Atlanta, Georgia is the state capital and one of the largest and most historic cities on the Southern East Coast of the United States. While most people think about big business when they think of the city, it happens to have many of the nation's top facilities of higher education within a 250 mile radius, an easy day's drive from the metropolitan area.

Anne Velusa, research editor for OnlineCollegePlan.com, gathered data and created this ranking for the, "Top 20 Best Online Colleges Near Atlanta"

Schools from Georgia include the University of Georgia (1), Georgia Institute of Technology (2), Emory University (4),  Agnes Scott College (7), Mercer University (11), Berry College (12), Georgia College and State University (13) and Savannah College of Art and Design (17).

South Carolina is represented by Clemson University (3), Bob Jones University (8), Columbia International University (18), and Converse College (20).

Alabama Schools which are included are University of Alabama (5), Auburn University (6), Samford University (9).

Schools in Tennessee which made the ranking are the University of Tennessee (10), Johnson University (14), Lipscomb University (15), Belmont University (16), and Trevecca Nazarene University (19).

The entire ranking in descending order is as follows below:

20. Converse College - Spartanburg, South Carolina

19. Trevecca Nazarene University - Nashville, Tennessee

18. Columbia International University - Columbia, South Carolina

17. Savannah College of Art and Design - Savannah, Georgia

16. Belmont University - Nashville, Tennessee

15. Lipscomb University - Nashville, Tennessee

14. Johnson University - Knoxville, Tennessee

13. Georgia College and State University - Milledgeville, Georgia

12. Berry College - Mount Berry, Georgia

11. Mercer University - Macon, Georgia

10. University of Tennessee - Knoxville, Tennessee

9. Samford University - Birmingham, Alabama

8. Bob Jones University - Greenville, South Carolina

7. Agnes Scott College - Decatur, Georgia

6. Auburn University - Auburn, Alabama

5. University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa, Alabama

4. Emory University - Atlanta, Georgia

3. Clemson University - Clemson, South Carolina

2. Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, Georgia

1. University of Georgia - Athens, Georgia