Washington, D.C. – U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, today unveiled the 2019 Best Online Programs rankings for adults looking to advance their education and career goals. Speaking to a greater interest in online programs, this year's rankings evaluate 1,545 programs – up from 1,490 last year – including both bachelor's and graduate programs in fields like nursing, education, business and engineering.
April 19, 2024
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U.S. News & World Report Announces 2019 Best Online Programs Rankings
The Best Online Bachelor's Program is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, moving up one spot from last year to reclaim the No. 1 rank. Schools at the top of this list generally have lower indebtedness, with the average debt of graduates at the top 10 online bachelor's programs being about $19,000.
The Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs list increased to 179 programs this year, and Johns Hopkins University moved up four spots to the top of the list. The University of Florida joins Clemson University in a tie for No. 1 in graduate-level education. Columbia University and the University of Southern California maintain their respective No. 1 ranks for online graduate programs in engineering and computer information technology.
"Online programs can offer a flexible learning environment for students who have to balance classes with working a full-time job, caring for their family or other responsibilities," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News. "The Best Online Programs rankings allow students to compare accredited programs and find those that best fit their education interests and career goals."
Aside from the rankings, U.S. News publishes year-round editorial content on accredited programs, paying for school, career advancement and more. Prospective students can also use the Online College Compare tool to search and compare programs.
Using data gathered directly from each institution, U.S. News is the only publication to evaluate online degrees at the program level rather than the school level. The methodologies are based on factors including student engagement, faculty credentials, and student services and technology. Only degree-granting programs at regionally accredited institutions that are offered primarily online were considered.
Bachelor's Programs
1. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL)
2. Arizona State University
3. Ohio State University–Columbus (tie)
3. Oregon State University (tie)
Graduate Programs
MBA
1. Indiana University–Bloomington (tie)
1. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (tie)
3. Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Business, non-MBA
1. Indiana University–Bloomington
2. University of Southern California (tie)
2. Villanova University (PA) (tie)
Computer Information Technology
1. University of Southern California
2. New York University
3. Virginia Tech
Criminal Justice
1. University of Nebraska–Omaha
2. University of California–Irvine
3. Sam Houston State University (TX)
Education
1. Clemson University (SC) (tie)
1. University of Florida (tie)
3. Utah State University (tie)
3. Virginia Commonwealth University (tie)
Engineering
1. Columbia University (NY)
2. University of California–Los Angeles (tie)
2. University of Southern California (tie)
Nursing
1. Johns Hopkins University (MD)
2. Ohio State University
3. St. Xavier University (IL)
For more information, visit Best Online Programs and share the rankings using #BestOnlinePrograms on Facebook and Twitter. U.S. News will also host the "Workforce of Tomorrow" summit May 22, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Committed to examining and advancing solutions for a STEM-skilled workforce, the U.S. News STEM Solutions Presents: Workforce of Tomorrow conference is the preeminent conference for leaders in education, policy and workforce development. To learn more, visit USNewsSTEMsolutions.com.
