Programs Ranked
9
Schools
7
Degree Levels
3
Fully Online Programs
9
Source: School program pages, verified September 2026
Nine online AI programs on this list start at least four times a year. Western Governors University starts a new group every month, Colorado Boulder has six start dates, and Indiana and George Washington have five. Oregon State, Drexel, DePaul and Indiana's bachelor's each have four. Most are master's programs, with two bachelor's degrees and one graduate certificate.
Top Picks
Top Pick at Each Degree Level
The leader in each degree level on this list.
- Top Bachelor's99.8 out of 100
Indiana University-Bloomington
Online Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence
Indiana · B.A.
Indiana University-Bloomington's B.A. Review - Top Master's73.0 out of 100
Oregon State University
Business Analytics and Applied AI
Oregon · M.S.
Oregon State University's M.S. Review - Top Graduate Certificate62.8 out of 100
Indiana University-Bloomington
Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (Online)
Indiana · Graduate Certificate
Indiana University-Bloomington's Graduate Certificate Review
Method
How We Chose These Programs
A program makes this list when the school's own program or admissions page shows four or more start dates a year, and the program can be completed online. We count the starts the school publishes, such as fall, winter, spring and summer terms, or nine-week sessions.
Within each degree level, programs are sorted by our overall score, and certificates are compared only with other certificates. Our full scoring method is on the methodology page.
- Four or more start dates a year, taken from the school's own program or admissions page
- Delivered online, with cost, credits and format confirmed on school pages
- Ranked by our program score within each degree level; certificates are ranked only against other certificates
Scores are the weighted sum of five factors (Cost 30%, Outcomes 25%, Online Flexibility 20%, Program Depth 10%, Track Record 15%), version 1.0. The methodology page shows the rubric for each factor.
Bachelor's
Online Bachelor's Degrees Ranked
2 programs, ranked against each other.
-
1
Indiana University-Bloomington
Online Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence
School based in Indiana
99.8- Fully Online
- Public
Start datesIndiana offers a bachelor's you can begin in fall, spring or either of two summer sessions. Its 120 credits include a 6-credit internship, thesis or project. It's the right pick for a first-time degree seeker who wants an AI major from a public research university. Confirm the per-credit price with the school.
- Credits
- 120 credits
- Format
- 4 starts a year
- School State
- Indiana
-
2
99.6- Fully Online
- Asynchronous
- Private nonprofit
Start datesA new term opens on the 1st of every month, which is as many entry points as any program here offers. Tuition is $4,200 per six-month term, and you pay the same whether you take few courses or many. Choose it if you're starting a bachelor's and can move without deadlines. The trade-off is that no instructor sets a weekly pace for you.
- Format
- Asynchronous, 12 starts a year
- Time to Finish
- 24 months
- School State
- Utah
Master's
Online Master's Degrees Ranked
6 programs, ranked against each other.
-
1
73.0- Fully Online
- Public
Why it ranks #1: it is fully online with 4 starts a year and it charges $965 per credit.
Start datesFall, winter, spring and summer starts give you four doors in, and nonresidents pay the same rate as Oregon residents. Tuition runs $965 per credit across 45 credits, about $43,425 in all. It suits an analyst who wants AI applied to business problems rather than research. Course materials and fees are billed separately, so budget a bit beyond that total.
- Cost
- $965 per credit
- Credits
- 45 credits
- Format
- 4 starts a year
- Est. Tuition
- $43,425
- School State
- Oregon
-
2
George Washington University
Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
School based in District of Columbia
69.2- Fully Online
- Live and Asynchronous
- Private nonprofit
Why it ranks #2: it is fully online with 5 starts a year and 9-week terms; its school's IPEDS graduation rate is 84% (the highest among master's programs on this list); and its published tuition is $37,500 (lower than 3 of 4 other master's programs on this list).
Start datesFive entry points a year come from nine-week sessions, four regular ones plus an optional summer session. The $37,500 total includes eBooks, so there's one less surprise at the bookstore. Engineers, mathematicians and IT professionals fit best, and GRE scores are optional. Expect a higher total than Colorado's pay-by-session route.
