
America's Best Online Learning Schools 2022
A lot of American college and university students are learning online. According to the U.S. Department of Education, as of 2019, the latest year for which figures are available, 79 percent of U.S. colleges offered either standalone courses or entire degree programs online. That figure included about 96 percent of all public two and four-year colleges. As of 2018, the Department estimated, about 7 million college students were taking some or all of their classes online. The pandemic has only added to the growth of online education. By one recent estimate, the number of students enrolled exclusively in online programs had jumped 93 percent from 2019 to 2020.
The range of choices can be daunting. For the first time, Newsweek and Statista are recognizing 182 institutions that offer online learning courses or online college/university degrees to adult learners. We divided the institutions into two groups: "America's Top Online Colleges" (150 colleges and universities that offer online degree programs, including hybrid programs with online and offline courses or exams) and "America's Top Online Learning Providers" (32 institutions other than a university or college which provide access to their own or third-party online courses).
If you are looking for quality online education for yourself or a loved one, we hope you will find our listings helpful.

Rank | Institution Legal Name | Institution Brand Name | Award |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Texas Tech University | Texas Tech University | ★★★★★ |
2 | Michigan State University (MSU) | Michigan State University Online | ★★★★★ |
3 | Purdue University | Purdue University Online | ★★★★★ |
4 | University of Maryland-College Park | University of Maryland-College Park | ★★★★★ |
5 | Oklahoma State University | Oklahoma State University Online | ★★★★★ |
6 | East Carolina University | East Carolina University | ★★★★★ |
7 | Texas State University | Texas State University | ★★★★★ |
8 | University of Georgia | University of Georgia | ★★★★★ |
9 | Excelsior College | Excelsior College | ★★★★★ |
10 | Western Governors University | Western Governors University | ★★★★★ |
11 | University of Arkansas | University of Arkansas Online | ★★★★★ |
12 | Arizona State University (ASU) | Arizona State University Online | ★★★★★ |
13 | Florida State University | Florida State University Distance @ FSU | ★★★★★ |
14 | The University of Arizona | The University of Arizona Online | ★★★★★ |
15 | The University of Alabama | The University of Alabama Online | ★★★★★ |
16 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook University | ★★★★★ |
17 | University of Houston | University of Houston | ★★★★★ |
18 | University of Kentucky | University of Kentucky | ★★★★★ |
19 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | Brigham Young University Idaho (BYUI) | ★★★★★ |
20 | The University of North Carolina at Greensboro | The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Online | ★★★★★ |
21 | University of Maryland Global Campus | University of Maryland Global Campus | ★★★★★ |
22 | University of Central Florida (UCF) | University of Central Florida Online | ★★★★★ |
23 | University of North Texas (UNT) | University of North Texas Online | ★★★★★ |
24 | The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) | The University of Nevada, Las Vegas | ★★★★★ |
25 | The University of Alabama at Birmingham | The University of Alabama at Birmingham | ★★★★★ |
26 | University of Cincinnati | University of Cincinnati Online | ★★★★★ |
27 | University of Florida | University of Florida Online / Distance Learning | ★★★★★ |
28 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State University Online | ★★★★★ |
29 | Georgia Southern University | Georgia Southern University | ★★★★★ |
30 | Southern New Hampshire University | Southern New Hampshire University | ★★★★★ |
31 | Troy University | Troy University | ★★★★★ |
32 | Nova Southeastern University | Nova Southeastern University Florida | ★★★★★ |
33 | Northeastern University | Northeastern University Online | ★★★★★ |
34 | Columbia Southern University (CSU) | Columbia Southern University | ★★★★★ |
35 | St. Petersburg College | St. Petersburg College | ★★★★★ |
36 | Ball State University | Ball State University Online | ★★★★★ |
37 | Indiana Wesleyan University | Indiana Wesleyan University | ★★★★★ |
38 | California Baptist University (CBU) | California Baptist University Online | ★★★★★ |
