U.S. News & World Report Publishes 2025 Best Online Programs
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, today released the 2025 Best Online Programs rankings. Designed for individuals looking to complete or pursue their academic goals, the rankings evaluate nearly 1,800 online bachelor's and master's degree programs at regionally accredited institutions.
"For those who wish to further their education but whose life circumstances call for increased flexibility to study outside the confines of a physical classroom, there are many distance learning programs to choose from," says LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News. "The 2025 Best Online Programs rankings examine factors that benefit the typical distance learner and serve as a helpful starting point for those seeking to find the right online program for their educational goals."
The rankings focus solely on degree-granting programs that are offered online, including several master's-level disciplines: MBA, business (non-MBA), engineering, information technology (including computer science), criminal justice, education and nursing.
The methodologies are different for each discipline, but all incorporate metrics assessing how well these programs are designed for distance learners and their effectiveness at awarding affordable degrees in a reasonable timeframe. That includes traditional college-age students, working parents, military service members, as well as established professionals and lifelong learners.
2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs
BACHELOR'S PROGRAMS
1. University at Buffalo - SUNY
2. University of Florida
3. University of Illinois - Chicago (tie)
3. University of North Carolina - Charlotte (tie)
MBA
1. Indiana University - Bloomington
2. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Business, non-MBA
1. Carnegie Mellon University (tie)
1. Texas A&M University - College Station (tie)
3. Arizona State University
Information Technology
1. Johns Hopkins University
2. Columbia University
3. University of Alabama at Birmingham
Criminal Justice/Criminology
1. University of New Haven
2. University of California - Irvine
3. University of Massachusetts - Lowell
Education
1. Clemson University
2. University of Florida
3. San Diego State University (tie)
3. University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign (tie)
3. University of North Texas (tie)
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison (tie)
Engineering
1. University of California - Los Angeles
2. Purdue University - Main Campus (tie)
2. University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign (tie)
Nursing
1. University of South Carolina
2. Saint Xavier University
3. Duke University (tie)
3. The Ohio State University (tie)
In addition to the rankings, U.S. News offers resources including the Online College Compare tool for researching and comparing distance education programs and the Scholarship Finder tool, which provides potential and current undergraduate students with access to financial aid options and more than 18,000 scholarships.
U.S. News also publishes year-round editorial content for online learners. Newly published content includes "The Cost of an Online Bachelor's Degree," "20 Online College Programs With the Most Faculty of Color" and 10 Most Affordable Online MBA Programs."
The Best Online Programs rankings serve a broader U.S. News mission of providing trusted information and rankings – such as Best High Schools, Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools and Best Global Universities – to help students explore their education options. For more information on the rankings, visit Best Online Programs and share the rankings using #BestOnline on X, Instagram and Facebook.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
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