Studies show that the number of students getting their degrees online is growing every year. Over the next few decades, researchers predict that a third or more of all college students could be participating in online degree programs, and more brick-and-mortar universities will begin offering courses online to keep up with this trend. With the demand for distance learning growing, finding out which programs are the largest can help you make a decision about your education.

When researching the largest online university in the United States, there is no cut and dry answer. Statistics on student numbers are changing every day thanks to the fact that many colleges offer rolling admission. With a rolling admission program, you don’t have traditional fall and spring semesters. Instead, you start the class whenever you enter the program, which could be in the summer or in the middle of a traditional semester.

Even with online colleges that offer more traditional semesters, getting an exact count of students enrolled can be difficult. With online universities, there is a high rate of transferring students or non-traditional students. In other words, many students enroll just to take one or two course online, which they can then transfer to a traditional campus college to complete their educations.

There are, however, some online schools that are undoubtedly larger than others. Keep in mind that “larger” doesn’t always mean “better.” It truly depends on the program. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Am I just a number or face in the crowd when I enroll in this program, or do I get a personalized education even though the school has a large student body?
• How many students are enrolled in each class and what is the student to teacher ratio?
• Are my classes taught by live professors, or are my courses mostly made up of pre-recorded videos and reading material?
• Does the school have services for students like help with resumes and cover letters, alumni networking, and technical support?
• Is the school accredited with organizations in my field of study?
• What percentage of students has a job within a year of graduating?

In some sense, many online schools are “larger” than typical campus colleges. They may be smaller in terms of student numbers or even degrees offered, but the experience you get is often larger, since you’ll be able to network and learn without the restriction of location. When you go to school online, you can work with professors who are the best in their fields, even if they live on the other side of the world. You’ll also connect with students from across the United States. All colleges have a certain percentage of out-of-state and international students, but online, your class will be a real melting pot of students with different cultures and experiences. All of this adds to your overall educational experience.

Over the next several years, the online university claiming to be the “largest” will likely vary. What is most important is you find a program that works for you educational and career goals. Take time to search for a college that meets all of your educational and personal needs.

With the current situation of our job market, employers' demands for individuals with college degrees is higher than ever. Earning a degree from an online college offers the affordability and flexibility that most brick-and-mortar campus-based colleges cannot offer. Below, we present the top onine colleges for 2010.

Top 10 Online Universities

	University of Phoenix — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Founded in 1976 as a upstart college, today the University of Phoenix is the largest private university in North America with students at over 200 campus locations and online learners studying dozens of programs all over the world.
	Ashford University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. The mission of Asford University is to foster a sense of accessible, flexible, and innovative learning in its student body. Ashford offers accelerated external degree program for adult learners in numerous subjects, including social sciences, criminal justice, technology, business, healthcare, and more.
	Boston University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Founded in 1839, Boston University is one of the oldest universities in the nation to offer online degree programs. With two main campuses in the city of Boston, dozens of study abroad programs around the world, and an online program available globally, Boston University's presence is second to none.
	Liberty University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. Founded in 1971 by Rev. Jerry Falwell, Liberty University is the largest evangelical Christian university in the nation with an enrollment of over 20,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students.
	Walden University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. Walden University has designed all of its online coursework for busy adult professionals who demand affordability and flexibility from their schooling. With degrees offered in several subjects, including healthcare, criminal justice, and business, Walden is sure to be a good fit for most students.
	DeVry University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. With approximately 100 campus locations across North America, DeVry University is one of the more well-known names in the online education industry. Originally founded in 1931, today DeVry offers most of its degree programs online. Subjects of study include business, science, IT, liberal arts, and more.
	Capella University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate. "Knowledge means solving problems no one else can" is the official motto of Capella University. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Capella offers over 1,000 online courses in subject such as legal studies, criminal justice, business, IT, healthcare, education, and more.
	Kaplan University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. The online degree programs offered at Kaplan University are tailored to each student, customized for flexibilty so that students are able to study on their schedule. Kaplan offers more than 100 degrees in subjects ranging from business to criminal justice to nursing and more.
	Strayer University — Degree Levels: Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's. Founded in 1892 as Strayer's Business College, today Strayer University boast an enrollment of over 50,000 students across the United States. Degrees are offered in business, computer technology, education, health administration, criminal justice, and more.
	Grand Canyon University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's and Master's. Frequently cited as one of the top online colleges in the United States, Grand Canyon University was originally founded as Grand Canyon College in 1949. Today, GCU offers dozens of degrees online in subjects such as nursing, healthcare, business, and more.
	Argosy University — Degree Levels: Bachelor's, Master's, and PhDs. Headquartered in Chicago, IL and with over a dozen campus locations nationwide, Argosy University provides accredited online degree programs for busy professionals in subjects including psychology, healthcare, business, and more.
	Westwood College — Degree Levels: Associate's and Bachelor's. Originally established in 1953, Westwood College is composed of 17 campus locations in six states and an online program offered through their Denver North campus. Programs of study offered online include business, criminal justice, fashion merchandising, healthcare, and more.
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