Key takeaway: 1,638 of the 2,817 institutions in our directory that offer fully online programs report weekend or evening college options (IPEDS IC 2024). For parents, that signal matters because it shows a school has organized itself around students whose days are already full. The schools below are drawn from that group and ordered by BOC Score.
Studying as a parent is mostly a scheduling problem. The school that fits is the one whose coursework, deadlines, and support hours bend around school pickups, bedtimes, and sick days, and whose policies let you slow down for a term without losing ground.
Schools to Compare
These accredited institutions report weekend or evening college options and at least one program completable entirely online (IPEDS IC 2024). Ranked by BOC Score within that group.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$102,772
Avg net price
$12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
11%
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$92,446
Avg net price
$13,481/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 127
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,588
Avg net price
$6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 172
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
8%
Graduation rate
95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$89,718
Avg net price
$13,370/yr
TuitionIn‑state$64,144
Out‑of‑state$64,144
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 78
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$83,648
Avg net price
$13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 206
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$72,200
Avg net price
$11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 117
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$91,565
Avg net price
$15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 157
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
98%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$101,817
Avg net price
$19,066/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 174
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$78,466
Avg net price
$14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 234
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$87,555
Avg net price
$18,809/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 164
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Two IPEDS indicators produced this list: the weekend or evening college indicator and the distance education program flag, both from the Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024). They confirm that a school offers a scheduled option for students who cannot attend during the day and runs fully online programs. They do not describe any specific program’s deadlines or live-session requirements. Ask each school before you apply.
What parents should look for
- Asynchronous coursework. Work you can do after bedtime or before the house wakes up, within a weekly window rather than at fixed times. Ask what share of the program is asynchronous and whether any live sessions are required.
- Weekly rather than daily deadlines. A course that asks for work every day is harder to fit around children than one with a single weekly due date.
- Short terms and frequent starts. Six- to eight-week terms let you take one course at a time and pause for a busy season without falling behind. Our guide to the fastest online degrees explains how short terms work.
- A clear leave policy. Ask how you pause and return, whether you must reapply, and whether you keep your earned credit and your catalog year.
- Support after hours. Advising, tutoring, and technical help available in the evening and on weekends.
- Credit you already have. Earlier college credit or credit for prior learning shortens the degree. See online colleges that accept transfer credits.
Planning the time
Be realistic about hours. A typical three-credit course expects several hours of work each week, more in a short term. Many parents start with one course to learn how it fits, then add a second once the routine is set. Ask each school for a degree plan at one and at two courses per term so you can see the timeline both ways.
Quick Answers
Can I go to college online as a parent?
Yes. Online programs with asynchronous coursework, weekly deadlines, and short terms are built for students with full days. In our directory, 1,638 online institutions report weekend or evening college options (IPEDS IC 2024).
How many hours a week does an online class take?
It depends on the course and the term length. A standard three-credit course expects several hours of work a week, and short accelerated terms compress the same work into fewer weeks. Ask the school for the expected weekly hours before you enroll.
What if I need to take a break?
Ask each school for its leave or stop-out policy before you enroll. Look for a program that lets you pause for a term and return without reapplying or losing earned credit.
Are these online colleges accredited?
Every institution in our directory holds accreditation from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Confirm program-level accreditation where a professional license depends on it.
Next steps
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024), weekend/evening college (SLO7) and distance education program (DISTPGS) indicators; directory counts as of the September 2026 data refresh.
