Given the largely rural aspect of the Sagebrush State, online colleges in Nevada can make higher education opportunities more accessible to a greater number of people — regardless of physical distance. Distance education options in Nevada can also give you the chance to earn a degree while continuing to work and/or raise your family.
Let's take a high-level look at what's available in terms of online colleges in Nevada:
To support higher education attainment in Nevada, the state's 15 to Finish program is designed to assist students, including those in online programs, in completing their degrees earlier — something that can save students time and money.
For more information on the top online colleges in Nevada as well as why it's crucial to attend an accredited degree program, continue reading this page. We've also provided details on scholarship and grant opportunities that are specific to Nevada and can help you pay for your online degree program.
Here at OnlineColleges.com, we use carefully selected criteria to create multiple rankings on the best online schools in Nevada. Each of the schools included in our rankings has been accredited by bodies such as the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) or the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Learn more about accreditation by visiting our "What is College Accreditation?" page or the Nevada Department of Education.
Why do we create multiple rankings? Because different people are going to need and value different qualities in their schools. Our rankings display important data related to each school, such as the ratio of students participating in distance education, the retention rate of students and the percent of students awarded financial aid. To learn why we believe these factors are relevant to the Nevada online college experience, check out the "What Makes a Good Online College?" section of our "About Us" page.
If you're in the market for a web-based degree, it's smart to do some research before you pick a school. To make your job easier, we researched the online colleges of Nevada, using data from the National Center for Education Statistics in order to find the top 10 based on accessibility, graduation rate, number of online programs and more. For more information on our methodology for this list, see the bottom of the page. For creating your own rankings of online colleges across the U.S., see our Top Colleges Tool. For the 10 best online colleges in Nevada, read on.
What is GBC like?
Kicking off our list of best online schools in Nevada is Great Basin College, which was founded at Elko in 1967 to create educational opportunities for citizens in Nevada's remote rural communities. GBC has campuses and learning centers in 10 Nevada counties that border five different states.
What online programs are at GBC?
Distance education programs at Great Basin College follow the same structure and timelines as on-campus classes. Online classes are delivered through GBC's WebCampus portal and use the Canvas content management system to deliver course materials.
The college offers almost 20 fully online associate degree programs, including study in business, social science, accounting and early childhood education. Students interested in a four-year online degree can pursue a B.A. in English or social science, or a B.S. in nursing (RN-BSN), land surveying, graphic communications or management and supervision. GBC also offers many different online certificate programs as well.
What online resources does GBC offer?
Student services for distance learners at GBC include remote tutoring through Skype, test proctoring, student success workshops, technical support and career development.
What is UNLV like?
UNLV has grown from a small branch college of the University of Nevada on the southern edge of town into a leading research institution in Nevada's largest city. The university boasts a new school of medicine located in the growing Las Vegas Medical District.
What online programs are at UNLV?
Most of UNLV's fully online programs are delivered asynchronously so students can complete their work when it best suits their schedules. However, some classes are delivered in a hybrid format and require regular face-to-face meetings with instructors.
UNLV offers an online bachelor's degree program in social science studies, and online master's degree programs in emergency and crisis management, educational psychology, hospitality administration, healthcare administration and more. There are also multiple graduate degree programs in nursing, including three doctoral pathways. Finally, the university offers a number of online certificate programs.
What online resources does UNLV offer?
Distance learners at UNLV receive access to the college's IT helpdesk and university libraries, as well as academic support, advising and coaching, and online tutoring through Brainfuse.
What is UNR like?
University of Nevada-Reno was Nevada's first postsecondary institution. It was founded in Elko in 1874 as a land-grant institution and moved to Reno in 1885. The scenic campus covers 290 acres near downtown Reno and boasts many facilities, such as the university arts building, Great Basin Hall, and Lombardi Recreation Center.
What online programs are at UNR?
UNR offers a limited menu of online degree programs for graduate students. Online master's programs include study in equity and diversity in education, justice management and social work. Nursing students can pursue a DNP online, while business students may consider UNR's Online Executive MBA.
Courses can be entirely online or a hybrid of online and on-campus learning, where students meet infrequently with professors throughout the course. UNR uses the Canvas content management system for online class delivery.
What online resources does UNR offer?
UNR's distance learners can receive counseling services, academic advising, tutoring, helpdesk support and more.
What is TMCC like?
