America's Top Online Colleges and America's Top Online Learning Providers 2024
From comprehensive university degree programs to specialized professional development courses to classes for hobbyists or lifelong learners, the vast expanse of online learning opportunities can be overwhelming.
For the third consecutive year, Newsweek has collaborated with the respected global data firm Statista to unveil America's Top Online Colleges and America's Top Online Learning Providers 2024. These rankings are based on a survey of over 9,000 online learners, as well as our research about the institutions.
In our effort to find America's Top Online Colleges, we evaluated and ranked 200 colleges and universities that offer online undergraduate and graduate programs. The awarded institutions have been given either five stars, denoting an aggregate score surpassing the median of all recognized institutions, or four stars, signifying a score just below that threshold.
Evaluating America's Top Online Learning Providers led us to select 50 esteemed organizations that offer online courses, both certificate and non-certificate, catering to the personal and professional development needs of learners across the United States. While the star rating can help compare these institutions, we didn't rank the Top Online Learning Providers: the topic and form of their courses are too varied to make an overall ranking meaningful.
For those embarking on a search for high-quality online education, we hope that our ranking is helpful in your quest.
| Rank | Legal Name | Brand Name | Award | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | Stanford Online | ★★★★★ | Stanford | California |
| 2 | University of Texas at Austin | University of Texas at Austin | ★★★★★ | Austin | Texas |
| 3 | New York University | New York University | ★★★★★ | New York City | New York |
| 4 | Oklahoma State University | OSU Online | ★★★★★ | Stillwater | Oklahoma |
| 5 | Johns Hopkins University | Johns Hopkins University | ★★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNCG Online | ★★★★★ | Greensboro | North Carolina |
| 7 | Westfield State University | Westfield State University | ★★★★★ | Westfield | Massachusetts |
| 8 | Colorado State University | Colorado State University Online | ★★★★★ | Fort Collins | Colorado |
| 9 | Sacred Heart University | SHU Online | ★★★★★ | Fairfield | Connecticut |
| 10 | Yale University | Yale Online | ★★★★★ | New Haven | Connecticut |
| 11 | Harvard University | Harvard Online | ★★★★★ | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
| 12 | University of California San Diego | UC San Diego Online | ★★★★★ | La Jolla | California |
| 13 | Bellevue College | Bellevue College | ★★★★★ | Bellevue | Washington |
| 14 | University of Miami | University of Miami Online | ★★★★★ | Coral Gables | Florida |
| 15 | University of Mississippi | Ole Miss Online | ★★★★★ | Oxford | Mississippi |
| 16 | University of Kentucky | University of Kentucky | ★★★★★ | Lexington | Kentucky |
| 17 | Fort Hays State University | Fort Hays State University | ★★★★★ | Hays | Kansas |
| 18 | Central Carolina Community College | Central Carolina Community College | ★★★★★ | Sanford | North Carolina |
| 19 | Columbia University in the City of New York | Columbia | Online | ★★★★★ | New York City | New York |
| 20 | Auburn University | Auburn Online | ★★★★★ | Auburn | Alabama |
| 21 | Greenville Technical College | Greenville Technical College | ★★★★★ | Greenville | South Carolina |
| 22 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University Ecampus | ★★★★★ | Corvallis | Oregon |
| 23 | Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Tech | ★★★★★ | Melbourne | Florida |
| 24 | Montclair State University | Montclair State University | ★★★★★ | Montclair | New Jersey |
| 25 | University of Iowa | IOWA Distance and Online Education | ★★★★★ | Iowa City | Iowa |
| 26 | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | ★★★★★ | Edinburg | Texas |
| 27 | Texas Tech University System | Texas Tech University | ★★★★★ | Lubbock | Texas |
| 28 | The University of Utah | UOnline | ★★★★★ | Salt Lake City | Utah |
| 29 | University of Florida | UF Online | ★★★★★ | Gainesville | Florida |
| 30 | The Ohio State University | Ohio State Online | ★★★★★ | Columbus | Ohio |
| 31 | UMA Education, Inc. | Ultimate Medical Academy | ★★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 32 | Illinois State University | Illinois State University | ★★★★★ | Normal | Illinois |
| 33 | Indiana University and Purdue University (IUPUI) | Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis | ★★★★★ | Indianapolis | Indiana |
| 34 | University of South Florida | University of South Florida | ★★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 35 | Ball State University | Ball State Online | ★★★★★ | Muncie | Indiana |
| 36 | Central New Mexico Community College | CNM Online College | ★★★★★ | Albuquerque | New Mexico |
| 37 | Eastern Florida State College | Eastern Florida Online | ★★★★★ | Cocoa | Florida |
| 38 | Baker College | Baker College | ★★★★★ | Owosso | Michigan |
| 39 | University of Cincinnati | University of Cincinnati | ★★★★★ | Cincinnati | Ohio |
| 40 | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Vols Online | ★★★★★ | Knoxville | Tennessee |
| 41 | Harold Washington College - City Colleges of Chicago | Harold Washington College | ★★★★★ | Chicago | Illinois |
| 42 | The University of Akron | UAkron Online | ★★★★★ | Akron | Ohio |
| 43 | University of Kansas | University of Kansas Online | ★★★★★ | Lawrence | Kansas |
| 44 | Pima Community College | Pima Community College | ★★★★★ | Tucson | Arizona |
| 45 | Bakersfield College | Bakersfield College | ★★★★★ | Bakersfield | California |
| 46 | University of New England | UNE Online | ★★★★★ | Biddeford | Maine |
| 47 | Brooklyn College, CUNY | Brooklyn College | ★★★★★ | Brooklyn | New York |
| 48 | Albany Technical College | Albany Technical College | ★★★★★ | Albany | Georgia |
| 49 | Cornerstone University | Cornerstone University | ★★★★★ | Grand Rapids | Michigan |
| 50 | San Jacinto College | San Jacinto College | ★★★★★ | Pasadena | Texas |
| 51 | College of Central Florida | College of Central Florida | ★★★★★ | Ocala | Florida |
| 52 | Ashworth College | Ashworth College | ★★★★★ | Norcross | Georgia |
| 53 | St. John's University | St. John's University | ★★★★★ | New York City | New York |
| 54 | Michigan State University | MSU Online | ★★★★★ | East Lansing | Michigan |
| 55 | Berkeley College | Berkeley College Online® | ★★★★★ | New York City | New York |
| 56 | Georgia Southern University | Georgia Southern University | ★★★★★ | Statesboro | Georgia |
| 57 | City College of San Francisco | CityOnline | ★★★★★ | San Francisco | California |
| 58 | California State University, Chico | California State University, Chico | ★★★★★ | Chico | California |
| 59 | University of Missouri-St. Louis | University of Missouri-St. Louis | ★★★★★ | St. Louis | Missouri |
| 60 | Arizona Christian University | Arizona Christian University | ★★★★★ | Glendale | Arizona |
| 61 | Grand Valley State University | Grand Valley State University | ★★★★★ | Allendale | Michigan |
| 62 | Old Dominion University | ODUGlobal | ★★★★★ | Norfolk | Virginia |
| 63 | George Mason University | Mason Online | ★★★★★ | Fairfax | Virginia |
| 64 | Delgado Community College | Delgado Community College | ★★★★★ | New Orleans | Louisiana |
| 65 | University of North Texas | UNT Online | ★★★★★ | Denton | Texas |
| 66 | The University of Alabama | UA Online | ★★★★★ | Tuscaloosa | Alabama |
| 67 | City College | City College | ★★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 68 | Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) | Community College of Baltimore County | ★★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 69 | Daytona State College | Daytona State College | ★★★★★ | Daytona Beach | Florida |
| 70 | Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) | Fayetteville Technical Community College | ★★★★★ | Fayetteville | North Carolina |
| 71 | Anne Arundel Community College | Anne Arundel Community College | ★★★★★ | Arnold | Maryland |
| 72 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Illinois Online | ★★★★★ | Champaign | Illinois |
| 73 | A.T. Still University | A.T. Still University | ★★★★★ | Kirksville | Missouri |
