107 free online courses from the best colleges in the US — including Princeton, Harvard, and Yale

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• Online learning sites Coursera and edX allow you to audit classes from top universities for free.
• For additional fees, you can gain access to course certificates, assignments, tests, and even receive a final grade.
• Course topics vary widely – from business management to social justice, food science to structural engineering – there’s something for everyone.

Every year, US News & Reports releases its ranking of the top universities in the country. These schools are renowned for their rigorous academic and research programs, professors and faculty members with resumes packed with accomplishments, and beautiful campuses – but they’re not easy to get into, nor are they affordable to attend.

Thankfully, online learning sites like Coursera and edX are helping to increase access to high-quality education for everyone. Their free and low-priced courses are taught by instructors from the best universities and academic institutions around the world, allowing anyone to advance their education, professional goals, or personal interests.

Both Coursera and edX allow you to audit any course for free. You get access to course materials and follow along with the class as it progresses. For an additional $40 to $160 (depending on the course) on edX, you receive a verified certificate that you can include in your resume or on your LinkedIn profile. Meanwhile, expanded access to Coursera courses includes assignments, tests, and a final grade, and costs $29 to $99 per course.

Coursera and edX also each offer in-depth specializations that require some more commitment and help learners develop the professional skills that are in demand in their industries today.

A decade ago, you wouldn't have been able to easily take classes from these top-ranked schools. Now, you can. We rounded up the Coursera and edX courses from each of the schools so you can skip directly to your favorite university, or browse all that each has to offer.

Take online classes from the following top 14 universities in the country.

1: Princeton University

Browse all courses from Princeton University at Coursera here

• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies, 4 weeks, available at Coursera
• Effective Altruism, 15 hours, available at Coursera
• Computer Architecture, 5 weeks, available at Coursera
• Imagining Other Earths, 24 weeks, available at Coursera

Browse all courses from Princeton University at edX here

• Making Government Work in Hard Places, 8 weeks, available at edX
• Global History of Capitalism, 6 weeks, available at edX
• The Art of Structural Engineering: Bridges, 8 weeks, available at edX

2: Harvard University

Browse all courses from Harvard University at edX here

• CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Masterpieces of World Literature, 12 weeks, available at edX
• The Opioid Crisis in America, 7 weeks, available at edX
• Data Science: R Basics, 4 weeks, available at edX
• Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract, 8 weeks, available at edX

3: University of Chicago

Browse all courses from University of Chicago at Coursera here

• Modeling Climate Change, 8 weeks, available at edX
• Critical Issues in Urban Education, 12 weeks, available at edX

4: Yale University

Browse all courses from Yale University at Coursera here

• Introduction to Negotiation, 5 weeks, available at Coursera
• The Global Financial Crisis, 11 weeks, available at Coursera
• A Law Student's Tool Kit, 3 weeks, available at Coursera
• Essentials of Global Health, 5 weeks, available at Coursera
• Financial Markets, 7 weeks, available at Coursera
• The Science of Well-Being, 6 weeks, available at Coursera

5 (tie): Columbia University

Browse all courses from Columbia University at Coursera here

• Construction Management Specialization, 6 months, available at Coursera
• The Age of Sustainable Development, 19 weeks, available at Coursera
• Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part I, 8 weeks, available at Coursera

• Statistical Thinking for Data Science and Analytics, 5 weeks, available at edX
• Machine Learning for Data Science and Analytics, 5 weeks, available at edX
• Demand and Supply Analytics, 12 weeks, available at edX
• Artificial Intelligence (AI), 12 weeks, available at edX

5 (tie): MIT

Browse all courses from MIT at edX here

• Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science, 9 weeks, available at edX
• Just Money: Banking as if Society Mattered, 16 weeks, available at edX
• Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python, 9 weeks, available at edX
• Supply Chain Analytics, 13 weeks, available at edX
• Design Thinking for Leading and Learning, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis, 5 weeks, available at edX

5 (tie): Stanford University

Browse all courses from Stanford University at Coursera here

• Algorithms Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Organizational Analysis, 4 weeks, available at Coursera
• International Women's Health and Human Rights, 8-11 weeks, available at Coursera
• Child Nutrition and Cooking, 8 hours, available at Coursera
• Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, 5 weeks, available at Coursera
• Social and Economic Networks: Models and Analysis, 5 weeks, available at Coursera

8: University of Pennsylvania

Browse all courses from University of Pennsylvania at Coursera here

• Business Analytics Specialization, 3 months, available at Coursera
• Business Foundations Specialization, 6 courses, available at Coursera
• Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content, 6 hours, available at Coursera
• Design: Creation of Artifacts in Society, 6 weeks, available at Coursera

