Penn State again the most recognized in U.S. News' Best Online Programs rankings

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the third straight year, Penn State is the most recognized among hundreds of colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings of the country’s top online degree programs.

U.S. News’ 2019 Best Online Programs, released today (Jan. 15) ranked Penn State World Campus in the top 10 of six categories, the most of any institution in the country. The rankings are in the following categories: 

• No. 4, online graduate engineering 
• No. 5 (tie), online bachelor’s programs
• No. 7, online graduate computer information technology
• No. 8 (tie), online graduate business (non-MBA)
• No. 9 (tie), online MBA
• No. 9 (tie), online programs in education

Penn State World Campus also had the most top-10 placements in the 2017 and 2018 rankings. 

“Being recognized among the best in the country is something our faculty, staff and academic leaders from across our University strive to achieve,” said Renata Engel, vice provost for online education at Penn State. “It reflects our commitment to provide learners the high-quality, engaged educational experiences they need to fulfill their lives and advance their careers.”

U.S. News developed the rankings based on statistical surveys submitted by colleges and universities as well as data collected in a separate peer reputation survey.

The survey for the bachelor’s programs rankings weighed four categories: faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, student engagement and expert opinion. Surveys for graduate degree programs also measured student excellence.

U.S. News also ranked Penn State World Campus in six categories of its Best Online Programs for Veterans lists. Those rankings are based on the same factors as its Best Online Programs rankings in addition to an institution’s ability to make college more affordable through the GI Bill or other grant-in-aid programs designed for military students.  

The rankings for Best Online Programs for Veterans are:

• No. 2, online programs in education
• No. 4 (tie), online bachelor’s degrees 
• No. 4, online graduate business (non-MBA)
• No. 4, online graduate computer information technology
• No. 4, online graduate engineering 
• No. 5 (tie), online MBA 

Penn State was one of the pioneers in online higher education when it launched Penn State World Campus in 1998. Now, more than 20 years later, Penn State World Campus offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs online and has more than 14,000 students around the globe.

Visit the Penn State World Campus website for more information about the bachelor’s and graduate degrees offered online.