- Credits
- 30 credits
- Format
- Live and Asynchronous, 5 starts a year
- Est. Tuition
- $37,500
- School State
- District of Columbia
-
3
University of Colorado Boulder
Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Coursera)
School based in Colorado
68.7- Fully Online
- Asynchronous
- Public
Why it ranks #3: it is fully online and asynchronous with 6 starts a year and 8-week terms; its published tuition is $15,750 (the lowest among master's programs on this list); and its school awards about 197 master's degrees a year in this field per IPEDS (the most among master's programs on this list).
Start datesStarts arrive six times a year, more than any other session-calendar program here. Eight-week courses keep each commitment short, and the whole degree is $15,750. Pick it if you want to test the work before committing, since admission is earned by passing a three-course pathway. The cost is that those B-or-better grades come before you're officially in.
- Credits
- 30 credits
- Format
- Asynchronous, 6 starts a year
- Est. Tuition
- $15,750
- Time to Finish
- 12 to 24 months
- School State
- Colorado
-
4
Drexel University
Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
School based in Pennsylvania
63.3- Fully Online
- Private nonprofit
Why it ranks #4: it is fully online with 4 starts a year and 10-week terms, but its school awards about 121 master's degrees a year in this field per IPEDS (fewer than 3 of 4 other master's programs on this list).
Start datesDrexel runs four 10-week quarters a year, so a missed deadline means a three-month wait at most. Budget $63,000, which is 45 quarter credits at $1,400 each, before fees. It's meant for someone with a solid computer science background, and its certificate in computer science can serve as a ramp. It's the priciest master's on this list.
- Cost
- $1,400 per quarter credit
- Credits
- 45 quarter credits
- Format
- 4 starts a year
- Est. Tuition
- $63,000
- Time to Finish
- As few as 24 months
-
5
Western Governors University
Online Master of Science in Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning
School based in Utah
55.5- Fully Online
- Asynchronous
- Private nonprofit
Why it ranks #5: it is fully online and asynchronous with 12 starts a year, but its school's IPEDS graduation rate is 46% (the lowest among master's programs on this list).
Start datesWith enrollment on the 1st of every month, you never wait long to begin. Each six-month term costs $4,385, so a quick finish lowers the bill, and the listed pace is 19 months. It fits a working programmer who learns fast. Note that the diploma reads Computer Science, with AI and machine learning as the specialization.
- Format
- Asynchronous, 12 starts a year
- Time to Finish
- 19 months
- School State
- Utah
-
6
48.3- Fully Online
- Private nonprofit
Why it ranks #6: it is fully online with 4 starts a year, and it offers an internship, a thesis option, and a capstone, but its school awards about 10 master's degrees a year in this field per IPEDS (the fewest among master's programs on this list).
Start datesDePaul enrolls in fall, winter, spring and summer, and you can finish with a capstone, master's research or a graduate internship. At $1,003 per credit over 48 credits, tuition is $48,144 plus a comprehensive fee. You need Calculus 1 and 2 and a 2.5 GPA. It fits someone leaning toward research or industry placement, though the credit count is high.
- Cost
- $1,003 per quarter credit
- Credits
- 48 quarter credits
- Format
- 4 starts a year
- Est. Tuition
- $48,144
- School State
- Illinois
Graduate Certificate
Online Graduate Certificates Ranked
1 program, ranked against each other.
-
1
Indiana University-Bloomington
Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (Online)
School based in Indiana
62.8- Fully Online
- Public
Start datesFive starts a year and a mix of 8-week and 16-week courses make this the easiest way on the list to try graduate AI study. It's only 12 credits and can be done in a single semester. Expect to need a bachelor's, a 3.0 GPA and some Python or R. It adds a credential, not a degree, so it won't replace a master's.