| 74 | Rutgers University | Rutgers Online | ★★★★★ | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
| 75 | Purdue University | Purdue Online | ★★★★★ | West Lafayette | Indiana |
| 76 | Academy College | Academy College | ★★★★★ | Bloomington | Minnesota |
| 77 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC-Chapel Hill Online | ★★★★★ | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
| 78 | University of North Florida | UNF Online | ★★★★★ | Jacksonville | Florida |
| 79 | Pensacola State College | Pensacola State College | ★★★★★ | Pensacola | Florida |
| 80 | Appalachian State University | App State Online | ★★★★★ | Boone | North Carolina |
| 81 | University of Delaware | University of Delaware Online | ★★★★★ | Newark | Delaware |
| 82 | University of Central Oklahoma | University of Central Oklahoma | ★★★★★ | Edmond | Oklahoma |
| 83 | Northampton Community College | Northampton Community College | ★★★★★ | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
| 84 | Alabama State University | Alabama State University | ★★★★★ | Montgomery | Alabama |
| 85 | Northern Arizona University | Northern Arizona University (NAU) | ★★★★★ | Flagstaff | Arizona |
| 86 | Boston University | Boston University | ★★★★★ | Boston | Massachusetts |
| 87 | University of California, Riverside | UC Riverside | ★★★★★ | Riverside | California |
| 88 | University of Houston – Downtown | University of Houston – Downtown | ★★★★★ | Houston | Texas |
| 89 | Florida International University | FIU Online | ★★★★★ | Miami | Florida |
| 90 | Valencia College | Valencia College | ★★★★★ | Orlando | Florida |
| 91 | Florida State University | Florida State University - Distance@FSU | ★★★★★ | Tallahassee | Florida |
| 92 | Arkansas State University | Arkansas State University | ★★★★★ | Jonesboro | Arkansas |
| 93 | Guilford Technical Community College | Guilford Technical Community College | ★★★★★ | Jamestown | North Carolina |
| 94 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet Junior College | ★★★★★ | Joliet | Illinois |
| 95 | Colorado Technical University | CTU Online | ★★★★★ | Colorado Springs | Colorado |
| 96 | Mt. San Antonio College | Mt. San Antonio College | ★★★★★ | Walnut | California |
| 97 | Fullerton College | Fullerton College | ★★★★★ | Fullerton | California |
| 98 | Iowa State University of Science and Technology | Iowa State Online | ★★★★★ | Ames | Iowa |
| 99 | University of Oregon | University of Oregon | ★★★★★ | Eugene | Oregon |
| 100 | University of Illinois Chicago | UIC Online | ★★★★★ | Chicago | Illinois |
| 101 | Indiana State University | Indiana State University | ★★★★ | Terre Haute | Indiana |
| 102 | Sam Houston State University | SHSU Online | ★★★★ | Huntsville | Texas |
| 103 | University of Houston | University of Houston | ★★★★ | Houston | Texas |
| 104 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | UCLA | ★★★★ | Los Angeles | California |
| 105 | University of Arizona | Arizona Online | ★★★★ | Tucson | Arizona |
| 106 | University of Central Florida | University of Central Florida Online | ★★★★ | Orlando | Florida |
| 107 | California State University, Northridge - Tseng College | CSUN - Tseng College | ★★★★ | Northridge | California |
| 108 | University of Georgia | UGA Online | ★★★★ | Athens | Georgia |
| 109 | Waubonsee Community College | Waubonsee Community College | ★★★★ | Sugar Grove | Illinois |
| 110 | Duke University Durham | Duke | Online | ★★★★ | Durham | North Carolina |
| 111 | The Pennsylvania State University | Penn State World Campus | ★★★★ | University Park | Pennsylvania |
| 112 | Post University | Post University | ★★★★ | Waterbury | Connecticut |
| 113 | Johnson County Community College (JCCC) | Johnson County Community College | ★★★★ | Overland Park | Kansas |
| 114 | University of Maryland | University of Maryland | ★★★★ | College Park | Maryland |
| 115 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown University | ★★★★ | Kutztown | Pennsylvania |
| 116 | University of Texas at Arlington | University of Texas at Arlington | ★★★★ | Arlington | Texas |
| 117 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA Online | ★★★★ | San Antonio | Texas |
