Best Online Programs in USA 2024
Best Online Programs in USA 2024
Opting for an online college program often proves to be a more cost-effective and flexible choice compared to traditional in-person degrees, especially for individuals balancing work or family commitments.
Although the popularity of online learning surged during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many educational institutions, including those highlighted in the 2024 U.S. News Best Online Programs rankings, had already embraced online degree offerings for several years.
In the 2024 rankings recently published by U.S. News, a total of 1,752 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs were evaluated, with 1,680 of them receiving rankings.
Unlike traditional rankings that rely heavily on standardized test scores, these assessments focus on various criteria such as faculty qualifications, available resources and technologies, student engagement, and expert evaluations of academic quality. For master’s degree programs, additional factors like undergraduate GPAs, acceptance rates, and work experience are considered.
Blended learning programs, which blend in-person and online instruction, are excluded from these rankings. Eligible programs must primarily operate online without recurring in-person attendance requirements.
Graduate programs are divided into specific fields of study for categorization, including non-MBA business, criminal justice, information technology, education, engineering, and nursing. Online MBA programs are evaluated separately from other master’s degrees in business. Additionally, U.S. News provides rankings for the Best Online Programs tailored for veterans.
Highlighted below are some of the top-ranked online degree programs in the 2024 rankings. Fluctuations in rankings may be attributed to changes in data from year to year, as well as adjustments in ranking methodologies. Notably, the proportion of graduates who borrowed is no longer a factor in the rankings, and the student indebtedness indicator now solely considers the average debt among graduate borrowers. Further details about the methodologies used in the rankings can be found here.
Best Online Undergraduate Programs
The University at Buffalo—SUNY made a significant leap from its previous position to claim the top spot on this year’s list of bachelor’s programs. Meanwhile, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—Worldwide, previously tied at No. 2, slipped out of the top 10 to land at No. 13, alongside George Washington University and the University of Georgia.
Among the top 10 schools, seven maintained their positions for the second consecutive year, with Ohio State Online, North Carolina State University, and UB making their debut this year.
Beyond the top 10, there were notable advancements in rankings, including the University of Kentucky’s rise from No. 49 to a four-way tie at No. 16. Similarly, California State University—Chico climbed from No. 113 to tie with three other institutions at No. 41.
Certain colleges excel in specific majors; for instance, the University of Florida and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst secured the top spots for Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs. Additionally, Penn State World Campus and Oregon State maintained their positions as the top two schools for Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs, with the University of Florida following closely at No. 3.
Best Online Programs for Veterans
In order to be eligible for consideration, institutions must rank in the upper half of the Best Online Programs list, hold certification for the GI Bill, and participate in either the Yellow Ribbon Program or offer in-state tuition rates that can be fully covered through the GI Bill for out-of-state veterans.
Furthermore, a minimum enrollment of 25 veterans and active service members is required for bachelor’s programs, while master’s programs necessitate a minimum enrollment of 10 veterans or active service members.
In this year’s rankings, there have been slight shifts in the top two online bachelor’s programs for veterans. The University of Florida maintains its position at No. 1, with ASU now occupying the No. 2 spot. Following closely behind are CUNY School of Professional Studies in New York and the University of Arizona at third and fourth place, respectively. Embry-Riddle and the University of Central Florida are tied for fifth place.
Best Online MBA Programs
Indiana University—Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business and Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business in Pennsylvania secured the first and second positions, respectively, among online MBA programs.
Previously sharing the top spot, the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School dropped to a tie for third place, alongside the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business. For veteran students, the University of Washington and Indiana University held the top two spots at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
No new additions were observed within the top 10 this year.
Regarding specialized areas, Carnegie Mellon secured the top position for business analytics, while Indiana University (IU) claimed the No. 1 spots for finance and marketing.
Best Online Master’s in Business Programs
In addition to MBA programs, U.S. News evaluates and ranks the Best Online Master’s in Business Programs, encompassing degrees in accounting, finance, insurance, marketing, and management.
Carnegie Mellon University climbed from a previous tie at No. 2 to secure the top position. Several ties were observed within the remaining top 10 rankings. Notably, a three-way tie occurred for the sixth spot among Boston University, Rutgers University—New Brunswick and Newark, and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management. The most extensive tie was at No. 9, with five schools sharing the position: Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Florida International University, Kansas State University, the University of Texas—Dallas’ Naveen Jindal School of Management, and the University of Connecticut.
Significant advancements were also noted among non-MBA online graduate business programs. Kansas State, for instance, rose from a previous tie at No. 43 to a shared No. 9 position. Furthermore, Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business in Pennsylvania broke into the top 50, securing the No. 34 spot after previously tying at No. 52.
Best Online Master’s in Education Programs
Clemson University’s Moore School of Education in South Carolina retained its top position for online graduate education programs, securing the No. 1 rank once again, without sharing the spot. The University of Florida’s College of Education, previously tied for the top spot, slid down to No. 2, sharing the position with the University of Virginia.
Middle Georgia State University, previously tied at No. 109, surged to a seven-way tie at No. 45 in this year’s rankings. Similarly, Kent State University in Ohio experienced a significant leap from a previous tie at No. 142 to join a five-way tie at No. 58.
In terms of specialized areas, Michigan State University claimed the No. 1 rank for educational administration and supervision, as well as curriculum and instruction, while the University of Kansas secured the top spot for special education. The University of Virginia held the top position for veteran students.
Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs
For the fourth consecutive year, The University of South Carolina maintained its top position among online nursing master’s programs, securing the No. 1 rank. Indiana University-Purdue University—Indianapolis (IUPUI) climbed eight spots to claim the No. 2 position, followed by Saint Xavier University in Illinois at No. 3.
In addition to being tied for the No. 4 overall ranking, Duke University excelled by securing first place in three specialty areas within online nursing programs: nursing administration/leadership, nursing education, and family nurse practitioner.
Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs
The University of California—Los Angeles’ Henry Samueli School of Engineering retained its top position in the rankings of online master’s in engineering programs. Meanwhile, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering, which also holds the No. 1 spot for veterans, climbed two spots from No. 4. Purdue University—Main Campus in Indiana dropped by one spot, tying with Penn State World Campus to complete the top three rankings.
Several Midwest schools excelled in specialty areas. Purdue University ranked No. 1 in industrial and management engineering (tied with Johns Hopkins University in Maryland) as well as mechanical engineering, while the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign led the list for civil engineering.
Best Online Master’s in Information Technology Programs
Columbia University, Johns Hopkins’ G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering in Maryland, and Virginia Tech maintained their positions in the top three among online graduate information technology programs. However, this year, Columbia and Johns Hopkins shared the No. 1 spot, unlike the previous year. Additionally, Ferris State University in Michigan saw significant progress in this category, leaping from a tie at No. 41 to a four-way tie at No. 14, placing it within the top 20 rankings.
Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs
The online graduate criminology program at the University of California—Irvine maintained its No. 1 ranking for the fourth consecutive year. The University of New Haven in Connecticut advanced from a previous tie at No. 6 to secure the No. 2 spot. At No. 3, there was a four-way tie among Boston University, Sam Houston State University in Texas, Texas Christian University, and the University of Massachusetts—Lowell.
