compass 2015 report, 32% of students enrolled in online college courses in Wyoming, a 1% increase from the previous year. This guide provides prospective students with in-depth information on the condition of online education in Wyoming, including statistical evidence of individual and institutional successes. Learners also gain insight into tuition rates and career opportunities. The guide ends with a list of scholarships for online Wyoming students.
Recommended Reading
Overview of Online Colleges in Wyoming
A Brief Overview of Higher Education in Wyoming
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 population estimates, 579,315 people call Wyoming home, making it the least populated state, beating even Vermont and Alaska. Due to its small population, the Equality State houses only 10 degree-granting postsecondary institutions: nine nonprofit schools and one for-profit college, Wyoming Technical Institute. Of the nonprofit institutions, eight are public and one is private, Wyoming Catholic College. For-profit schools suffer a bad reputation, with many students falsely viewing them as money-making scams. In reality, both for-profit and non-profit institutions can offer a quality education, indicated by their accreditation status. For example, the nationally accredited Wyoming Technical Institute delivers affordable career training programs in areas such as automotive and diesel technology.[dataviz-stats public="10" non-profit="9" for-profit="1"]The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 33,365 students enrolled in Wyoming's degree-granting postsecondary institutions in 2016, the highest enrollment rate in the nation. At the same time, this student population reflects a slight decrease from the 2015 cohort, mimicking the national downward trajectory. By improving its distance education offerings and general infrastructure, the Wyoming government hopes to reverse this trend. As part of the aforementioned five-year plan, Wyoming facilitates online learning opportunities to high school students as a form of college preparation and a way to introduce young learners to this self-motivated learning form.Wyoming students enjoy remarkably low tuition rates. According to College Board, state residents pay an annual price of $3,240 for two-year schools and $5,400 for four-year universities. The University of Wyoming, the state's flagship school, offers an in-state tuition price of $5,400. Out-of-state students pay $17,490 per academic year, making it the second lowest tuition rate, trailing only South Dakota. Wyoming also supports students with generous need-based grants. Nearly 6,000 learners received awards totaling $16.3 million during the 2015-2016 academic year.
Higher Education in Wyoming
Featured Online Programs
The State of Online Higher Education in Wisconsin
According to the Digital Learning Compass survey, Wyoming supported over 34,200 college students in 2015. More than 4,100 students, 12%, took online classes exclusively. This group comprises 3,603 undergraduates and 527 graduate students. Of the exclusive distance learners, 3,603, or all the undergraduate students, reside in Wyoming, 513 live out of state, and 14 come from other countries. These numbers align with national trends. In general, undergraduate learners prioritize affordability and closeness to home, two factors that are closely intertwined. Graduate students, on the other hand, often seek academic programs based on professional interests and career prospects, worrying less about proximity.[dataviz-nces online="12" undergrad="87.8" in-state="87.8"]Students who mix online college courses in Wyoming with on-campus academics total 6,793, representing 20% of the total student population. These hybrid learners consist of 6,632 undergraduate and 161 graduate candidates. Hybrid education enables students to take advantage of online flexibility without sacrificing campus resources and services. Certain fields of study, like biology and anthropology, require students to complete laboratory work, field training, and other in-person experiences.For online students, Wyoming offers not only affordable tuition and financial aid, but also comprehensive academic tools, including WyCLASS. This website aggregates distance learning offerings from eight state schools, including the University of Wyoming, Northwest College, and Laramie County Community College. Students can search for, and enroll in, classes by keyword, college, term, department, and delivery method. WyCLASS provides information on learning management systems, course transfer, financial aid, and college testing services. Students also gain access to WYLDCAT, a database of articles and resources from Wyoming libraries.
Best Online Colleges in Wyoming
Below, you will find our rankings of the best online four-year programs in Wyoming. Our profiles look at how schools approach online education and then list out their services for distance students and their popular, fully online degrees. After reviewing the best online schools in Wyoming, explore our state resources, like a database of every college and university in Wyoming or our index of popular in-state scholarships.