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Franklin University is a private nonprofit university founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, originally established by the YMCA as a school of commerce for working adults. That origin shapes what Franklin is today: an institution built from the ground up around the needs of employed adults, with an open undergraduate admission policy, one of the most generous transfer credit caps in HLC-accredited higher education, a rate-lock tuition guarantee that is rare in the online market, and a programmatic accreditation portfolio 鈥� CCNE for nursing through the doctoral level, IACBE for business, CAHIIM for health information management, CAEP for education, and NSA/DHS CAE-CD for cybersecurity 鈥� that gives specific credential value to the programs it covers.

Franklin is not a prominent brand name in the way that Penn State World Campus or Arizona State Online are. It does not carry a research university credential or a regional flagship identity. What it carries is a deliberately affordable per-credit rate that has not risen since 2021, a tuition guarantee that locks that rate for the duration of your degree, and a transfer credit policy that accepts up to 94 prior credits 鈥� making it one of the most cost-efficient paths to a legitimately accredited bachelor’s degree in the HLC market for adults who enter with significant prior credits.

What Is Franklin University Online?

Franklin University occupies a specific and well-defined position in the online adult learner market. It is not trying to be a research university, a flagship institution, or a prestige brand. It is trying to be the most cost-efficient, transfer-friendly, accreditation-credentialed path to a degree for working adults who have prior credits, professional experience, and schedules that do not permit traditional full-time enrollment.

The 1902 founding date matters contextually: Franklin has been serving working adults for more than 120 years, which means its infrastructure 鈥� advising models, transfer credit evaluation processes, financial aid support for older students, flexible scheduling 鈥� has been built and refined around that specific population rather than adapted from a traditional residential model. Over 90 percent of Franklin’s undergraduate students bring transfer credits. The institution’s processes are optimized for that reality in ways that institutions that have recently pivoted to online adult learner markets often are not.

Franklin’s 14-acre downtown Columbus campus is a physical anchor for a predominantly online institution, offering in-person options for Ohio and Midwest students while the majority of enrollment is served fully online. International partnerships with the Seoul Women’s College of Nursing in South Korea, Singidunum University in Serbia, and the Wroclaw School of Banking in Poland extend Franklin’s reach beyond the domestic market 鈥� with 8,000-plus students from 72 countries, it is meaningfully more internationally diverse than its regional HLC identity might suggest.

Accreditation: HLC and a Deep Programmatic Portfolio

Franklin’s institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission has been continuous since 1976. The HLC’s most recent action 鈥� a Renewal of Accreditation completed in 2026 鈥� is the highest-stakes periodic review in the accreditation cycle and was completed without sanction or monitoring conditions. This is the baseline quality signal that matters for federal financial aid eligibility, credit transferability to other HLC and regionally accredited institutions, and employer recognition.

The programmatic portfolio is Franklin’s strongest differentiator against comparably priced online universities. Many institutions at Franklin’s price point carry only institutional accreditation. Franklin carries five distinct programmatic accreditations covering nursing, business, health information management, education, and cybersecurity 鈥� each of which functions as a field-specific credential quality signal that matters to the employers and licensing boards in those fields.

For a complete guide to verifying institutional and programmatic accreditation, see: What to Look for in an Accredited Online University

Tuition, Cost, and the Tuition Guarantee

The Numbers

Franklin’s undergraduate per-credit rate of $398 has not increased since 2021 鈥� an unusual claim in a market where 3 to 6 percent annual tuition increases are standard. The 2024-25 annual undergraduate tuition and fees of $9,577 reflects this stability. At $398 per credit for a 120-credit bachelor’s degree completed entirely from scratch, total tuition is approximately $47,760. With 60 prior credits accepted, the remaining 60 credits cost approximately $23,880. With 94 prior credits accepted 鈥� Franklin’s maximum 鈥� the remaining 26 credits cost approximately $10,348. That last figure represents one of the lowest total completion costs for a legitimately CCNE-nursing or IACBE-business accredited bachelor’s degree in the HLC-accredited market.

Graduate programs run $670 per credit. A 36-credit master’s totals approximately $24,120 鈥� competitive but not the lowest in the HLC market. SNHU’s graduate programs run approximately $637 per credit for comparison; WGU’s competency-based model offers flat-rate graduate terms. Franklin’s graduate per-credit rate is reasonable for an IACBE-accredited business program, and the CCNE-accredited nursing master’s programs (MSN tracks, DNP) at $670 per credit represent strong value for that specific clinical credential given CCNE’s scope requirements.

