50 most popular colleges p1 - Military - Career Choices - Military Times EDGE

More than 645,000 active-duty service members enrolled in the military’s voluntary education programs during the 2008 fiscal year, and of those, at least 450,000 took college-level courses. Active-duty service members may receive $250 per credit hour — up to $4,500 a year — using federal tuition assistance. A presentation earlier this year by the Defense Department’s chief of continuing education, Carolyn Baker, showed trends in several of the armed services’ tuition assistance programs, including numbers of traditional versus distance learning courses taken and average cost per type of course — undergraduate distance-learning courses were, on average, more than 50 percent costlier than classroom-based courses: $605.06 vs. $401.89.

We took our analysis a step further — to include figures from the Coast Guard and Army National Guard — to get to the bottom of which schools active-duty service members chose most, according to numbers of course enrollments. The results show five online-only colleges in the top 50, and three of those in the top 10, and that’s not surprising since Baker’s presentation showed that distance-learning or online courses had outpaced classroom-based courses in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

The following five schools top our list:

University System of Maryland

One school in this network of 11 universities and two research institutions stands far above the rest when it comes to educating the military: University of Maryland University College, with headquarters in Adelphi, Md. It has campuses in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area as well as Europe and Asia, along with robust online offerings. UMUC designs degrees to complement military training — making it easy, for example, to transfer Community College of the Air Force associate degree credits to UMUC bachelor’s degrees. More partnerships allow for credits to transfer between Air War College, Joint Forces Staff College, Information Resources Management College and Defense Acquisition University programs.

American Public University System

A relative newcomer to higher education, this online-only private university system comprises American Public University and service members’ overwhelming favorite, American Military University. Founded by Marine Corps veteran James Etter in 1991, with degrees in such areas as explosive ordnance disposal, weapons of mass destruction preparedness and military management and program acquisition, AMU caters specifically to members of the military, public safety and national security communities. Students enjoy the university’s book grant, which provides textbooks and shipping free to undergrads.

Central Texas College

This open-enrollment community college’s home base in Killeen, Texas, a few miles from Fort Hood, made Central Texas College an inevitable match for military personnel. The school says it educates service members online, on installations stateside and overseas, and on ships at sea. Depending on a student’s rank and military occupational specialty, he may be eligible for up to 49 hours of credit toward an associate degree.

University of Phoenix

Now a household name, University of Phoenix claims to be the largest private university in North America with 200 locations and online courses available to students around the world. The university discounts its online tuition by 20 percent for active-duty service members, reservists and military spouses, capping its undergraduate rate to match the maximum amount provided under tuition assistance.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

This Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s rich military tradition dates back to its training of pilots during World War II. It offers residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and worldwide campuses including those in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. The university offers degrees in aerospace engineering, air traffic control management and global intelligence studies, along with what the school says is the largest aeronautical science (professional pilot) program in the U.S.

Most popular by service

Check out the top 10 colleges broken down by service.

The top 50

Colleges and universities that make up the Top 50 chosen by service members using military tuition assistance during the 2008 fiscal year.

1. University System of Maryland

Headquarters/main campus: Adelphi, Md.

Founded: 1807       

Status: public

Highest degree: doctoral

Courses: 79,651

2. American Public University System

Headquarters/main campus: Charles Town, W.Va.       

Founded: 1991       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 79,448       

3. Central Texas College        

Headquarters/main campus: Killeen, Texas       

Founded: 1965       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 71,283

4. University of Phoenix        

Headquarters/main campus: Phoenix, Ariz.       

Founded: 1976       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 51,820

5. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University       

Headquarters/main campus: Daytona Beach, Fla.       

Founded: 1926       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 42,250

6. Park University        

Headquarters/main campus: Parkville, Mo.       

Founded: 1875       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 33,509

7. Troy University        

Headquarters/main campus: Troy, Ala.       

Founded: 1887       public       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 30,841

8. TUI University

Headquarters/main campus: Cypress, Calif.       

Founded: 1998       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 28,955

9. California Community College System       

Headquarters/main campus: Sacramento, Calif.       

Founded: 1967       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 22,955                     

10. Columbia Southern University

Headquarters/main campus: Orange Beach, Ala.       

Founded: 1993       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 18,424

11. Grantham University

Headquarters/main campus: Kansas City, Mo.       

Founded: 1951       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 17,273

12. Saint Leo University

Headquarters/main campus: Saint Leo, Fla.       

Founded: 1889       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 16,178

13. Washington Community and Technical Colleges

Headquarters/main campus: Olympia, Wash.       

Founded: 1925       

Status: public       

Highest degree: bachelor’s       

Courses: 14,659                            

14. Columbia College

Headquarters/main campus: Columbia, Mo.       

Founded: 1851       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 13,588

15. Florida Community College System        

Headquarters/main campus: Tallahassee, Fla.       

Founded: 1933       

Status: public       

Highest degree: bachelor’s       

Courses: 12,872

16. Excelsior College        

Headquarters/main campus: Albany, N.Y.       