Truckee Meadows Community College has served residents of Reno since 1976. In addition to its main campus, TMCC has four educational centers located throughout Reno.
Many students enroll at TMCC to complete associate degrees before transferring to University of Nevada, Reno -- particularly those interested in enrolling in UNR's highly competitive nursing program.
What online programs are at TMCC?
TMCC's WebCollege offers several online associate degree programs, including study in business, psychology, criminal justice, history, early childhood education and many more. The college also offers A.A. and A.S. transfer degree programs for students who are interested in advancing their education to the baccalaureate level. Finally, TMCC features an online B.A.S. in emergency management and homeland security.
Classes offered through WebCollege are delivered either fully online or in a hybrid format that combines in-class instruction with web-based learning. TMCC uses the Canvas content management system to deliver its online coursework.
What online resources does TMCC offer?
Student resources for distance learners at TMCC include academic advising, career counseling and support, online tutoring, technical support and more.
What is NSC like?
Located in Henderson roughly 15 miles southeast of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada State College is a rapidly growing four-year public institution. Founded in 2002 with an enrollment of 177 students, Nevada State College has grown to fill an important role in between Nevada's two-year colleges and higher-level research institutions such as UNR and UNLV.
What online programs are at NSC?
NSC offers an online RN to BSN program using the Canvas content management system that can be completed in as little as 12 months. Students must complete 12 core nursing courses that total 36 credit hours of study, and some students may have to complete additional general education courses to satisfy requirements. Courses are delivered in seven-week tracks, and the program has multiple start dates each year to better accommodate working students. The program also includes an online practice experience.
What online resources does NSC offer?
Online students at NSC receive an array of support services, including access to the college library, academic advising, online tutoring, one-one-one peer writing assistance, and IT support through the college's information and technology services support center.
These schools in Nevada offer online degree programs at low tuition costs.
If you're a Nevada resident who is planning on attending college in your home state, you should explore the various state financial aid programs that are available. Scholarships and grants are often available to students who either demonstrate academic excellence, financial need or a combination of both, while other programs are specific to those who attend a specific institution or have other affiliations. Start by exploring how Nevada scholarships and grants are helping to fund college educations.
Nevada grants and scholarships can be awarded to students based on many different criteria. However, how can students know what grants or scholarships they can apply for without understanding what those criteria are? Here are some of the financial aid opportunities available to students in Nevada:
For guidance on how to find and apply for college grants, try our Ultimate Guide to Grants. Similar information on scholarships can be found at our Ultimate Guide to Scholarships.
Nevada financial aid is comprised of scholarship and grant programs, but when it comes to loans, students are encouraged to look into federal and private programs. While scholarships and grants are a more favorable source of funding, oftentimes loans are needed to cover any out-of-pocket expenses that are leftover between financial aid and the total cost of college.
Don't miss more on how student loans can help make college possible in our Ultimate Guide to Student Loans.
Nevada has been known to be a state with low cost of living and relatively low tuition costs, especially when compared to neighboring California. With its military bases throughout the state and booming tech world in the north, Nevada attracts many out-of-state students from the western United States and beyond. Nevada is part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which offers significant non-resident tuition breaks to students from member states.
The state's flagship university, the University of Nevada-Reno, enrolled 38 percent out-of-state students in 2018, out of a total of more than 12,000 undergraduate students. The University of Nevada-Las Vegas had 18 percent out-of-state enrollment.
If you're moving to Nevada for the sunshine, the economic opportunities, the military, the low cost of living, or any other reason, you might want to know that some schools in the Silver State have programs available to make out-of-state tuition more affordable. UNLV defines a resident, which usually means you have to reside in Nevada at least six months prior to matriculation, in several other ways, including:
Have a look at the following resources to help you figure out your tuition cost:
Be sure to talk to your admissions counselor about the cost of tuition at any of the Nevada institutions of higher education, even if you are coming from a different state. Nevada might just surprise you with its affordability.
