U.S. News & World Report Announces the 2014 Best Online Programs

- Rankings Feature Data and Information on Nearly 1,000 Programs -

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Jan 08, 2014, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, a nationally recognized publisher of consumer advice and information, today released the 2014 Best Online Programs. The rankings, now in their third year, are a resource for students who are increasingly seeking online education programs for degree completion and career advancement.

The 2014 U.S. News Best Online Programs include online bachelor's degrees and online master's degrees in engineering, business, education, nursing and computer information technology, as well as information on the costs of an online degree and tips for being a successful distance learner.

The 2014 rankings evaluate information and data from nearly 1,000 online degree programs, up from 860 programs the previous year. Only degree-granting programs offering classes entirely online were considered.

"Online education is becoming a popular option for both students completing an undergraduate degree and working adults seeking career advancement," said Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer for U.S. News. "Much like we've done with traditional brick-and-mortar colleges, we're collecting and analyzing data to help students identify programs that support their education and career goals."

This year, U.S. News changed the methodologies significantly to incorporate additional data; further enhance its analytically rigorous approach; and better reflect retention rates, graduation rates and required time to graduate. For the first time, all six rankings include peer review data based on schools' evaluations of each other. These changes are the primary factors behind why many of the schools moved up and down in the rankings.

For more information on the Best Online Programs rankings, please visit www.usnews.com/online or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

U.S. News 2014 Best Online Programs
*See the full list of rankings online

Best Online Bachelor's Programs	Best Online Graduate Business Programs
1. Central Michigan University	1. Indiana University—Bloomington
1. SUNY College of Technology—Delhi (NY)	2. Arizona State University
3. Pace University (NY)	3. University of Florida
3. Pennsylvania State University—World Campus
Best Online Graduate Education Programs	Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs
1. Northern Illinois University	1. Columbia University (NY)
2. Indiana University—Bloomington	2. University of California—Los Angeles
3. Central Michigan University	3. University of Wisconsin—Madison
3. University of Houston (TX)
Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs	Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs
1. University of Southern California	1. St. Xavier University (IL)
2. Boston University (MA)	2. Medical University of South Carolina
2. Virginia Tech	3. University of Massachusetts—Amherst

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report's signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual "Best" series of consumer Web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans and more.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report