The Tuition Guarantee: What It Actually Means

Franklin’s Tuition Guarantee is a rate-lock: the per-credit rate in effect during your first term is locked for the duration of your associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree, for as long as you remain actively enrolled. Active enrollment is defined as completing at least one course per year 鈥� receiving a verified, transcripted grade in at least one course during the academic year. The guarantee applies to the standard per-credit rate for undergraduate and master’s programs, to master’s certificate programs, to teacher licensure programs, and to the international (F-1) student rate.

The practical value of this guarantee depends on how long you take to finish. If you complete your degree in two years, you would have experienced two potential tuition increase cycles 鈥� a modest benefit. If you complete over five years 鈥� a realistic timeline for a working adult taking two courses per term 鈥� you would have been shielded from five years of annual tuition increases that at a typical 3 to 5 percent annual rate could have added $1,500 to $5,000 or more to your total degree cost at comparable institutions. The guarantee is most valuable for slower-paced completers, which is precisely the population of working adults who face the greatest risk from tuition escalation over time.

The one condition worth noting: the guarantee requires completing at least one course per year. A student who takes a full calendar year off from enrollment will lose their locked rate and re-enter at the then-current rate. For students who anticipate possible deployment, medical leave, or extended disruptions, this is worth planning around before enrolling 鈥� though Franklin’s policy notes that students on a break term still maintain eligibility.

For context: SNHU’s comparable bachelor’s programs at $330/credit with a 90-credit transfer cap produce a minimum remaining cost of $9,900 (30 credits) 鈥� slightly lower than Franklin’s minimum. Franklin’s $398/credit with a 94-credit cap produces a minimum remaining cost of approximately $10,348 (26 credits). The difference is modest at the maximum transfer scenario. At moderate transfer volumes (45-60 credits), Franklin’s higher cap partially offsets SNHU’s lower rate, and Franklin’s tuition guarantee adds long-term cost certainty that SNHU’s rate structure does not provide.

For a complete guide to transfer credit maximization strategies and PLA, see: What Happens If You Already Have 60 College Credits When Returning to Online College?

For a borrowing framework and total cost calculation by field, see: How Much Should You Borrow for an Online Degree?

Programs by School

Ross College of Business (IACBE)

The Ross College of Business holds IACBE programmatic accreditation for all of its business programs 鈥� undergraduate and graduate. The online business catalog is broad: bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Entrepreneurship, and Healthcare Management; an MBA with multiple concentration options; and master’s degrees in Accounting (including STEM-designated, Financial Operations, and Taxation tracks), Communications, and Business Administration. The MBA and MS programs at $670 per credit for 36-credit programs total approximately $24,120.

IACBE accreditation is appropriate for most business career targets. It carries CHEA recognition and is held by institutions specifically serving adult and working professionals. For students whose target employers specifically screen for AACSB 鈥� a minority of hiring pipelines, primarily elite consulting, investment banking, and some Fortune 100 rotational programs 鈥� IACBE is a step below. For the majority of working adult students targeting management, accounting, HR, marketing, and operations roles in mid-market and regional employers, IACBE-accredited programs produce the credential quality signal that matters. Franklin’s business programs at $670/credit graduate compare favorably in total cost against AACSB alternatives like the Graziadio MBA at $2,105/credit, with the IACBE-versus-AACSB distinction being the relevant quality trade-off.

For how AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE affect employer recognition in business hiring, see: How Employers View Online Business Degrees

Nursing Programs (CCNE 鈥� Full Suite)

Franklin’s nursing portfolio is its most credential-intensive and arguably its most valuable programmatic offering relative to price. CCNE accreditation covers the full suite from BSN through DNP, including every MSN specialty track and all post-graduate APRN certificates. The specific programs covered:

The CCNE-accredited RN-to-BSN at approximately $23,880 for 60 credits is one of the more affordable CCNE-accredited RN-to-BSN completions available at an HLC-accredited institution. For comparison, Chamberlain University charges approximately $675 per credit for its BSN 鈥� nearly 70 percent more per credit than Franklin’s $398 rate. The CCNE scope covers the same accreditation standard regardless of institution. For RNs seeking BSN completion or advancement to NP credentials, Franklin’s nursing suite is a strong cost-efficiency case with full CCNE coverage.

