Whether you're currently working in Indiana's motorsports or advanced manufacturing industries, or if you're looking to start a new career in a prevalent field like healthcare or IT, earning an online degree can help your career prospects. The skills you can learn from an online degree program can lead to more interesting responsibilities, increased job salaries and even better job security. Plus, online degree programs can allow you to take classes at times that fit with your schedule, helping you to advance your career even if you're already working or raising a family.
Let's take a look at what's available in terms of online colleges in Indiana:
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has two programs in place designed to help more Indiana residents earn higher education credentials. "Next Level Jobs" is a grant-funded certificate program that focuses on high-demand jobs in Indiana, such as manufacturing, information technology and transportation and logistics. There's also the "15 to Finish" program, which strives to raise college completion rates and help students reduce their degree costs.
To learn about the best online colleges in Indiana, look at best jobs in the state by metro area, and find out about state-specific scholarships and loans, we encourage you to keep reading.
Students trying to pick an online college often look to rankings to help them narrow down their options. To help students in their search, we have created multiple rankings of the best online colleges in Indiana. Every college in our rankings has been accredited by an approved accrediting agency, such as the Higher Learning Commission or the International Christian Accrediting Association. To learn more about accreditation, see our "What is College Accreditation?" page, or check out the Indiana Department of Education website. We rank schools using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS); learn why we think these factors are relevant to online students in the "What Makes a Good Online College?" section of our "About Us" page.
This ranking of the top 10 online colleges in Indiana is supplemented with hard data on each school, including the number of online programs offered, average in-state tuition and percentage of students participating in distance education. Factors like these were carefully selected to help students identify schools that create strong online environments.
The lists below highlight the most affordable online colleges in Indiana, divided into one list for 2-year schools and another for 4-year schools. Both lists use in-state tuition costs as reported by each school to IPEDS.
If you plan to attend a college or university in Indiana, you've got lots of Hoosier support on your side. As of 2016, Indiana ranks seventh in the country for the most need-based grant aid per full-time undergraduate student. Add to that the opportunities for scholarships and the state's Commission for Higher Education eStudent system, which simplifies the whole financial process, and you can see why so many students in Indiana are confident college-bounders.
To get your financial aid research started, we've compiled some of the available state scholarships and grants for students attending college in Indiana.
Indiana students who work hard in high school and plan to stay in-state for college put themselves at an advantage to earn a substantial scholarship toward college. Here are three programs that are helping to make Hoosier education dreams come true.
Don't miss our Ultimate Guide to Grants or Ultimate Guide to Scholarships for advice and strategies on finding these types of financial aid.
Finding a quality student loan program helps to make post-graduate payoff more manageable. Indiana's loan program is designed not only to help students pay for college, but also to help them maximize their financial aid.
Learn more about student loans in the Ultimate Guide to Student Loans.
As in many other states, Indiana public colleges and universities have different tuition rates for residents and non-residents. You must call the state home for 12 consecutive months to be considered a resident for tuition purposes. That means not only having a physical presence in the state but also registering to vote, paying taxes or holding a job, among other things.
If you fail to meet the Indiana criteria for residency, you could be charged higher out-of-state tuition rates. However, don't let that deter you from applying to the school of your dreams. You may be able to get reduced or in-state tuition by:
Ten states participate in the Midwest Student Exchange Program, which provides reduced tuition rates for eligible out-of-state students. There may also be scholarships and grants available from specific institutions, and some schools may waive out-of-state tuition for college employees, active military members and others.
Talk to your admissions or financial aid office about options available to non-resident students, and visit the following links for further information on the subject.
| Employment | Employment Growth | Median High School Salary | Median Bachelor's Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,179,230 | 7.6% | $31,381 | $49,599 |
*Industry rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
| Top Industries | Employment | Projected Growth | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum and coal products manufacturing | 1,213,570 | 8% | $58,406 |
| Pipeline transportation | 857,600 | 9% | $64,674 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 2,143,960 | 10% | $58,675 |
| Chemical manufacturing | 1,683,810 | 7% | $56,616 |
| Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing | 1,385,840 | 6% | $55,133 |
| Oil and gas extraction | 1,245,760 | 8% | $61,025 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 2,332,030 | 10% | $57,131 |
| Support activities for mining | 1,275,410 | 7% | $57,024 |
| Paper manufacturing | 1,313,490 | 6% | $54,862 |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | 1,578,740 | 6% | $55,373 |
The healthcare business is booming in Indiana -- so much so that the state is having a difficult time keeping up with the demand. For example, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Health Workforce, by 2030 the state may need an additional 7,000 nurses in order to meet the demand for these professionals in various healthcare settings. And nurses are not the only ones that are affected by the increased demand for healthcare professionals: WTHR-TV Channel 13 in Indianapolis reports that by 2030, the state may also require an additional 813 primary care physicians to meet the anticipated need.
Another key industry that is thriving in Indiana is the information technology sector, which is growing around the state, thanks to several startups opening there. Electrical equipment, appliances, components, computers and other electronic products are all increasing in demand as Indiana's new businesses pick up steam.
This is an exciting time for many industries in Indiana. However, in order for workers to reap the benefits, they need the necessary training. According to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020, 62 percent of jobs in the state are likely to require a higher education. In order to reach this goal, Indiana has developed grants designed to help businesses enhance the training and skills of their workers.
Continue reading to find out more information about the best careers in Indiana by looking at specific metropolitan areas around the state.
The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson area is home to several major companies in the manufacturing and logistics sectors. For example, companies like Allison Transmission, Celadon, Raytheon, FedEx and Express Scripts have a presence in the area, creating a steady need for general and operations managers, as well as sales representatives and related careers.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | Master's degree | $106,750 | 2,070 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | Bachelor's degree | $104,940 | 3,440 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | Bachelor's degree | $123,330 | 2,310 |
| Computer Network Architects | Bachelor's degree | $101,810 | 1,920 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $122,500 | 20,240 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
Fort Wayne is the home to several major medical facilities where nurse practitioners and medical and health managers can look for employment. Some of these organizations include Parkview Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation, the Lutheran Health Network and VA Northern Indiana Health Care System. In addition, those in the engineering field may find opportunities at several large Fort Wayne employers, such as Raytheon, Harris Corp., BFGoodrich and Indiana Michigan Power.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | Master's degree | $102,540 | 530 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | Bachelor's degree | $104,080 | 720 |
| Industrial Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $80,600 | 820 |
| Mechanical Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $86,460 | 790 |
| Electrical Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $94,020 | 440 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
Prominent organizations such as St. Vincent Evansville, St. Mary's Medical Center and Deaconess Hospital offer Evansville's healthcare professionals various opportunities, including registered nurse, nurse practitioner or physical therapist. Evansville is also the home of manufacturing companies like Koch Enterprises, Inc., Flanders Electric Motor Service Inc. and Whirlpool Corporation, which may be great places for general and operations managers and industrial production managers to look for employment.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | Master's degree | $109,190 | 440 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $96,450 | 3,230 |
| Physical Therapists | Doctoral or professional degree | $81,560 | 410 |
| Registered Nurses | Bachelor's degree | $63,310 | 4,390 |
| Industrial Production Managers | Bachelor's degree | $101,730 | 370 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.