CORVALLIS, Ore. — Following a year in which it received numerous national honors related to excellence in online education, Oregon State University is starting 2025 in a similar fashion.
Today Oregon State earned a No. 7 ranking on U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Online Bachelor’s Programs list, marking the 11th straight year OSU has been ranked in the top 10. That’s something no other institution in the nation — public or private — has achieved.
The publication evaluated 350 schools based on four factors: faculty credentials and training; student services and technology; student engagement; and peer assessment. Oregon State received the nation’s highest peer assessment rating, and as in previous years, it earned high marks based on the expertise of the OSU faculty who teach online.
“We’re proud that Oregon State is viewed as a model of success when it comes to developing and delivering the highest-quality courses and programs online,” said Vice Provost Lisa L. Templeton of OSU’s Division of Educational Ventures. “This recognition highlights a university-wide mission to create transformative educational pathways that increase access to learning and prioritize the success of students everywhere.”
Oregon State delivers more than 100 degrees, certificates and microcredentials at the undergraduate and graduate levels online — including more than 50 bachelor’s degrees — and has students learning online on five continents. Nearly 1 in 3 OSU students learns exclusively online, including 11,600 this past fall term.
In addition to the No. 7 overall ranking for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, Oregon State received five more top-25 rankings from U.S. News & World Report:
- No. 2 — Best Online Psychology Bachelor’s Programs
- No. 5 — Best Online Business Bachelor’s Programs
- No. 12 — Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans
- No. 20 — Best Online Master’s in Education Programs
- No. 22 — Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs
The slew of high rankings is the latest honor Oregon State has earned for its online education efforts. Last November, OSU’s psychology bachelor’s program won a national award for excellence from the Online Learning Consortium. And in May, the Quality Matters organization awarded Oregon State its Online Learner Success Certification for its ability to “demonstrate that their learners are achieving success at a high rate.”
A prime example is Melissa Croteau, an ecologist and mother of two in France who completed her environmental sciences bachelor’s degree online last spring. Like many adult learners whose educational journeys take a detour due to life events, she enrolled with Oregon State in her early 30s, unearthed a new passion and has since thrived academically and professionally.
“It unlocked a passion and determination in me that I have never had before. I was constantly challenged every day with subjects that I used to fail, and now I am excelling as an older student,” said Croteau, who is now enrolled in a master’s program. “I have been exposed to so many practical ways to help people and help restore our planet that are feasible, and that is so motivating.”
Oregon State Ecampus, the university’s online education unit, partners with more than 1,200 OSU faculty members, academic advisors and administrators to serve students in all 50 states and 60 countries.
The full rankings are available online at http://www.usnews.com/online-education.