For a complete guide to online nursing programs, CCNE vs. ACEN accreditation, and APRN pathways, see: Accredited Online Nursing Programs for Working Adults

Technology Programs (CAE-CD)

Franklin’s technology portfolio is anchored by its NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation, held since 2019. The BS in Cybersecurity and related programs carry this designation, which is a specific signal for federal agency and defense-sector employers who screen for CAE-CD institutions in cybersecurity hiring. The technology catalog extends to BS and MS programs in Computer Science with multiple focus areas 鈥� Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Software Systems 鈥� plus Health Information Technology, Information Technology, and related fields.

The computer science and cybersecurity programs at $398/credit for bachelor’s and $670/credit for master’s represent some of the most cost-efficient STEM credentials with relevant programmatic recognition available in the HLC market. For students targeting federal cybersecurity roles specifically, the CAE-CD designation matters as a sorting criterion in USAJobs applications and federal agency hiring. For private-sector cybersecurity roles, institutional accreditation and demonstrated skills carry more weight, and the CAE-CD distinction is less directly evaluable by hiring managers.

Health Information Management (CAHIIM)

The BS in Health Information Management is CAHIIM-accredited through 2028-2029 鈥� the most recent reaffirmation. CAHIIM accreditation is required for graduates to sit for the RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator) credential examination administered by AHIMA. The RHIA is a licensure-adjacent credential in the health information management field that is evaluated in hiring for HIM director, health informatics manager, and clinical data analyst roles at hospital systems, health plans, and health technology companies. BLS data places medical and health services managers at a $110,680 median 鈥� and health information management is a direct pipeline into that category with CAHIIM-to-RHIA credentialing. At $398/credit for the bachelor’s program, this is a strong value proposition for the specific HIM career track.

Education (CAEP 鈥� Ohio Focus)

The H.K. and Eva James College of Education holds CAEP accreditation through June 2027 for four initial-level educator preparation programs: Adolescence to Young Adult Education (grades 7-12), Intervention Specialist: Mild-Moderate (K-12), Middle Childhood Education, and Primary Education (PK-5). All are Ohio-license focused. Out-of-state teachers considering these programs must verify with their state’s licensing board that a Franklin degree from an Ohio-approved program satisfies their state’s credential requirements before enrolling 鈥� CAEP accreditation is national but state program approval requirements vary.

Beyond initial licensure, Franklin offers an MS in Instructional Design and a Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS) in Instructional Design Leadership 鈥� graduate credentials in the growing learning design and corporate training field that do not carry the state licensure complications of initial teacher preparation programs. The DPS requires three years of K-12 teaching or relevant professional experience.

Transfer Credit Policy: Franklin’s Defining Competitive Advantage

The 94-credit transfer cap is the single most important number for adults with significant prior college work considering Franklin. It is among the highest confirmed transfer caps at any HLC-accredited institution 鈥� Excelsior University accepts up to 113 credits, but its institutional model and MSCHE accreditation differ from Franklin’s HLC standing. Among HLC-accredited institutions specifically, 94 credits puts Franklin at the high end of the market, above SNHU’s 90-credit cap, Purdue Global’s 90-credit cap, and well above the 60-credit caps that most traditional four-year universities apply.

The minimum grade for transfer acceptance is a D 鈥� also more generous than the C-minus minimum applied by many institutions. This matters for students whose prior academic performance was uneven: Franklin’s policy does not penalize early-career academic struggles the way more selective transfer policies do.

Over 90 percent of Franklin’s undergraduate students arrive with transfer credits. This is not a marketing claim 鈥� it is a structural feature of the student population that shapes every aspect of Franklin’s advising model, academic catalog, and financial aid infrastructure. The institution has processed more transfer credit evaluations than most online universities have enrolled students. That operational depth translates into faster evaluations, more consistent outcomes, and advisors who understand the edge cases.

One practical note: the 94-credit cap applies toward the bachelor’s degree. Residency requirements 鈥� the minimum credits that must be completed at Franklin 鈥� are typically 26 credits for most programs (the remaining credits after the 94-credit cap). This is among the lowest residency requirements in the HLC market, meaning the maximum transfer benefit translates into the minimum remaining coursework with very few institutional exceptions.

For a complete guide to transfer credit strategies, PLA, and how transfer caps affect total cost, see: What Happens If You Already Have 60 College Credits When Returning to Online College?

Career Outcomes by Program Area

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2023-24 Edition.