| 118 | College of Southern Nevada (CSN) | College of Southern Nevada | ★★★★ | Las Vegas | Nevada |
| 119 | Palm Beach State College | Palm Beach State College | ★★★★ | Lake Worth | Florida |
| 120 | Washington State University | Washington State University | ★★★★ | Pullman | Washington |
| 121 | California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento State | ★★★★ | Sacramento | California |
| 122 | East Carolina University | East Carolina University | ★★★★ | Greenville | North Carolina |
| 123 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | ★★★★ | Killeen | Texas |
| 124 | University of South Carolina | University of South Carolina | ★★★★ | Columbia | South Carolina |
| 125 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | ★★★★ | Daytona Beach | Florida |
| 126 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | UMass Amherst | ★★★★ | Amherst | Massachusetts |
| 127 | Troy University | TROY Online | ★★★★ | Troy | Alabama |
| 128 | Mesa Community College | Mesa Community College | ★★★★ | Mesa | Arizona |
| 129 | The University of Toledo | University of Toledo Online | ★★★★ | Toledo | Ohio |
| 130 | Monroe College | Monroe College | ★★★★ | New York City | New York |
| 131 | Atlantic Cape Community College | Atlantic Cape | ★★★★ | Mays Landing | New Jersey |
| 132 | Academy of Art University | Academy of Art University | ★★★★ | San Francisco | California |
| 133 | California State University, Fullerton | Cal State Fullerton | ★★★★ | Fullerton | California |
| 134 | Middle Tennessee State University | Middle Tennessee State University Online | ★★★★ | Murfreesboro | Tennessee |
| 135 | Hillsborough Community College | HCC Online | ★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 136 | Baltimore City Community College | Baltimore City Community College | ★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 137 | Abilene Christian University | Abilene Christian University Online | ★★★★ | Abilene | Texas |
| 138 | Mississippi State University Online | MS State Online | ★★★★ | Mississippi State | Mississippi |
| 139 | Purdue University Northwest | Purdue University Northwest | ★★★★ | Hammond | Indiana |
| 140 | University of Colorado Boulder | University of Colorado Boulder | ★★★★ | Boulder | Colorado |
| 141 | Southern New Hampshire University | Southern New Hampshire University | ★★★★ | Manchester | New Hampshire |
| 142 | Arizona State University | ASU Online | ★★★★ | Tempe | Arizona |
| 143 | Nova Southeastern University | NSU Florida | ★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 144 | Miami Dade College | Miami Dade College | ★★★★ | Miami | Florida |
| 145 | Colorado Christian University | Colorado Christian University | ★★★★ | Lakewood | Colorado |
| 146 | University of Texas at El Paso | University of Texas at El Paso | ★★★★ | El Paso | Texas |
| 147 | Utah Valley University | Utah Valley University | ★★★★ | Orem | Utah |
| 148 | Rasmussen College, LLC | Rasmussen University | ★★★★ | Bloomington | Minnesota |
| 149 | Midwestern State University Texas | MSU Texas | ★★★★ | Wichita Falls | Texas |
| 150 | Texas A&M International University | Texas A&M International University | ★★★★ | Laredo | Texas |
| 151 | Temple University | Temple University | ★★★★ | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
| 152 | Central Michigan University | Central Michigan University | ★★★★ | Mount Pleasant | Michigan |
| 153 | University of Maryland Global Campus | University of Maryland Global Campus | ★★★★ | Adelphi | Maryland |
| 154 | Columbia Southern University | Columbia Southern University | ★★★★ | Orange Beach | Alabama |
| 155 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | ★★★★ | Las Vegas | Nevada |
| 156 | Western Governors University | Western Governors University | ★★★★ | Salt Lake City | Utah |
| 157 | Liberty University | Liberty University Online | ★★★★ | Lynchburg | Virginia |
| 158 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | UNC Charlotte | ★★★★ | Charlotte | North Carolina |
| 159 | Louisiana State University | LSU Online | ★★★★ | Baton Rouge | Louisiana |
| 160 | University of Southern Mississippi | Online at Southern Miss | ★★★★ | Hattiesburg | Mississippi |
