Draper, UT -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2019 -- The number of students taking online classes topped 6 million in fall 2016, according to a 2018 report from Babson Survey Research Group, with around 3 million of those learners exclusively taking distance education classes in either graduate and undergraduate programs. The report, based on U.S. Department of Education data, indicates that the number of students in distance education courses increased by 5.6 percent over the previous year.

With so many options available to students, Education Reference Desk has recently published its list of the top 20 online colleges in California. Pulling data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), colleges were evaluated based on their affordability, academic quality and student outcomes. As part of the rankings, EduRef.net also published detailed profiles outlining each school on its list. Students can use these profiles to evaluate each school's net prices, retention and graduation rates, along with key demographic information.

"Online programs can offer a flexible learning environment for students who have to balance classes with working a full-time job, caring for their family or other responsibilities," said Education Reference Desk's spokesperson, "The Best Online Colleges in California rankings allow students to compare accredited schools and find those that best fit their education interests and career goals."

The EduRef.net 2019 ranking for the Best Online Colleges in California ranks California State University Northridge #1 as the best online college in California with San Jose State University and California State University Monterey Bay rounding out the top three.

The complete rankings are as follows:

Rank Score School Names

1 100.0 California State University Northridge
2 99.6 San Jose State University
3 99.4 California State University Monterey Bay
4 99.0 Mt San Antonio College
5 98.6 California State University Dominguez Hills
6 98.6 Azusa Pacific University
7 98.2 University of La Verne
8 98.2 California College of the Arts
9 97.6 California Baptist University Online
10 97.0 Santa Rosa Jr College
11 96.6 College of the Sequoias
12 96.4 East Los Angeles College
13 96.4 Pacific Union College
14 96.2 Hope International University
15 96.0 Humboldt State University
16 96.0 Simpson University
17 95.0 Los Angeles Trade Tech
18 95.0 Santa Barbara City College
19 94.4 Los Angeles Southwest College
20 94.0 Columbia College

University response to EduRef.net rankings has been very positive. Sharing the rankings on their websites and via social media has helped schools attract new students and excite existing students and alumni.

The rankings and data were produced for EduRef.net, a leading higher education research organization. All evaluated data was gathered from IPEDs, U.S. Dept. of Higher Education, school websites, and other reputable sources.

The rankings have been published at https://www.eduref.net/best-online-colleges-california/

About EduRef.net
EduRef.net reviews publicly available data to produce independent ranking assessments of various educational programs, in addition to student guides and resources. The site is regularly updated by a committed team of writers and researchers, who produce college rankings and resources that will help prospective and current college students get into, pay for, and thrive at the college of their choice.

Media Contact
Company Name: EduRef.net
Contact Person: Tyson Stevens
Phone: (707) 595-0736
City: Draper
State: UT
Country: United States
Email: tstevens@EduRef.net
https://www.eduref.net/