To figure out what you want to major in while you're in college, it can be helpful to think about what you where you want to work after college. But what jobs are in high demand in Nevada? To help students plan for a solid career after college, we've analyzed projected job growth, average salaries and other critical data from the BLS to determine the best jobs in the state. Compare the data displayed below and see which high demand jobs in Nevada might be right for you.
| Employment | Employment Growth | Median High School Salary | Median Bachelor's Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,349,880 | 19.9% | $31,423 | $48,860 |
*Industry rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data is sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
| Top Industries | Employment | Projected Growth | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 941,640 | 21% | $63,384 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 1,025,440 | 22% | $62,818 |
| Telecommunications | 564,290 | 24% | $65,223 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 1,162,280 | 22% | $60,231 |
| Credit intermediation and related activities | 627,720 | 19% | $62,002 |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 756,130 | 21% | $62,957 |
| Pipeline transportation | 318,110 | 29% | $72,593 |
| Utilities | 654,240 | 24% | $62,880 |
| Oil and gas extraction | 502,760 | 25% | $67,611 |
| Postal service | 336,780 | 21% | $65,980 |
Nevada's economy is among the hottest in the nation, with unemployment under 5 percent throughout 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The bright neon lights of Las Vegas drew more than 42 million tourists in 2018, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reports, driving need for credit services, insurance carriers, utilities and all manner of other tourism-based employment.
Other key industries are growing throughout the state as well. Nevada employed more than 21,000 registered nurses in 2017, with a whopping 15,620 of those employed in the greater Las Vegas area. And due to the large influx of tech companies located in the Greater Reno-Sparks area, IT- and telecommunications-related jobs are becoming increasingly high demand careers in Nevada.
Furthermore, while the neon lights of Las Vegas may be the first thing many people from out-of-state think of, rural northeastern Nevada has a prominent effect on the state's economy as well. Abundant natural resources have created a thriving industry in oil and gas extraction and pipeline transportation. Furthermore, while mining didn't quite make our list of top industries for the state, it certainly deserves an honorable mention -- Nevada's gold mining companies produced more than 5.6 million ounces of gold in 2017, far and away the most of any state in the U.S.
The state's three large metropolitan areas -- Reno-Sparks, Carson City and Las Vegas -- provide many potential employment opportunities for students of online colleges in Nevada. Below, we'll take a closer look at some of the good careers in Nevada's metropolitan regions.
Las Vegas is a world-renowned gambling mecca. Millions of tourists each year hit the famed Las Vegas Strip to gamble -- the gaming win in Clark County topped $10.2 billion in 2018. As a result, this area features diverse opportunities in many different fields of management.
Financial managers and loan officers are needed to handle the monetary transactions that big casino builders and other businesses make, while construction managers are in demand to organize the colossal effort it takes to build new buildings on and outside the Strip. General and operations managers may be one of the most important jobs in Las Vegas, as they keep businesses and services running smoothly once they get off the ground.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Managers | Bachelor's degree | $120,300 | 4,370 |
| Construction Managers | Bachelor's degree | $94,190 | 2,950 |
| Lawyers | Doctoral or professional degree | $133,940 | 3,580 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $127,450 | 14,230 |
| Loan Officers | Bachelor's degree | $79,900 | 2,700 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
The explosion of technology jobs in Reno was kick-started in 2015, when Tesla announced it would build its massive Gigafactory east of Reno. Since then, major tech companies such as Apple, Google, Switch and others have decided to call Reno home. The flourishing tech sector combines with the region's longstanding presence in warehousing, distribution and construction to create many potential avenues of employment for students who earn degrees in construction management, engineering, business administration and/or finance.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers | Bachelor's degree | $97,310 | 370 |
| Financial Managers | Bachelor's degree | $132,980 | 1,170 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | Doctoral or professional degree | $148,870 | 370 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $123,080 | 3,920 |
| Construction Managers | Bachelor's degree | $96,770 | 770 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.
Carson City is the capital of Nevada and employs tens of thousands of workers in government jobs. According to the Carson City Chamber of Commerce, high demand jobs in Carson City include construction and architectural managers, general and operations managers and registered nurses.
A little-known fact: Carson City is also a hub for aerospace manufacturing. The industry employs more than 2,500 manufacturing workers in high paying jobs in Carson City.
| Best Careers | Minimum Education | Average Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | Bachelor's degree | $81,200 | 780 |
| Financial Managers | Bachelor's degree | $110,090 | 200 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | Some college, no degree | $68,680 | 540 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | Bachelor's degree | $113,180 | 50 |
| General and Operations Managers | Bachelor's degree | $129,900 | 430 |
*Career rankings determined by annual mean wage, employment, projected growth and location quotient. Data sourced from the BLS, 2019 dataset.