| 161 | Sinclair Community College | Sinclair College | ★★★★ | Dayton | Ohio |
| 162 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | Purdue University Fort Wayne - Online Learning | ★★★★ | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
| 163 | Macomb Community College | Macomb Community College | ★★★★ | Warren | Michigan |
| 164 | Saint Leo University, Inc. | Saint Leo University | ★★★★ | Saint Leo | Florida |
| 165 | Lehigh Carbon Community College | Lehigh Carbon Community College | ★★★★ | Schnecksville | Pennsylvania |
| 166 | Somerset Community College | Somerset Community College | ★★★★ | Somerset | Kentucky |
| 167 | Indian River State College | Indian River State College | ★★★★ | Fort Pierce | Florida |
| 168 | Texas State University | Texas State University | ★★★★ | San Marcos | Texas |
| 169 | Austin Community College | Austin Community College Online | ★★★★ | Austin | Texas |
| 170 | American Public University System, Inc. | American Public University | ★★★★ | Charles Town | West Virginia |
| 171 | Valdosta State University | Valdosta State University Online | ★★★★ | Valdosta | Georgia |
| 172 | Ferris State University | Ferris State University Online | ★★★★ | Big Rapids | Michigan |
| 173 | Florida Atlantic University | Florida Atlantic University | ★★★★ | Boca Raton | Florida |
| 174 | Central Texas College | Central Texas College | ★★★★ | Killeen | Texas |
| 175 | Forsyth Technical Community College | Forsyth Tech | ★★★★ | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
| 176 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | University of Alabama at Birmingham Online | ★★★★ | Birmingham | Alabama |
| 177 | Central Georgia Technical College | Central Georgia Technical College | ★★★★ | Warner Robins | Georgia |
| 178 | California State University Long Beach | Cal State Long Beach | ★★★★ | Long Beach | California |
| 179 | Georgia State University | Georgia State University | ★★★★ | Atlanta | Georgia |
| 180 | The Arts Institutes International LLC | Miami International University of Art & Design Global Campus | ★★★★ | Miami | Florida |
| 181 | Abraham Lincoln University | Abraham Lincoln University | ★★★★ | Glendale | California |
| 182 | Towson University | Towson University | ★★★★ | Towson | Maryland |
| 183 | HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College | HACC Virtual Learning | ★★★★ | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
| 184 | Merced College | Merced College | ★★★★ | Merced | California |
| 185 | Santa Monica College | Santa Monica College Online | ★★★★ | Santa Monica | California |
| 186 | South University | South University | ★★★★ | Savannah | Georgia |
| 187 | Madison Area Technical College | Madison College | ★★★★ | Madison | Wisconsin |
| 188 | Northern Virginia Community College | NOVA Online | ★★★★ | Fairfax | Virginia |
| 189 | Sullivan University | Sullivan University | ★★★★ | Louisville | Kentucky |
| 190 | Lansing Community College | Lansing Community College | ★★★★ | Lansing | Michigan |
| 191 | California State University, San Bernardino | California State University, San Bernardino | ★★★★ | San Bernardino | California |
| 192 | Cuyahoga Community College | Tri-C Cuyahoga Community College | ★★★★ | Cleveland | Ohio |
| 193 | Keiser University | Keiser University | ★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 194 | Kent State University | Kent State University | ★★★★ | Kent | Ohio |
| 195 | Tyler Junior College | Tyler Junior College | ★★★★ | Tyler | Texas |
| 196 | Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University | Alabama A&M University | ★★★★ | Normal | Alabama |
| 197 | South Texas College | South Texas College | ★★★★ | McAllen | Texas |
| 198 | Full Sail, LLC | Full Sail University | ★★★★ | Winter Park | Florida |
| 199 | DeVry University, Inc. | DeVry University | ★★★★ | Naperville | Illinois |
| 200 | University of New Hampshire | UNH Online | ★★★★ | Durham | New Hampshire |
Visit our rankings portal Licensing:
If your facility is listed in the ranking, learn more about the licensing options for Top Online Colleges or Top Online Learning Providers.
