Arizona State University

Yes, ASU is a legitimate university that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If a school is accredited, it means the college and its programs have been evaluated and approved by an independent group to ensure students are getting a high quality education. 

We only list accredited colleges and universities on OnlineU to help students find quality online education options.

Many students want to know if online colleges are legitimate in part because of diploma mills, which are scam colleges that pose as online and campus-based schools. Some students also might wonder about the legitimacy of an online college because of a lingering stigma against online schools. Fortunately for today's college students, online programs can be found at widely respected colleges and universities across the country — even Harvard University offers classes online.

Innovation

ASU has been widely recognized as a leader in education innovation, especially for its digital learning programs. EdPlus is a department of ASU focused on making college more accessible for students by creating better online degree programs, partnering with companies to offer education benefits for employees, offering virtual reality biology labs, and other innovations in digital learning.

Inclusion

The university focuses on being accessible and inclusive for students, especially through ASU Online. EdPlus has focused on reducing barriers to student success and reaching more potential students. They've done this through various initiatives, such as risk-free online college classes, which students only pay for if they pass and want credit; professional development classes for adults looking to boost their skills; and education programs for underserved communities globally.

Growth

Over the last ten years, ASU has continued to offer more and more degree programs in person and online. As the university focused on growing its majors, boosting student success, and removing barriers for students in college, it grew enrollment from 11,500 to more than 63,000 students since 2013. Today, ASU has more than 200 online degree programs and works with over 30,000 online students.

Education Majors

ASU Online is a top school for online bachelor's degrees in education, and ranks #7 for online education degrees with the highest return on investment. Federal data from College Scorecard shows that ASU Online is most popular for psychology, communications, and business majors.

Data from the labor market analytics company, Lightcast, shows that top employers for ASU graduates over the last five years include the university itself; Starbucks; tech giants Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and Apple; Banner Health system; the Air Force; and the manufacturing companies, Northrop Grumman and Boeing.

 

 

 

Career outcomes depend on what kind of degree and major students choose. The number one most popular industry for ASU graduates is education, according to Lightcast data, with 15% of graduates working for an education employer. Manufacturing, finance and insurance, and retail trade are also top industries for recent graduates. 

 

 

 

Undergraduate students with associate and bachelor's degrees from ASU most often work in software engineering, sales, and management jobs.

 

 

 

The most popular jobs for graduate students who earned master's and doctoral degrees from ASU are software engineers, researchers, college professors, behavior analysts, and business analysts.

ASU Online has an acceptance rate of 73%, meaning three out of four students who apply get in. This is significantly higher than many other colleges, many of which primarily serve students who are recent high school graduates. It's also important to note that online schools tend to serve more adult learners, many of whom are returning to school after a long break. Overall, applicants to ASU Online likely have a good chance of getting in.