Best Military-Friendly Online Colleges Near New Bedford, MA

Home > Online Colleges > Military-Friendly > Massachusetts > New Bedford

Key takeaway: 10 accredited institutions within 100 miles of New Bedford offer fully online programs and report both credit for military training and a dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and their families (IPEDS IC 2024); 7 report all four services the federal survey tracks. The nearest installation recorded by the Census Bureau is Military Training Area Camp Edwards, about 21 miles away, and 8 installations sit within 100 miles (2 Army, 1 Navy, 5 Other). 2 of the 10 schools have a campus within 30 miles; the closest is Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, MA, about 17 miles from city center. The highest-ranked by BOC Score is Northeastern University Professional Programs. New Bedford has a population of about 100,731 and a median household income of $56,025; 16.8 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year estimates).

Military-friendly online colleges near New Bedford

Schools based in Massachusetts that report credit for military training and a dedicated military contact, ordered by distance from New Bedford city center, with BOC Score on each card. The tags on each card are the school’s own IPEDS answers for the four military services. The distance table further down covers the nearest qualifying schools regardless of state line.

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:

  • 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. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from New Bedford. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, MA 4.3 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
56.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,804
Avg net price $20,927/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Buzzards Bay, MA 17.1 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,392
Avg net price $21,582/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA 22.0 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
63.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,466
Avg net price $16,383/yr
Tuition
In‑state$11,808
Out‑of‑state$17,948
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Curry College

Milton, MA 40.3 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
44.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,400
Avg net price $29,207/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,970
Out‑of‑state$47,970
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Quincy College

Quincy, MA 40.4 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
49.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,506
Avg net price $17,126/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA 44.7 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
60.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,865
Avg net price $17,707/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 96

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, MA 46.7 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
68.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,721
Avg net price $34,170/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Boston, MA 46.8 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,582
Avg net price $24,100/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#9

MCPHS University

Boston, MA 46.8 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
69.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $125,557
Avg net price $39,545/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#10

Northeastern University Professional Programs

Boston, MA 46.9 miles from New Bedford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • DoD MOU member
  • Student veteran org
79.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,538
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Nearest qualifying schools within 100 miles (any state)

SchoolLocationCredit for military trainingDedicated military contactDoD MOU memberStudent veteran orgBOC ScoreDistance
Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, MAYesYesYesYes79.947 mi
University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MAYesYesYesNo79.095 mi
Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MAYesYesYesNo78.917 mi
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MAYesYesYesYes78.547 mi
University of ConnecticutStorrs, CTYesYesYesYes78.268 mi
Providence CollegeProvidence, RIYesYesYesYes75.328 mi
Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RIYesYesNoNo74.335 mi
University of New Hampshire at ManchesterManchester, NHYesYesYesYes74.295 mi
University of Rhode IslandKingston, RIYesYesYesYes74.133 mi
University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell, MAYesYesYesYes73.271 mi

Massachusetts has 45 military-friendly online colleges by this definition; the Massachusetts page lists them all.

Military installations near New Bedford

Installation (as recorded by the Census Bureau)Branch (from the name)Distance from New Bedford
Military Training Area Camp EdwardsOther21 mi
Cape Cod AsOther22 mi
Naval Station NewportNavy22 mi
Gould IslandOther23 mi
Fort AdamsArmy25 mi
Quonset Air Guard BaseOther25 mi
Camp FogartyArmy29 mi
Soldier Systems Center NatickOther48 mi

Common post-service careers near New Bedford

Median wages for occupations that veterans commonly move into after an online degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS), shown for the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area where BLS publishes it.

OccupationMedian annual wageScopeCost-of-living adjusted (US=100)
Information Security Analysts$109,940Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$107,996
Logisticians$78,370Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$76,984
Emergency Management Directors$97,610Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$95,884
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers$76,850Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$75,491
Medical and Health Services Managers$119,260Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$117,151
Project Management Specialists$104,510Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$102,662
Network and Computer Systems Administrators$101,450Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$99,656
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$110,000Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro$108,055

BLS publishes wages for metro areas and states, not individual cities; rows marked with the metro name are metro medians, the rest are statewide.

Campuses within 30 miles of New Bedford

  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Buzzards Bay, MA), 17 mi, 3 of 4 services reported
  • Providence College (Providence, RI), 28 mi, 4 of 4 services reported

Nearby cities

Benefit eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and your service’s education office. Nothing on this page guarantees education benefits, credit transfer, admission, or a particular cost. Confirm every detail with the school’s military or veteran services office before you enroll.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024): veteran and military services indicators (VET2 through VET5), distance-education program flag (DISTPGS); BOC Score from College Scorecard and IPEDS outcome data; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 Military Installations layer (installation names as recorded there); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; Census ACS 5-year estimates. Directory counts as of the September 2026 refresh.