College Choice, a leading authority in college and university, rankings and resources, has published its 2016 rankings for the Best Online Colleges and Universities. http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-online-colleges-and-universities/

Online education is the number one way for any working professional to advance in their career. While the idea of taking on a full degree online might be scary to some, it is fast becoming a popular way to get an undergraduate or graduate degree.

"The need for accredited online universities has grown exponentially. Even when institutional enrollment numbers decline, accredited online university programs steadily increase, which makes selecting from the best online colleges an important task. The best online universities are adapting to the evolving digital learning world," Christian Amondson, Managing Editor of College Choice, remarked at the ranking's release. "Because digital learning is becoming so important, this ranking was created for working professionals and busy students to continue their education while maintaining their lives."

The College Choice 2016 ranking for Best Online Colleges and Universities was created using a number of factors that will help students make the right decision for them. These include accreditation, student retention rates, financial aid offerings, overall tuition cost, online education features, and more. All of this information was gathered by using a school's website and online portal and independent statistics sites, with schools that have a faculty trained in online learning take top honors.

Western Kentucky University is led by the College Choice 2016 ranking for Best Online Colleges and Universities. It is followed closely by Pennsylvania State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which make up the top three spots.

The complete rankings are as follows:

American Public University System, Charles Town, WV

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Ball State University, Muncie, IN

Brandman University, Irvine, CA

California Baptist University, Riverside, CA

Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI

City University of Seattle, Bellevue, WA

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Colorado State University—Global Campus, Greenwood Village, CO

Concordia University—St. Paul, Saint Paul, MN

Creighton University, Omaha, NE

CUNY School of Professional Studies, New York, NY

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—Worldwide, Daytona Beach, FL

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS

George Washington University, Washington, DC

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Indiana University-Purdue University—Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN

Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL

Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Pace University, New York, NY

Pennsylvania State University—World Campus, University Park, PA

Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA

Regis University, Denver, CO

Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA

Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO

St. John's University, Queens, NY

St. Leo University, Saint Leo, FL

SUNY College of Technology—Canton, Canton, NY

University of Alabama—Huntsville, Huntsville, AL

University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

University of Denver, Denver, CO

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

University of Illinois—Chicago, Chicago, IL

University of Illinois—Springfield, Springfield, IL

University of Maine—Augusta, Augusta, ME

University of Minnesota—Crookston, Crookston, MN

University of Missouri—Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

University of Nebraska—Omaha, Omaha, NE

University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX

Utah State University, Logan, UT

Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY