2023 Best Online Programs Ranking Includes MD Schools: U.S. News

MARYLAND — Twelve bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at accredited universities in Maryland are ranked among the 2023 Best Online Programs released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The University of Maryland-College Park and Johns Hopkins University each ranked within the top 20 in two categories. In fact, the master's in computer information technology program at Johns Hopkins ranked second on U.S. News' 2023 Best Online Programs list in that category.

The rankings are designed for people who want to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but need the flexibility to complete the coursework online. U.S. News is the only media organization that ranks online degrees at the program rather than school level.

U.S. News ranked programs in eight disciplines. Programs in Maryland that made the grade are:

Bachelor’s Degree

• Frostburg State University - Rank: 186, Score: 65
• Stevenson University - Rank: 245; Score: 56
• Morgan State University - Rank: 252; Score:55

Master’s Programs - MBA

• University of Maryland-College Park - Rank: 12; Score: 92
• Salisbury University - Rank: 142; Score: 71
• University of Baltimore - Rank: 181; Score: 66
• Frostburg State University - Rank: 210; Score: 61
• Morgan State University - Rank: 261-344

Business, Non-MBA

• University of Maryland-College Park - Rank: 16; Score: 89
• Morgan State University - Rank: 100; Score: 66
• University of Baltimore - Rank: 128; Score: 59
• Maryland Institute College of Art - Rank: 154; Score: 52

Master's in Computer Information Technology

• Johns Hopkins University - Rank: 2; Score: 95
• University of Maryland-Balitmore County - Rank: 41; Score: 68
• Loyola University Maryland - Rank: 58; Score: 60
• Towson University - Rank: 61; Score: 58

Master's in Criminal Justice/Criminology

No Maryland schools appeared among U.S. News & World Report's 2023 Best Online Programs Rankings in offering master's in criminal justice/criminology degrees.

Master's of Education

• Towson University - Rank: 30; Score: 89
• Morgan State University - Rank: 231; Score: 61
• Frostburg State University - Rank: 245; Score: 58
• McDaniel College - Rank: 253-329

Master's of Engineering

• Johns Hopkins University - Rank: 9; Score: 88
• University of Maryland-College Park -Rank: 19; Score: 80

Master's of Nursing

• University of Maryland-Baltimore - Rank: 65; Score: 79
• Salisbury University - Rank: 92; Score: 72

U.S. News evaluated some 1,832 programs — the highest in the history of the rankings — to arrive at the 2023 list. Of those, 1,730 were ranked.

Online learning increased in popularity at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. News noted, but many of the institutions whose programs are ranked were ahead of the curve and had offered online programs for years.

Most of those evaluated offer degree completion programs that give students who have completed some of the requirements the flexibility to complete their degrees, according to Eric Brooks, the lead data analyst at U.S. News.

“The methodology is developed with those students in mind, setting these rankings apart from those that are focused on recent high school graduates pursuing higher education for the first time,” Brooks said in a news release.

While the methodologies are different for each discipline, they all incorporate metrics specific to online learning.

The online bachelor’s level ranking does not use standardized tests, instead relying on other factors such as faculty credentials and training, services and technologies available to students, student engagement and expert opinion on the academic quality of programs.

Master’s degree programs, in addition to these criteria, are also ranked based on student excellence. Blended learning programs — a combination of both face-to-face and distance instruction — are not included in the rankings.