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10 Best Online Computer Science Degrees 2022: What the Ranking Actually Shows

The 2022 list is a historical per-credit affordability ranking, not a verified definitive top ten. Learn what its method means and how to compare online CS programs by total cost, degree, format, and accreditation.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
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The 2022 “10 Best Online Computer Science Degrees” label should be read as a historical affordability ranking, not as a verified, definitive top ten of computer science bachelor’s programs. BestValueSchools’ page was updated December 1, 2022, and ordered schools by online cost per credit; it also included related fields and degree labels. The available evidence does not establish an exact, authoritative ten-school list matching the title. For a real enrollment decision, compare the specific degree, total cost, delivery format, transfer rules, and accreditation—not a rank number alone.

What the 2022 ranking can—and cannot—tell you

BestValueSchools’ page, updated December 1, 2022, used online tuition per credit as its ordering measure. That makes it an affordability-oriented snapshot, not a ranking of academic quality, graduation outcomes, student satisfaction, or career results. A low price per credit also does not establish the lowest amount a student will pay to finish: transfer credit, required credits, fees, residency rules, and the time needed to complete a program can change the total.

The page grouped computer science with adjacent technology subjects and degree names, including computer programming, information technology, and information systems. Those subjects can lead to different course plans and awards. The available evidence does not provide a verified list of the ten schools and their exact order, so it would be misleading to recreate or present one as the definitive 2022 top ten.

Online computer science options documented for 2022–23

CollegeNPC’s page, updated August 26, 2026, reports federal-data-based counts for named academic years. It says 38 primarily online four-year institutions reported computer science bachelor’s awards through distance education in 2022–23. That count describes institutions meeting that source’s definition and reporting distance-education awards; it is not a ranked list or a count of every program a student might call online.

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CollegeNPC’s selected examples include Western Governors University (WGU), University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), University of the People, Colorado Technical University, Wilmington University, Troy University, and Park University. These are examples, not a top-seven ranking. Confirm the current degree name, program requirements, and online attendance rules with each university before applying.

Three schools with reported completions and published tuition data

The figures below come from CollegeNPC’s federal-data table. The completion counts are for 2022–23; the published in-state tuition-and-fees figures are for 2023–24. They describe different measures and years, and should not be read as current quotes or as a like-for-like ranking.

Institution Computer science bachelor’s completions, 2022–23 Published in-state tuition and fees, 2023–24
Western Governors University 840 $8,300
University of Maryland Global Campus 543 $7,992
University of the People 390 $1,200

Completion counts indicate the number of reported awards, not an individual student’s probability of graduating. Published tuition and fees are not the same as net price or a full estimate of what a particular student will pay. CollegeNPC separately reports average net price for 2022–23; do not compare that figure with published tuition from 2023–24 as though they were the same cost measure.

How to compare programs using your budget

GetEducated’s comparison takes an affordability approach and distinguishes price bases, including state and military eligibility. Its estimates are useful for screening options, but check each university’s current official cost information before relying on a figure. A price is meaningful only when the student eligibility and cost components behind it are clear.

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  1. Identify the exact award. Record whether the program awards a bachelor’s in computer science, applied computer science, information technology, information systems, programming, cybersecurity, or another field. Do not treat adjacent degree names as interchangeable.
  2. Build a comparable total. Ask the university for the current tuition basis, mandatory fees, total credits required, and any costs that apply to the program. Separate resident and nonresident pricing and confirm whether military or other eligibility changes the rate. If a school quotes a per-credit price, multiply only after confirming the credits you would need to complete there.
  3. Check transfer-credit treatment. Ask how prior coursework is evaluated, which requirements it can satisfy, and how many credits you would still need at that institution. A headline rate alone cannot show whether transferring will lower your total cost or time to completion.
  4. Confirm the learning format. “Online” does not by itself establish whether courses are self-paced, scheduled, synchronous, or subject to in-person requirements. Ask about attendance times, exams, labs, and any campus visits for the specific program.
  5. Compare the curriculum with your goal. Review required courses and available concentrations, then check whether the program teaches the subjects you need. A computer science curriculum and an IT or information systems curriculum may emphasize different material.
  6. Verify accreditation and status. Check the institution’s current institutional accreditation in the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP). If programmatic accreditation matters for your plans, check ABET’s own current program list as well; institutional and program accreditation are separate checks.
  7. Date every number. Keep the publication year, price year, residency basis, and whether the amount is published tuition, net price, or a total estimate beside each figure. Reconfirm all of them with the university because the 2022 ranking and the later historical data are not current price guarantees.
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What the available data does not establish

The sources summarized here do not provide a comparable cross-school career-outcome statistic or a named expert’s quotable statement. They also do not establish current admissions selectivity, transfer-credit outcomes, synchronous attendance requirements, or hardware specifications across a complete shortlist. Do not infer a job-placement rate, salary advantage, admission chance, or technical requirement from the rank or award counts.

A May 2022 Reddit post used the phrases “reasonably-priced universities that offer compsci fully online” and an “okay chance” of admission. That is an anecdotal example of how an applicant might frame the search, not evidence of a broad student trend or of any school’s admission likelihood.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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