39 | University of South Florida | University of South Florida | ★★★★★ |
40 | Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) | Middle Tennessee State University Online | ★★★★★ |
41 | Louisiana State University | Louisiana State University Online & Continuing Education | ★★★★★ |
42 | New York University (NYU) | New York University Online | ★★★★★ |
43 | Grand Canyon University | Grand Canyon University | ★★★★★ |
44 | Liberty University | Liberty University | ★★★★★ |
45 | Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) | Florida Gulf Coast University Online | ★★★★★ |
46 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Online | ★★★★★ |
47 | Georgia State University | Georgia State University Georgia State Online | ★★★★★ |
48 | Arkansas Tech University | Arkansas Tech University | ★★★★★ |
49 | George Mason University | George Mason University Mason Online | ★★★★★ |
50 | James Madison University | James Madison University Online and Distance Learning | ★★★★★ |
51 | Drexel University | Drexel University Online | ★★★★★ |
52 | University of Oregon (UO) | University of Oregon Online | ★★★★★ |
53 | Strategic Education, Inc | Capella University | ★★★★★ |
54 | Duke University | Duke University Online | ★★★★★ |
55 | Colorado Technical University (CTU) | Colorado Technical University Online | ★★★★★ |
56 | Florida International University (FIU) | Florida International University Online | ★★★★★ |
57 | Stanford University | Stanford University Online | ★★★★★ |
58 | Post University | Post University | ★★★★★ |
59 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | Rutgers Online | ★★★★★ |
60 | Baker College | Baker College | ★★★★★ |
61 | Saint Leo University, Inc. | Saint Leo University | ★★★★★ |
62 | The Ohio State University | The Ohio State University Online | ★★★★★ |
63 | Washington State University | Washington State University | ★★★★★ |
64 | University of South Carolina | University of South Carolina | ★★★★★ |
65 | Central Washington University | Central Washington University | ★★★★★ |
66 | The University of North Carolina at Charlotte | The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Distance Education | ★★★★★ |
67 | Bellevue University | Bellevue University | ★★★★★ |
68 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | University of California, Los Angeles | ★★★★★ |
69 | Syracuse University | Syracuse University | ★★★★★ |
70 | The Pennsylvania State University | The Pennsylvania State University World Campus | ★★★★★ |
71 | Alcorn State University | Alcorn State University | ★★★★★ |
72 | Oakland University | Oakland University | ★★★★★ |
73 | Florida Atlantic University | Florida Atlantic University Online | ★★★★★ |
74 | Valencia College | Valencia College | ★★★★★ |
75 | Indiana University and Purdue University (IUPUI) | Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Online (IUPUI) | ★★★★★ |
76 | University of Toledo | University of Toledo | ★★★★ |
77 | Ivy Tech Community College | Ivy Tech Community College IvyOnline | ★★★★ |
78 | University of Illinois | University of Illinois | ★★★★ |
79 | Berkeley College | Berkeley College Online | ★★★★ |
80 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | The University of Texas Permian Basin | ★★★★ |
81 | Colorado State University | Colorado State University Online | ★★★★ |
82 | Keiser University | Keiser University | ★★★★ |
83 | Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) | Ozarks Technical Community College Online | ★★★★ |
84 | Austin Community College District | Austin Community College District Online | ★★★★ |
85 | Old Dominion University | Old Dominion University Online | ★★★★ |
86 | Full Sail, LLC. | Full Sail Unversity | ★★★★ |
87 | Kean University | Kean University Online | ★★★★ |
88 | Athens State University | Athens State University Online | ★★★★ |
89 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Online | ★★★★ |
90 | The University of Texas at Dallas | The University of Texas at Dallas | ★★★★ |
91 | Miami Dade College | Miami Dade College Online | ★★★★ |
92 | Indiana Tech | Indiana Tech | ★★★★ |
93 | University of Pittsburgh | University of Pittsburgh Pitt Online | ★★★★ |
94 | Tulsa Community College (TCC) | Tulsa Community College | ★★★★ |
95 | Front Range Community College | Front Range Community College | ★★★★ |
96 | Purdue University Global | Purdue University Global | ★★★★ |
97 | Grantham University | Grantham University | ★★★★ |
98 | Alabama A&M University | Alabama A&M University | ★★★★ |
99 | Broward College | Broward College Online | ★★★★ |
