78 PA Schools Among Best Online Programs: U.S. News

PENNSYLVANIA — A total of 78 bachelor’s and master’s programs at accredited universities in Pennsylvania are ranked among the 2023 Best Online Programs released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

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 Pennsylvania that made the grade are:

Bachelor’s Degree

32. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

82. Drexel University

83. Duquesne University

125. Neumann University

170. Temple University

175. Villanova University

188. Peirce College

191. Chatham University

219. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

229. DeSales University

238. La Salle University

254. St. Francis University

302. Eastern University

314. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

326.Mount Aloysius College

335. Pennsylvania College of Technology

339. Robert Morris University

340. Saint Joseph's University

346. Thomas Jefferson University

366. Cedar Crest College

373. Marywood University

Business, non MBA Programs

2. Carnegie Mellon University

17. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

20. Villanova University

48. Temple University

52. Saint Joseph's University

114. Saint Vincent College

129. St. Francis University

215. La Salle University

220. Robert Morris University

MBA

5. Carnegie Mellon University

19. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

19. Villanova University

27. University of Pittsburgh

33. Lehigh University

67. Drexel University

83. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

108. University of Scranton

121. Temple University

135. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

171. DeSales University

226. Chatham University

261. Cedar Crest College

Master's, Computer Information Technology

29. Drexel University

72. DeSales University

72. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

72. Robert Morris University

Master's, Criminal Justice/Criminology

27. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

30. Saint Joseph's University

72. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Master's, Education

16. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

43. Drexel University

43. University of Pittsburgh

69. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

97. Duquesne University

113. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

152. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

184. Saint Joseph's University

231. DeSales University

253. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

285. Holy Family University

253. Robert Morris University

253. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

253. St. Francis University

253. York College of Pennsylvania

Master's, Engineering

3. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

37. Drexel University

47. Lehigh University

Master's, Nursing

7. University of Pittsburgh

19. Thomas Jefferson University

37. Duquesne University

59. Drexel University

86. DeSales University

134. La Salle University

141. Cedar Crest College

141. La Roche University

141. Misericordia University

141. Robert Morris University

185. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

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.