Browse all courses from University of Pennsylvania at edX here

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Strategic Approach, 4 weeks, available at edX
• Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Programming for the Web with JavaScript, 4 weeks, available at edX
• Robotics: Fundamentals, 12 weeks, available at edX
• Hollywood: History, Industry, Art, 4 weeks, available at edX

9: Duke University

Browse all courses from Duke University at Coursera here

• Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization, 5 months, available at Coursera
• Behavioral Finance, 9 hours, available at Coursera
• Think Again IV: How to Avoid Fallacies, 10 hours, available at Coursera
• Dog Emotion and Cognition, 11 hours, available at Coursera
• Sports and Society, 2 weeks, available at Coursera
• Programming Fundamentals, 4 weeks, available at Coursera

10: Caltech

Browse all courses from Caltech at Coursera here

• Drugs and the Brain, available at Coursera
• The Science of the Solar System, 7weeks, available at Coursera
• The Evolving Universe, 7 weeks, available at Coursera
• Getting Started in Cryo-EM, 18 hours, available at Coursera

11 (tie): Dartmouth College

Browse all courses from Dartmouth College at edX here

• Omnichannel Strategy and Management, 4 weeks, available at edX
• Retail Fundamentals, 4 weeks, available at edX
• Retail and Omnichannel Management Professional Certificate, 8 hours, available at edX
• Question Reality! Science, Philosophy, and the Search for Meaning, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Introduction to Environmental Science, 4 weeks, available at edX
• The Engineering of Structures Around Us, 5 weeks, available at edX

11 (tie): Johns Hopkins University

Browse all courses from Johns Hopkins University at Coursera here

• Data Science Specialization, 8 months, available at Coursera
• Mastering Software Development in R Specialization, 3 months, available at Coursera
• Systems Thinking In Public Health, 4 weeks, available at Coursera
• Design and Interpretation of Clinical Trials, 3 weeks, available at Coursera
• Major Depression in the Population: A Public Health Approach, 6 weeks, available at Coursera
• Health for All Through Primary Health Care, 15 hours, available at Coursera
• Toxicology 21: Scientific Applications, 6 weeks, available at Coursera

11 (tie): Northwestern University

Browse all courses from Northwestern University at Coursera here

• Content Strategy for Professionals Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Organizational Leadership Specialization, 6 months, available at Coursera
• Social Media Marketing Specialization, 5 months, available at Coursera
• Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare, 5 weeks, available at Coursera
• Scaling Operations: Linking Strategy and Execution, 7 weeks, available at Coursera
• Modern Robotics, Course 1: Foundations of Robot Motion, 4 weeks, available at Coursera

14 (tie): Brown University

Browse all courses from Brown University at edX here

• Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans: Exploring Humanity Through Literature, 3 weeks, available at edX
• Artful Medicine: Art's Power to Enrich Patient Care, 3 weeks, available at edX
• The Ethics of Memory, 3 weeks, available at edX

14 (tie): Cornell University

Browse all courses from Cornell University at edX here

• A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering Simulations, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Wiretaps to Big Data: Privacy and Surveillance in the Age of Interconnection, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Sharks! Global Biodiversity, Biology, and Conservation, 4 weeks, available at edX
• The Science and Politics of the GMO, 5 weeks, available at edX
• The Computing Technology Inside Your Smartphone, 10 weeks, available at edX
• Introduction to Global Hospitality Management, 6 weeks, available at edX

14 (tie): Rice University

Browse all courses from Rice University at Coursera here

• Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Communication Skills for Engineers Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Finance for Non-Finance Professionals, 4 weeks, available at Coursera

Browse all courses from Rice University at edX here

• DNA: Biology's Genetic Code, 6 weeks, available at edX
• Proteins: Biology's Workforce, 5 weeks, available at edX
• Electricity & Magnetism, Part 1, 7 weeks, available at edX
• Introduction to Mechanics, Part 1, 6 weeks, available at edX

14 (tie): Vanderbilt University

Browse all courses from Vanderbilt University at Coursera here

• Android App Development Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Business Essentials for Managers Specialization, 4 months, available at Coursera
• Justice, Mercy and Mass Incarceration, 7 weeks, available at Coursera
• Data Management for Clinical Research, 6 weeks, available at Coursera
• Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative, 4 weeks, available at Coursera
• Understanding the Music Business: What is Music Worth?, 6 weeks, available at Coursera
• Leading Innovation in Arts and Culture, 9 weeks, available at Coursera