- Credits
- 12 credits
- Format
- 5 starts a year
- Time to Finish
- As little as one semester or up to two years
- School State
- Indiana
Side by Side
Compare Every Program Side by Side
Sort any column. The order you see first is the ranking.
| Rank | School and Program | Degree | Score | Cost per Credit | Credits | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-Bloomington B.A. Online Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence | Bachelor's | 99.8 | 120 | Fully Online | |
| 2 | Western Governors University B.S. Online Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering | Bachelor's | 99.6 | Fully Online, asynchronous | ||
| 1 | Oregon State University M.S. Business Analytics and Applied AI | Master's | 73.0 | $965 | 45 | Fully Online |
| 2 | George Washington University M.S. Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | Master's | 69.2 | 30 | Fully Online, live and asynchronous | |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder M.S. Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Coursera) | Master's | 68.7 | 30 | Fully Online, asynchronous | |
| 4 | Drexel University M.S. Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | Master's | 63.3 | $1,400 | 45 | Fully Online |
| 5 | Western Governors University M.S. Online Master of Science in Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning | Master's | 55.5 | Fully Online, asynchronous | ||
| 6 | DePaul University M.S. Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | Master's | 48.3 | $1,003 | 48 | Fully Online |
| 1 | Indiana University-Bloomington Graduate Certificate Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (Online) | Graduate Certificate | 62.8 | 12 | Fully Online |
A Start Date Is Not an Application Deadline
More start dates give you more chances to begin, but each one still has a cutoff. Indiana's online graduate certificate accepts applications on a rolling cycle and posts a deadline ahead of each start. Its January 12, 2026 start has a November 1, 2025 deadline, and its March 9 start has a February 1 deadline.
George Washington's program works the same way. Its Summer 2026 sessions begin the week of June 1, with an application deadline of May 16. Plan to apply a few weeks to a couple of months before the month you want, and gather transcripts early.
How Monthly Starts at Western Governors University Work
Western Governors University is the only school here with a start every month. Its programs are competency-based, with six-month terms. Tuition is charged per term instead of per credit: $4,385 per term for the master's in computer science with an AI focus, and $4,200 for the bachelor's in AI engineering.
The school says there's no limit on the courses you can finish in a term, so pace changes your cost. The master's lists 19 months and the bachelor's about 24, but those are typical figures, not promises. If a busy stretch slows you down, an extra term adds another term's tuition.
Match the Start to Your Prep, Not Just the Calendar
Starting soon only helps if you're ready for week one. Colorado Boulder has no traditional application and doesn't require a bachelor's degree. You register for a three-course pathway in machine learning or statistical learning, then earn a B or better in each course to move into the degree.
DePaul wants a 2.5 GPA and Calculus 1 and 2, and Drexel expects a strong computer science background. Drexel points to its Graduate Certificate in Computer Science as an entry point. If you're missing a prerequisite, use the gap between starts to finish it.
What These Programs Cost per Credit and in Total
Prices on this list don't follow the number of starts. Colorado Boulder totals $15,750 for 30 credits. George Washington totals $37,500 for 30 credits. Drexel charges $1,400 per credit across 45 credits, which comes to $63,000.
Oregon State lists $965 per credit for 45 credits, and DePaul lists $1,003 per credit for 48. Those two don't publish a total, so multiply the rate by the credits and then ask about fees.
Western Governors University bills by the term, so the final cost depends on how many terms you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Online AI Degrees With Multiple Start Dates in 2026?
Which Online AI Degrees Start Every Month?
How Many Start Dates Does Colorado Boulder Have?
Can You Start an AI Graduate Certificate Without Waiting for Fall?
Do More Start Dates Make a Program Cheaper?
Is a Bachelor's Degree in AI Available With Several Start Dates?
What Do You Need Before You Apply?
Are These Programs Live or Self-Paced?
Sources
- Western Governors University, MS in Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning
- Western Governors University, BS in AI Engineering
- Indiana University Luddy School, Online Graduate Certificate in AI
- Indiana University, Online Bachelor of Arts in Artificial Intelligence
- George Washington University, Online MS in AI and Machine Learning
- University of Colorado Boulder, MS in AI on Coursera
- Oregon State University Ecampus, Business Analytics and Applied AI
- Drexel University, Online MS in AI and Machine Learning
- DePaul University, MS in Artificial Intelligence
- IPEDS Data Center
All sources retrieved .