Methodology:
For the third time, Newsweek and Statista are awarding institutions that offer online learning courses or online college/university degrees to adult learners in two top lists:
• America's Top Online Colleges (colleges and universities that offer online degree programs to learners who want to obtain an academic degree, including hybrid programs with online and offline courses or exams)
• America's Top Online Learning Providers (institutions other than a university or college and platforms that provide access to their own or third-party online courses)
The rankings are based on an online survey among U.S. residents who have used online learning service offers to obtain an academic degree or acquire knowledge and skills for their job (professional development) or hobbies (personal development) via online courses.
Between June 5, 2023 and July 17, 2023, Statista surveyed more than 9,000 individuals in the United States. Survey respondents indicated which institutions they used to obtain an online degree or where they attended an online course. In the next step, respondents shared their experiences by rating the institutions regarding several criteria. Finally, respondents could indicate how satisfied they were with the organization and to what extent they would recommend it to others.
User reviews and additional institutional indicators were transformed into score values and aggregated towards a final score. To receive an award, institutions needed an above-average total score value. The awarded institutions received either five stars if their final score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions or four stars if their score is below this threshold.
The top lists were created through an elaborate process: Participants' responses as well as the final selection of institutions in each list, were carefully reviewed. Statista makes no statement about the quality of education institutions or learning providers that are not included in the lists, and their reputation is not disputed.
For the full methodology, download this file.
If your facility is listed in the ranking, learn more about the licensing options for Top Online Colleges or Top Online Learning Providers.
Methodology:
For the third time, Newsweek and Statista are awarding institutions that offer online learning courses or online college/university degrees to adult learners in two top lists:
• America's Top Online Colleges (colleges and universities that offer online degree programs to learners who want to obtain an academic degree, including hybrid programs with online and offline courses or exams)
• America's Top Online Learning Providers (institutions other than a university or college and platforms that provide access to their own or third-party online courses)
The rankings are based on an online survey among U.S. residents who have used online learning service offers to obtain an academic degree or acquire knowledge and skills for their job (professional development) or hobbies (personal development) via online courses.
Between June 5, 2023 and July 17, 2023, Statista surveyed more than 9,000 individuals in the United States. Survey respondents indicated which institutions they used to obtain an online degree or where they attended an online course. In the next step, respondents shared their experiences by rating the institutions regarding several criteria. Finally, respondents could indicate how satisfied they were with the organization and to what extent they would recommend it to others.
User reviews and additional institutional indicators were transformed into score values and aggregated towards a final score. To receive an award, institutions needed an above-average total score value. The awarded institutions received either five stars if their final score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions or four stars if their score is below this threshold.
The top lists were created through an elaborate process: Participants' responses as well as the final selection of institutions in each list, were carefully reviewed. Statista makes no statement about the quality of education institutions or learning providers that are not included in the lists, and their reputation is not disputed.
For the full methodology, download this file.