Arizona State University (ASU) has once again been named among the leading universities in the United States for online education, earning more than two dozen top 10 placements in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings.
ASU Online climbed to No. 6 nationally for best online bachelor’s programs, moving up one place from last year. The ranking places the university ahead of institutions such as Texas A&M University, Indiana University Online and George Washington University. ASU shared the No. 6 position with Oregon State University and the University of Central Florida.
Across both undergraduate and graduate levels, ASU earned eight top-three rankings, highlighting the strength and diversity of its online offerings. The university currently serves more than 107,000 online students worldwide and has graduated over 110,000 learners from its online degree programs.
Among undergraduate programmes, ASU Online ranked No. 2 for online bachelor’s degrees in business, ahead of Penn State World Campus and Indiana University Online. It also placed No. 3 nationally for online bachelor’s programs for veterans, outperforming George Washington University, Syracuse University and Indiana University Online.
“These rankings reflect Arizona State University’s continued focus on designing online degree programs that put students first,” said Nancy Gonzales, ASU’s executive vice president and university provost. She added that the institution aims to offer the same high-quality academic experience online as students receive on campus, while maintaining flexibility for working learners.
ASU Online’s graduate programs also performed strongly in the rankings, particularly in business, education, engineering, health and public service. The online master’s in business programs offered through the W. P. Carey School of Business ranked No. 4 nationally, ahead of Duke University, Michigan State University and Ohio State University. The online MBA program placed No. 8, ahead of the University of Michigan, Rice University and the University of Texas at Dallas.
Education programs offered through the Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation ranked No. 8 overall for online master’s in education and No. 4 for veterans, with several specialised education fields placing in the top five nationally.
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In engineering, ASU’s online master’s programs ranked No. 16 overall, with electrical engineering and engineering management both placing No. 2 nationally. Other graduate programs, including criminal justice, nursing and information technology, also recorded strong or improved performances in the 2026 rankings.
ASU’s support for military and veteran learners was again recognised, with several programs ranking among the top 10 nationwide for veterans. University leaders said the results reflect ASU’s long-standing mission to expand access to higher education for working professionals and military-affiliated students.
“Expanding access to quality education remains central to ASU’s mission,” Gonzales said. “These rankings show the importance of meeting learners where they are and supporting them throughout their academic journey.”
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