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Smallest Online Colleges

Have a specific major in mind and looking for the perfect online college to pursue it? Find the best smallest online college to suit your desired field of study.

Which are the Smallest Online Colleges?

Online learning is an option for any academic program, but if you already have one you’re committed to, choosing a smaller online college may allow for a personalized one-on-one experience with other students, professors, and faculty members. See our list of the top smallest online universities in the United States!

Rank School Name City State Net Cost School Level Retention Rate # of Students
1

Sanford-Brown College-West Allis

West Allis

WI

N/A

2 year

N/A

14

2

West Coast University-Miami

Doral

FL

N/A

4 year

N/A

15

3

UnityPoint Health-Des Moines School of Radiologic Technology

Des Moines

IA

N/A

2 year

N/A

17

4

Daymar College-Louisville

Louisville

KY

N/A

4 year

N/A

18

5

W L Bonner College

Columbia

SC

N/A

4 year

N/A

21

6

Faris Technical Institute Inc

Nederland

TX

N/A

Vocational

100%

28

7

University of Phoenix-Connecticut

Norwalk

CT

N/A

4 year

N/A

29

8

Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Pittsburgh

PA

N/A

4 year

N/A

30

9

Mid-South Christian College

Memphis

TN

N/A

4 year

100%

30

10

Interactive College of Technology

Houston

TX

N/A

2 year

70%

31

11

Avi Career Training

Great Falls

VA

N/A

Vocational

88.24%

32

12

Sanford-Brown College-Collinsville

Collinsville

IL

N/A

2 year

N/A

32

13

Lakewood School of Therapeutic Massage

Port Huron

MI

N/A

Vocational

N/A

33

14

California Christian College

Fresno

CA

N/A

4 year

50%

33

15

Interactive College of Technology

Pasadena

TX

N/A

2 year

50%

34

16

Gooding Institute of Nurse Anesthesia

Panama City

FL

N/A

4 year

N/A

35

17

Interactive College of Technology-Morrow

Morrow

GA

N/A

2 year

71.43%

37

18

Interactive College of Technology-Newport

Newport

KY

N/A

2 year

64.29%

40

19

Family of Faith College

Shawnee

OK

N/A

4 year

50%

40

20

Summit Christian College

Gering

NE

N/A

4 year

100%

42

21

Graduate School USA

Washington

DC

N/A

2 year

N/A

43

22

Interactive College of Technology

Houston

TX

N/A

2 year

66.67%

45

23

Court Reporting Institute of Louisiana

Baton Rouge

LA

N/A

2 year

N/A

45

24

Alaska Bible College

Palmer

AK

$

4 year

33.33%

46

25

Christian Life College

Mount Prospect

IL

N/A

4 year

50%

46

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Advantages of Smallest Online Colleges

So you’ve made up your mind: you want to study online. Still trying to decide between going with a big or small college? Here are some advantages associated with the smallest online colleges.

  • Attending a small college is great for a student who already knows what they want to study during college, and do after they graduate. Coursework may be limited, but ample enough for someone who is already committed to a major. For example, if you are certain you want to study biology, you can focus your time on finding the perfect small college that offers strong curriculum on that subject and go from there!
  • Smaller colleges generally have more leeway. Have a major in mind that isn’t exactly on the “list of majors” at your favorite college? It may be worth consulting an academic advisor to see if it’s possible to develop a program designed for you!
  • Teachers and faculty actually care about you, your thoughts, and your contributions! Have a great idea? Want your voice heard? At a small college, all are possibilities!
  • Smaller universities come with a smaller student body, which means you’ll most likely get to know the students pretty well, or at least recognize their names. This is true even online, because if you take several courses online from the same college, you’ll probably run into the same people in another class. This will make connecting and networking with students a lot easier, in the virtual classroom and in person.

What Colleges Offer Online Education?

  • Community College
    • This route is ideal for those who are looking to take a class or two for personal enrichment or to work toward a 2-year Associate degree.
    • Classes are generally more affordable and not as difficult as equivalent classes offered at a 4-year university.
  • Public 4-Year University
    • This route is ideal for students who are looking to pursue and earn a 4-year Bachelor degree, or even a professional/Doctorate degree.
    • Basic classes are available for new college students, in addition to the more specialized and “upper-division” courses for students at every learning stage.
    • Classes are more costly than the ones offered at community colleges, but often offer more substance and challenge to students.
  • Private 4-Year University
    • This route is ideal for students looking for personal attention in the classroom and a more one-on-one learning experience with professors.
    • Lesson plans often revolve around faith or focus, especially in colleges with religious affiliations.
    • World-class curriculum at the basic and professional levels are available for students online at prestigious universities such as Harvard and MIT, to name a couple.
    • Specialized classes are available for those who are looking to further their education in a specific field.