Many colleges in Utah now provide distance learning opportunities to students, like the University of Utah, which offers online, hybrid and flipped courses. High school students can also take advanced courses via satellite or interactive television. Utah's Electronic High School offers distance classes for students needing to make up lost credits or interested in an accelerated path towards graduation.
Tuition costs at public two-year schools in Utah have increased 22% over the past five years, slightly above the 17% national average. Between 2004 and 2014, tuition at public two-year schools in Utah rose 36%, and public four-year schools experienced a 50% increased tuition during the same period. Tuition inflation costs can be partially credited to the 25.5% decreased state funding for higher education between 2008 and 2014.
State lawmakers have discussed the benefits of incentivising students to enroll in programs that lead them towards Utah careers that provide the state an economic boon. Despite rising tuition expenses, enrollment in Utah colleges is still increasing. Between 2002 and 2012 enrollment in Utah public schools increased 23%, slightly higher than the 19% increased national average. Utah's four-year schools have a graduation rate of 50.6%, with a 76.7% first-year student retention rate.
Find more information on Utah's best online degree programs in our extensive school database. Information on scholarships and financial assistance can be found in the college savings section below.
Featured Online Programs
30 Colleges in Utah
Additional Resources
Official State Links
College Savings
- Utah Education Savings Plan: UESP is the state's official (and only) college savings plan. Funds in this plan can be used for educational expenses like books, tuition, room and board for those who attend at least half time, at any college, university or technical school that qualifies. There are 14 different plans to choose from and Utah residents can get a state income tax credit for annual contributions.
Education Nonprofits
- Utah Women in Higher Education Network: This network is a branch of the American Council on Education (ACE) Women's Network. UWHEN, as it is known, was created in 2010 to provide information to individuals in higher education about policies, issues and research that affect women's education.
- Utah Women and Education Initiative: This program began in 2008 as a research project to explore issues that kept women from enrolling in higher education. After the 2-year research collection project had ended, the government created the Utah Women's College Task Force to create recommendations to encourage more women to enroll in higher education in Utah and the initiative took over implementation of those recommendations.
- Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education: Utah has been a member of this commission since 1953. WICHE offers a student exchange program that helps lower costs for Utah residents to attend college in other states.
Higher Education News
- Utah Education Issues: This blog focuses on education policy in Utah.
- Utah Foundation Blog: The Utah Foundation discusses education policy and how implementation of those policies affect education in the state.