CSU Online

What CSU Online does

CSU Online is the distance-learning division of Colorado State University, a public land-grant research university established in 1870 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado. The division delivers online bachelor's degrees (20+ programs), master's degrees (30+ programs), doctoral programs including Ph.D.s in Music Therapy, Systems Engineering, Higher Education Leadership, and Organizational Learning, more than 50 graduate certificates, individual credit courses, and non-credit professional education with digital badges. Course delivery runs on the Canvas learning management system with Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor handling proctoring and academic integrity. The platform serves more than 10,000 students annually, with reported outcomes including an 85% career-placement rate within six months for graduates and a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-credit tuition ($490 per credit for undergraduate programs, $448-$1,228 per credit for graduate degrees and certificates depending on program), supplemented by federal financial aid, VA military education benefits, employer tuition assistance with direct billing, and one-time fees for non-credit professional development. The customer base spans four horizontal persona segments: adult learners seeking bachelor's degrees, working professionals pursuing graduate credentials, military personnel and veterans, and lifelong learners in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Distribution combines direct online self-serve enrollment with high-touch Prospective Student Support Coaches and a Collaboration Campuses channel (Castle Rock/Storm) for regional support. CSU Online operates within the Colorado State University System, whose combined operating budget is $1.06 billion, and inherits the parent's regional accreditation, top-79 public university ranking, and access to the same faculty as on-campus programs.

Name

CSU Online

Legal name

Colorado State University Online

Website

https://online.colostate.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CSU Online is the distance-learning division of Colorado State University, delivering online bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees, certificates, and professional credentials to more than 10,000 students annually via Canvas LMS, leveraging the parent university's regional accreditation and faculty.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB), Online Technology & Computer Science Universities (EDAHALAH), Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE)

Keywords

• Online degree programs
• Higher education online
• Distance learning
• Graduate certificates
• Professional development courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from tuition charged per credit hour for online undergraduate and graduate degree programs, graduate certificates, and individual courses. Tuition rates vary by program level and specific degree/certificate.
2. Financial Aid: Federal financial aid including grants, loans, and work-study programs administered through the Office of Financial Aid. Students complete FAFSA to determine eligibility.
3. Military Benefits: VA educational benefits including Chapter 30, 31, 32, 35, and Chapter 1606 for veterans, active duty, and reserve members.
4. Employer Tuition Assistance: Many employers provide tuition assistance plans; employers or sponsors can be billed directly for student tuition.
5. Professional Development Courses: Noncredit professional education courses and programs including badges and certificates for career advancement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSU Online is the online learning division of Colorado State University that delivers fully online undergraduate degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, graduate certificates, individual credit courses, and non-credit professional development programs (including digital badges) to remote learners worldwide. Students receive the same faculty, academic standards, and curriculum as on-campus CSU programs, with courses delivered through the Canvas learning management system and proctored via Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor.

