UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State received six top-10 rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Online Programs, the most of any college or university in the country for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2020 Best Online Programs lists, released January 14, ranked Penn State World Campus, the University’s online campus, in the top 10 of five graduate degree disciplines and the overall bachelor’s degree programs category.
Here are the Penn State World Campus rankings:
- No. 6, online graduate engineering
- No. 6, online graduate computer information technology
- No. 6 (tie), online MBA
- No. 7, online graduate education
- No. 8, online graduate business (non-MBA)
- No. 8 (tie), online bachelor’s programs
Penn State World Campus also had the most top-10 placements in the 2019, 2018, and 2017 rankings.
“We are committed to providing online learners a high-quality, engaging education — one that empowers them as they advance in their careers and contribute to their communities,” said Renata Engel, vice provost for online education at Penn State. “We are honored to again receive the recognition as one of the best in the country. The faculty, staff, and academic leaders of Penn State World Campus strive to provide robust learning experiences across the breadth of our undergraduate and graduate programs portfolio.”
Each year, U.S. News develops 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: engagement, services and technologies, faculty credentials and training, 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 and accessible through the GI Bill® or other grant-in-aid programs designed for military students.
Here are the Penn State World Campus rankings for Best Online Programs for Veterans:
- No. 2, online graduate education
- No. 4, online MBA
- No. 4, online graduate business
- No. 5, online graduate engineering
- No. 5, online graduate computer information technology
- No. 6 (tie), online bachelor’s programs
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.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.