ASU Online earns 25 top 10 rankings in latest US News &amp; World Report
University also gets 8 top 3 spots, recognized as among nation's best online undergraduate and graduate programs

By Carrie Peterson, ASU News
January 26, 2026

Arizona State University has once again been ranked among the best in the nation for online degree programs, earning more than two dozen top 10 spots in the 2026 U.S. News &amp; World Report Best Online Programs rankings.

ASU Online moved up one spot to No. 6 for best online bachelor’s programs in the 2026 rankings, ahead of Texas A&amp;M, Indiana University Online and George Washington University. Across undergraduate and graduate programs, ASU also earned eight top three program rankings, reflecting the strength and breadth of the university’s online programs. 

Top-ranked online bachelor’s programs

In addition to its overall undergraduate ranking, ASU Online received strong recognition across multiple online bachelor’s programs:


No. 2 — bachelor’s in business, ahead of Penn State World Campus and Indiana University Online.



No. 3 — bachelor’s programs for veterans, ahead of George Washington University, Syracuse University and Indiana University Online.


ASU Online ranked alongside Oregon State University and the University of Central Florida in the No. 6 spot for overall bachelor's programs.

With more than 107,000 online students worldwide and more than 110,000 graduates from online degree programs, ASU’s repeated recognition attests to the university’s long-standing commitment to innovation, access and academic excellence in online education.

“These rankings reflect Arizona State University’s continued focus on designing online degree programs that put students first,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost. 

“Across undergraduate and graduate programs, our faculty and staff are working to ensure learners receive the same high-quality academic experience online as they would on campus, with the flexibility needed to succeed.”

Graduate programs rank among nation’s best

ASU Online’s graduate programs earned widespread recognition across business, education, engineering, technology, health and public service.

“These rankings reflect the intentional work happening across ASU to design online degree programs that are rigorous, scalable and responsive to learner needs,” said Phil Regier, university dean for educational initiatives and CEO of EdPlus at ASU. “Through close collaboration with academic units across the university, ASU Online continues to expand educational access while supporting learners at every stage of their academic and professional journeys.”

Business and MBA programs

The online master’s in business programs through the W. P. Carey School of Business was ranked No. 4, ahead of Duke University, Michigan State University and Ohio State University. The online MBA program was ranked No. 8, ahead of the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Michigan and Rice University. W. P. Carey also received the following top 10 rankings:

No. 3 — master's business (non-MBA) programs for veterans, ahead of Michigan State, Ohio State and Duke University.

No. 4 — business analytics MBA, ahead of the University of Florida, UT Dallas and the University of Iowa.

No. 4 — MBA in marketing, ahead of Florida, the University of Southern California and Carnegie Mellon University.

No. 4 — general management MBA, ahead of Rice, USC and Penn State World Campus.

No. 6 — MBA program for veterans, ahead of Carnegie Mellon, UT Dallas and USC.

No. 9 — finance MBA, ahead of Ohio State and Iowa.

Education programs

The Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation ranked No. 8 overall for best online master’s in education programs, ahead of Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Illinois, and No. 4 for veterans, ahead of Purdue, Illinois and the University of Alabama. The graduate education programs also received the following recognition:

No. 1 — educational/instructional media design, ahead of Penn State World Campus, Michigan State and Purdue.

No. 2 — curriculum and instruction, ahead of Michigan State, the University of Kansas and Texas A&amp;M.

No. 4 — educational administration and supervision, ahead of the University of Virginia, Indiana and Texas A&amp;M.

No. 4 — special education, ahead of Indiana, Penn State World Campus and the University of Missouri.

Engineering programs

ASU’s online master’s in engineering programs ranked No. 16 overall, ahead of Michigan, Ohio State and Duke University, and No. 10 for veterans, ahead of USC, Michigan and Auburn University, with three programs being ranked in the top three in the nation:

No. 2 — electrical engineering, ahead of Illinois, UCLA and Columbia University.

No. 2 — engineering management, ahead of Duke, Illinois and UCLA.

No. 3 — industrial engineering, ahead of Michigan, Illinois and USC.

Additional graduate program rankings

Several additional ASU Online graduate programs also demonstrated continued success in the 2026 rankings. The master’s in criminal justice, offered through the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, ranked No. 10 nationally, ahead of Florida State University and the University of Cincinnati, placing it among the top programs in the country.

Offered through the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the master’s in information technology earned its first-ever appearance in the U.S. News rankings, coming in at No. 22 ahead of Indiana, Syracuse and the University of Utah, marking an important milestone for the program. 

Meanwhile, the master’s in nursing, offered through the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, ranked No. 22 nationally, ahead of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and Marquette University, reflecting a significant improvement from last year.

Supporting veterans and expanding access

ASU’s commitment to supporting military learners was reflected again in the 2026 rankings, with multiple online programs ranking among the top 10 for veterans — including No. 10 for both master's in nursing for veterans and master's in information technology for veterans. These rankings underscore ASU Online’s focus on providing accessible degree programs and student support for veterans, helping military-affiliated students achieve the next step in their personal or professional goals.

“ASU has long been committed to expanding access to higher education, particularly for working learners and military-affiliated students,” Gonzales said. “Our strong rankings for veterans and across a wide range of disciplines underscore the importance of meeting learners where they are and supporting them throughout their educational journey.”

Related

W. P. Carey School of Business: Online undergraduate business programs hold steady at No. 2 in the nation.

Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions: Criminal justice program, ranked 10th in the U.S., has held a top 15 spot for the past 12 years.

Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation: Online master’s in nursing program jumps into the top 25 overall.

Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation: College advances within top 10 national rankings, with five programs in the top 5.

This story originally appeared on ASU News.