100 | Columbus State University | Columbus State University Online | ★★★★ |
101 | American InterContinental University | American InterContinental University | ★★★★ |
102 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | Purdue University Fort Wayne Online | ★★★★ |
103 | AI Miami International University of Art & Design | AI Miami International University of Art & Design | ★★★★ |
104 | Sinclair Community College | Sinclair Community College | ★★★★ |
105 | Walden University LLC. | Walden University | ★★★★ |
106 | Brookline College | Brookline College | ★★★★ |
107 | Tarrant County College | Tarrant County College | ★★★★ |
108 | Portland Community College | Portland Community College | ★★★★ |
109 | University of Utah | University of Utah / UONLINE | ★★★★ |
110 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet Junior College | ★★★★ |
111 | Maricopa Community Colleges | Maricopa Community Colleges, Rio Salado College | ★★★★ |
112 | Wake Technical Community College | Wake Technical Community College Online | ★★★★ |
113 | Lansing Community College | Lansing Community College | ★★★★ |
114 | CUNY Lehman College | CUNY Lehman College Online | ★★★★ |
115 | Ultimate Medical Academy | Ultimate Medical Academy | ★★★★ |
116 | Eastern Gateway Community College | Eastern Gateway Community College | ★★★★ |
117 | Bryant & Stratton College-Online | Bryant & Stratton College-Online | ★★★★ |
118 | Salt Lake Community College | Salt Lake Community College Online | ★★★★ |
119 | SUNY Empire State College | SUNY Empire State College | ★★★★ |
120 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Virginia Commonwealth University Online | ★★★★ |
121 | Norfolk State University | Norfolk State University Online | ★★★★ |
122 | Stark State College | Stark State College eStarkState | ★★★★ |
123 | ECPI University | ECPI University online+ | ★★★★ |
124 | Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) | Central Georgia Technical College | ★★★★ |
125 | Strategic Education, Inc. | Strayer University | ★★★★ |
126 | Abilene Christian University | Abilene Christian University | ★★★★ |
127 | Hillsborough Community College (HCC) | Hillsborough Community College Online | ★★★★ |
128 | Herzing University | Herzing University Online | ★★★★ |
129 | Houston Community College | Houston Community College | ★★★★ |
130 | Loyola University Chicago | Loyola University Chicago Online | ★★★★ |
131 | South University | South University | ★★★★ |
132 | Cuyahoga Community College | Cuyahoga Community College | ★★★★ |
133 | The University of Arizona Global Campus | The University of Arizona Global Campus | ★★★★ |
134 | Central Ohio Technical College | Central Ohio Technical College | ★★★★ |
135 | Mercy College | Mercy College | ★★★★ |
136 | Des Moines Area Community College | Des Moines Area Community College | ★★★★ |
137 | DeVry University | DeVry University | ★★★★ |
138 | Somerset Community College | Somerset Community College | ★★★★ |
139 | A.T. Still University of Health Sciences | A.T. Still University of Health Sciences | ★★★★ |
140 | Lone Star College | Lone Star College | ★★★★ |
141 | Central Texas College | Central Texas College Distance Education | ★★★★ |
142 | Jefferson Community and Technical College | Jefferson Community and Technical College | ★★★★ |
143 | Kent State University | Kent State University | ★★★★ |
144 | Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) | Florida State College at Jacksonville Online | ★★★★ |
145 | University of Central Oklahoma | University of Central Oklahoma Connected Campus | ★★★★ |
146 | Columbus State Community College | Columbus State Community College | ★★★★ |
147 | Acacia University | Acacia University | ★★★★ |
148 | Tidewater Community College | Tidewater Community College | ★★★★ |
149 | Daytona State College | Daytona State College | ★★★★ |
150 | Georgia Gwinnett College | Georgia Gwinnett College | ★★★★ |
Licensing
If your facility is listed in the ranking, click here to learn more about the licencing options.
Methodology
The rankings are based on an online survey among U.S. residents who have used online learning services to obtain an academic degree or acquire knowledge and skills for their job (professional development) or hobbies (personal development).Between July 26 and September 13, 2021, 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 toward 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 list and their reputations are not disputed.
For the full methodology, download this file.