Product overview

CSU Online is the online learning division of Colorado State University offering a comprehensive portfolio of distance education products including online bachelor's degrees (20+ programs), master's degrees (30+ programs), doctoral degrees (Ph.D. programs in Music Therapy, Systems Engineering, Higher Education Leadership, and Organizational Learning), over 50 graduate certificate programs, individual credit courses, and professional education digital badges. The platform provides access to the same faculty and academic standards as on-campus programs through Canvas learning management system, with proctoring services for assessment integrity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Bachelor's Degrees Fully online undergraduate degree programs (B.S. and B.A.) spanning 20+ disciplines including Agricultural Biology, Anthropology, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, Fire and Emergency Services Administration, Horticulture, Psychology, and Social Work, designed for working adults and remote learners seeking the same CSU faculty and academic standards as on-campus students.
• Online Master's Degrees Online master's degree programs (M.B.A., M.C.I.S., M.C.M.M., M.S., M.E., M.Agr., M.S.W., M.Ext.Ed., etc.) in business administration, computer information systems, computer science, engineering, communications, social work, agricultural sciences, and extension education, targeted at working professionals seeking career advancement.
• Online Ph.D. and Doctoral Degrees Online doctoral programs including Music Therapy Ph.D., Systems Engineering Ph.D., Higher Education Leadership Ph.D., and Organizational Learning Performance and Change Ph.D., delivered in hybrid or fully online formats for advanced scholarly and professional study.
• Graduate Certificates Over 50 specialized graduate certificate programs including Cybersecurity, Business Intelligence, Data Engineering, Human-Animal Interactions, Urban Agriculture, Water Resources, Weed Science, Social Aspects of HAI, Spanish for Vets, and Business Application Development, providing targeted professional credentials with shorter time commitments than full degrees.
• Credit Courses Individual credit-bearing online courses spanning agriculture, business, engineering, health, humanities, and sciences, available for standalone enrollment to earn transferable academic credit.
• Professional Education and Digital Badges Non-credit professional development courses and digital credential badges including Green School, Mindfulness Training, Certified Gardener Program, Communication for Science and Engineering, and Food Manufacturing Safety, targeted at workforce skill development and continuing education.
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Non-credit lifelong learning program offering personal enrichment and intellectual engagement courses for adults aged 50 and older, administered through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSU.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 7% Best Professors in USA, #1 in Colorado (Niche, 2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Human-Animal Bond in Colorado (HABIC) CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Social Aspects of Human-Animal Interactions Graduate Certificate program. HABIC Center sponsors animal therapy programs, education, and research to advance the benefits of the human-animal bond. Students may pursue additional mentorship and learning opportunities through HABIC.
• CSU System (Colorado State University System)coreOthersCSU Online is a division within CSU-Fort Collins, designed to support its outreach and access mission. Part of the CSU System which includes CSU-Fort Collins, CSU-Pueblo, and CSU-Global Campus.
• U.S. Department of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funding support for Spanish for Veterinarians curriculum development (2017-2018 Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Languages Grant)
• USDA Veterinary ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funding for Spanish for Veterinarians curriculum development (2016-2019)
• PetSmart CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding support for Spanish for Veterinarians language program curriculum development (2021-2027)
• Nancy Richardson Design CenterminorOthersProvides scholarship opportunities for students enrolled in programming from the Nancy Richardson Design Center

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ohio State University Online: Ohio State Online is the online division of The Ohio State University, another large public R1 university. It is directly comparable to CSU Online in delivering the same faculty, same degrees, and same academic standards through online formats with a focus on adult and graduate learners.
• CSU Global (Colorado State University Global): CSU Global is the fully online, tuition-independent campus of the Colorado State University System, distinct from CSU Online. It is a direct peer for online degree and certificate delivery, particularly for working adults, but operates with a more flexible, asynchronous model and a different accreditation status than CSU Online.
• Arizona State University Online: ASU Online is the online learning arm of Arizona State University, a large public R1 university. It is the closest peer to CSU Online in mission, scale, and structure — delivering the same public-R1 brand, faculty, and academic standards through fully online degree programs to a national adult-learner audience.
• Penn State World Campus: Penn State World Campus is the online division of Penn State, a public R1 university. It is directly comparable to CSU Online in offering the same faculty and degrees as the parent institution in a fully online format, with a similarly broad catalog from undergraduate certificates through graduate degrees.
• University of Florida Online: UF Online is the fully online arm of the University of Florida, a top-ranked public R1 university. Like CSU Online, it offers bachelor's completion, master's, and doctoral programs online with the same faculty and standards as on-campus, targeting a national adult-learner audience.
• Oregon State University Ecampus: Oregon State Ecampus is the online learning division of Oregon State University, a public R1 land-grant university. It is a direct structural peer to CSU Online, both being land-grant universities with substantial online degree and certificate portfolios serving working adults.
• University of Illinois Springfield Online: UIS Online is the online learning division of the University of Illinois Springfield, a public university in the University of Illinois System. It is comparable to CSU Online in offering online bachelor's, master's, and certificate programs with a focus on adult and working professional learners.
• University of Massachusetts Amherst Online: UMass Amherst Online is the online learning arm of UMass Amherst, a public R1 university. It is a direct peer in delivering the same faculty and same academic standards through fully online undergraduate and graduate programs to a national audience.

Emerging players

• Western Governors University: WGU is a nonprofit, fully online university using a competency-based model. It competes with CSU Online primarily in workforce-aligned undergraduate and graduate degree-completion programs at significantly lower price points, putting pressure on CSU Online's affordability-led positioning.
• Southern New Hampshire University: SNHU is a large, private, nonprofit university that has become one of the most prominent online-first institutions in the U.S. It competes for the same adult-learner segment as CSU Online but operates with a more variable, online-optimized cost structure and different brand positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColoStateOnline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CSUcontinuinged
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoStateOnline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-state-university-online
• Instagraminstagram.com/colostateonline
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ColoStateOnline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CSU Online