Who Franklin University Online Is Best Suited For

Students Most Likely to Benefit from Franklin

• Adults returning to college with 45 to 94 prior credits from regionally accredited institutions who want to maximize the value of their prior work at the lowest remaining per-credit cost under a locked rate. The combination of Franklin’s 94-credit cap, $398/credit rate, and tuition guarantee makes it one of the most cost-efficient completion paths in the HLC market for students with significant prior credits who complete over multiple years.
• RNs seeking BSN completion or MSN/NP advancement who need CCNE accreditation and want to avoid the $675/credit rates at Chamberlain or the $550+/credit rates at other CCNE programs. Franklin’s CCNE coverage from BSN through DNP at $398/credit (BSN) and $670/credit (graduate nursing) is a strong cost-efficiency case for the full nursing credential ladder.
• Business professionals targeting management, accounting, HR, marketing, or supply chain roles who need an IACBE-accredited credential and do not specifically require AACSB for their target employer’s hiring pipeline. The IACBE MBA and MS programs at approximately $24,120 total (36 credits at $670) are competitive with most non-AACSB alternatives and well below AACSB programs at premium-priced institutions.
• Students targeting federal cybersecurity careers who need the NSA/DHS CAE-CD credential signal that Franklin’s BS in Cybersecurity carries. The CAE-CD designation is not universal across HLC institutions and represents a specific competitive advantage for federal agency and defense contractor hiring.
• Students targeting RHIA credentialing in health information management who need CAHIIM accreditation. Franklin’s CAHIIM-accredited BS at $398/credit is one of the more affordable paths to the RHIA exam eligibility in the HLC market.
• Midwest-based students who want the option of in-person coursework at one of Franklin’s 25 Ohio and Midwest locations alongside fully online delivery 鈥� an option that most online-only institutions cannot provide.

Students Who Should Investigate Alternatives or Verify First

• Students targeting elite consulting, investment banking, or Fortune 100 rotational management programs where AACSB accreditation is a screening criterion. Franklin’s IACBE business programs are appropriate for most management career targets but are not equivalent to AACSB for the specific hiring pipelines that explicitly screen for it. Students with those specific targets should compare against AACSB programs at Indiana University Online (Kelley), Penn State World Campus, or the University of Illinois Gies iMBA before committing.
• Students in fields where Franklin does not hold relevant programmatic accreditation 鈥� counseling (no CACREP), social work (no CSWE), marriage and family therapy (no COAMFTE), engineering (no ABET). These fields require specific programmatic accreditation for licensure eligibility that Franklin’s institutional HLC accreditation alone does not satisfy.
• Students outside Ohio considering education programs for initial teacher licensure. Franklin’s CAEP-accredited teacher preparation programs are Ohio-focused, and out-of-state program approval varies by state. Verify with your state’s teacher licensing board that the specific Franklin program satisfies your state’s approval requirements before enrolling.
• Students specifically seeking a large program catalog or national brand name recognition as a primary criterion. Franklin’s 80+ programs is solid but less broad than SNHU (200+) or ASU Online (300+). Its institutional recognition is strongest in the Midwest and in fields where its programmatic accreditations carry direct weight 鈥� nursing, health information, cybersecurity, education.

Final Assessment

Franklin University Online makes its case most clearly on three variables: transfer credit generosity, price stability, and programmatic accreditation depth relative to cost. The 94-credit transfer cap is among the highest in the HLC-accredited market. The $398/credit undergraduate rate locked by the tuition guarantee is among the most cost-certain options for working adults who complete over multiple years. The CCNE, IACBE, CAHIIM, CAEP, and CAE-CD portfolio adds field-specific credential weight to programs that would otherwise compete solely on institutional accreditation and price.

What Franklin is not is a prestige institution, a research university, or a broad-catalog platform. Students who need AACSB for business, CACREP for counseling, CSWE for social work, or ABET for engineering should look at institutions that hold those specific accreditations. Students who need the scale of 200-plus programs should look at SNHU or ASU Online. Students for whom the Malibu or Columbus campus experience is part of the credential identity should look elsewhere.

For the specific student Franklin is designed for 鈥� a working adult with prior credits, a career target in nursing, business, health informatics, education, or cybersecurity, and a need for a cost-predictable, accreditation-credentialed degree that fits around a full-time schedule 鈥� Franklin is one of the more honestly constructed matches in the online adult learner market. The institution has been doing this specific job since 1902. The institutional infrastructure that has accumulated over 120 years of serving exactly that population shows in the transfer processes, the advising model, and the programmatic accreditation depth that most newer adult-learner platforms have not yet built.

Ready to find programs matched to your transfer credits, career goals, and budget? See: See Your Best-Fit Online Programs in 60 Seconds

For the complete adult learner guide, see: The Complete Guide to Earning an Accredited Online Degree as an Adult Learner