Founded: 1971       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 11,217

17. Webster University

Headquarters/main campus: St. Louis, Mo.       

Founded: 1915       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 10,747

18. Liberty University        

Headquarters/main campus: Lynchburg, Va.       

Founded: 1971       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 10,464

19. Virginia Community College System        

Headquarters/main campus: Richmond, Va.       

Founded: 1966       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 10,305                                   

20. Wayland Baptist University        

Headquarters/main campus: Plainview, Texas       

Founded: 1906       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 10,202

21. Thomas Edison State College        

Headquarters/main campus: Trenton, N.J.       

Founded: 1972       

Status: public       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 9,742

22. DeVry University        

Headquarters/main campus: Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.       

Founded: 1931

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 9,637

23. North Carolina Community Colleges        

Headquarters/main campus: Raleigh, N.C.       

Founded: 1957       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 8,860

24. Bellevue University        

Headquarters/main campus: Bellevue, Neb.       

Founded: 1966       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 8,462

25. Hawaii Pacific University        

Headquarters/main campus: Honolulu, Hawaii       

Founded: 1965       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 7,993

26. State University and Community College System of Tennessee       

Headquarters/main campus: Nashville, Tenn.       

Founded: 1972       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 7,331

27. Vincennes University        

Headquarters/main campus: Vincennes, Ind.       

Founded: 1806       

Status: public       

Highest degree: bachelor’s       

Courses: 6,611

28. North Dakota University System       

Headquarters/main campus: Bismarck, N.D.       

Founded: 1990       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 6,364

29. Strayer University        

Headquarters/main campus: Washington, D.C. metro       

Founded: 1892       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 6,300

30. Southern Illinois University

Headquarters/main campus: Carbondale, Ill.       

Founded: 1869       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 6,298

31. University System of Georgia        

Headquarters/main campus: Atlanta, Ga.       

Founded: 1931       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 6,031

32. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities       

Headquarters/main campus: St. Paul, Minn.       

Founded: 1995       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 5,846       

33. National University System       

Headquarters/main campus: La Jolla, Calif.       

Founded: 1971       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 5,034

34. Southwestern College, Kan.        

Headquarters/main campus: Winfield, Kan.       

Founded: 1885       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 4,897

35. Allied Schools       

Headquarters/main campus: Laguna Hills, Calif.       

Founded: 1992       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: certificate       

Courses: 4,812

36. Colorado Technical University

Headquarters/main campus: Colorado Springs, Colo.       

Founded: 1965       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 4,621

37. American InterContinental University        

Headquarters/main campus: Atlanta, Ga.       

Founded: 1970

Status: private, for profit

Highest degree: master’s

Courses: 4,553

38. Ashford University        

Headquarters/main campus: Clinton, Iowa

Founded: 1918       

Status: private, for profit       

Highest degree: master’s       

Courses: 4,475

39. University of Oklahoma        

Headquarters/main campus: Norman, Okla.

Founded: 1890       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 4,415

40. University of North Carolina System       

Headquarters/main campus: Chapel Hill, N.C.       

Founded: 1789       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 4,259

41. Maricopa Community Colleges        

Headquarters/main campus: Tempe, Ariz.       

Founded: 1920       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 3,929

42. State University of New York       

Headquarters/main campus: Albany, N.Y.       

Founded: 1816       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,924

43. Indiana University        

Headquarters/main campus: Bloomington, Ind.       

Founded: 1820       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,588

44. Campbell University        

Headquarters/main campus: Buies Creek, N.C.       

Founded: 1887       

Status: private, nonprofit       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,524

45. Texas A&M University System       

Headquarters/main campus: College Station, Texas       

Founded: 1876       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,444

46. South Carolina Technical College System       

Headquarters/main campus: Columbia, S.C.       

Founded: 1961       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 3,342

47. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education       

Headquarters/main campus: Harrisburg, Pa.       

Founded: 1983       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,302

48. University of Texas System       

Headquarters/main campus: Austin, Texas       

Founded: 1883       

Status: public       

Highest degree: doctoral       

Courses: 3,257

49. Alamo Colleges       

Headquarters/main campus: San Antonio, Texas       

Founded: 1898       

Status: public       

Highest degree: associate       

Courses: 3,244

50. Kaplan Higher Education        

Headquarters/main campus: Boca Raton, Fla.       

Founded: 1938       

Status: private, for profit        

Highest degree: juris doctor       

Courses: 3,224

Our method

To create this listing, we first requested data in terms of course enrollments by school from the Army, Navy, Air Force (including active-duty Air National Guard), Marine Corps, Army National Guard and Coast Guard. By combining the lists and grouping schools in named college systems together, we were able to determine which schools served tuition assistance users the most during the 2008 fiscal year. Dates founded are those of a system’s oldest continuously operating institution or the year the system was organized under law. Sources include official Web sites and www.universities.com. In five instances involving 400 courses, service officials were unable to distinguish between schools with the same name by press time.