America's Top Online Colleges and America's Top Online Learning Providers 2023
From full university degree programs to professional development courses to classes for hobbyists or those just wanting to learn something new, the range of education available online is enormous. The choices can be daunting.
For the second year, Newsweek and global data firm Statista have worked together to find "America's Top Online Colleges 2023" and "America's Top Online Learning Providers 2023." Our lists are based on a survey of about 9,000 online learners and our own research about the institutions.
For America's Top Online Colleges we ranked 200 colleges and universities that (also) offer online undergraduate or graduate programs. The awarded institutions received either five stars, if their aggregate score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions, or four stars, if their score is below.
For America's Top Online Learning Providers we selected 50 organizations that offer online certificate and non-certificate courses supporting the professional or personal development of learners in the U.S. We used the same star system as with Top Online Colleges and Universities. While the star rating can be helpful in comparing these institutions, we didn't rank the Top Online Learning Providers. The topic and form of the courses they offer is too varied to make an overall ranking meaningful.
If you are looking for quality online education, we hope you will find our listings helpful.
| Rank | Institution Legal Name | Institution Brand Name | Award | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland | University of Maryland | ★★★★★ | College Park | Maryland |
| 2 | American College of Education | American College of Education | ★★★★★ | Indianapolis | Indiana |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | Penn’s Online Learning Initiative (OLI) | ★★★★★ | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
| 4 | Boston University | Boston University | ★★★★★ | Boston | Massachusetts |
| 5 | Stanford University | Stanford University Online | ★★★★★ | Stanford | California |
| 6 | DeVry University | DeVry University | ★★★★★ | Naperville | Illinois |
| 7 | Michigan State University | MSU Online | ★★★★★ | East Lansing | Michigan |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | Johns Hopkins University | ★★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 9 | East Carolina University | East Carolina University | ★★★★★ | Greenville | North Carolina |
| 10 | Northeastern University | Northeastern Online | ★★★★★ | Boston | Massachusetts |
| 11 | Appalachian State University | App State Online | ★★★★★ | Boone | North Carolina |
| 12 | Indiana Wesleyan University | Indiana Wesleyan University | ★★★★★ | Marion | Indiana |
| 13 | Purdue University-Main Campus | Purdue University Online | ★★★★★ | West Lafayette | Indiana |
| 14 | University of Kentucky | University of Kentucky | ★★★★★ | Lexington | Kentucky |
| 15 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB Online | ★★★★★ | Birmingham | Alabama |
| 16 | University of Florida | University of Florida Online | ★★★★★ | Gainesville | Florida |
| 17 | Old Dominion University | ODUOnline | ★★★★★ | Norfolk | Virginia |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | UNC Charlotte | ★★★★★ | Charlotte | North Carolina |
| 19 | Saint Leo University | Saint Leo University | ★★★★★ | Saint Leo | Florida |
| 20 | University of Arkansas | University of Arkansas | ★★★★★ | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
| 21 | University of Georgia | University of Georgia Online Learning | ★★★★★ | Athens | Georgia |
| 22 | Fashion Institute of Technology | Fashion Institute of Technology | ★★★★★ | New York | New York |
| 23 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | The University of Texas Permian Basin | ★★★★★ | Odessa | Texas |
| 24 | Morgan State University | Morgan Online | ★★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 25 | Texas State University | Texas State University | ★★★★★ | San Marcos | Texas |
| 26 | West Virginia University | WVU Online | ★★★★★ | Morgantown | West Virginia |
| 27 | Troy University | Troy University | ★★★★★ | Troy | Alabama |
| 28 | University of California-Riverside | UC Riverside | ★★★★★ | Riverside | California |
| 29 | Indiana University and Purdue University (IUPUI) | Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Online (IUPUI) | ★★★★★ | Bloomington | Indiana |
| 30 | Columbus State University | Columbus State University | ★★★★★ | Columbus | Georgia |
| 31 | Santa Fe College | Santa Fe College | ★★★★★ | Gainesville | Florida |
| 32 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | UW–Madison Online | ★★★★★ | Madison | Wisconsin |
| 33 | Sam Houston State University | SHSU Online | ★★★★★ | Huntsville | Texas |
| 34 | University of Southern Mississippi | Online at Southern Miss | ★★★★★ | Hattiesburg | Mississippi |
| 35 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | ★★★★★ | Amherst | Massachusetts |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNCG Online | ★★★★★ | Greensboro | North Carolina |
| 37 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | Concordia University-Wisconsin | ★★★★★ | Mequon | Wisconsin |
| 38 | Brigham Young University–Idaho | Brigham Young University Idaho (BYUI) | ★★★★★ | Rexburg | Idaho |
| 39 | University of Iowa | University of Iowa Distance and Online Education | ★★★★★ | Iowa City | Iowa |
| 40 | Yale University | Yale Online | ★★★★★ | New Haven | Connecticut |
| 41 | Central Georgia Technical College | Central Georgia Technical College | ★★★★★ | Warner Robins | Georgia |
| 42 | University of Southern California | USC Online | ★★★★★ | Los Angeles | California |
| 43 | Mesa Community College | Mesa Community College | ★★★★★ | Mesa | Arizona |
| 44 | Somerset Community College | Somerset Community College | ★★★★★ | Somerset | Kentucky |
| 45 | East Tennessee State University | East Tennessee State University | ★★★★★ | Johnson City | Tennessee |
| 46 | Auburn University | Auburn Online | ★★★★★ | Auburn | Alabama |
| 47 | ASU Online - Arizona State University | ASU Online | ★★★★★ | Scottsdale | Arizona |
| 48 | Nova Southeastern University | NSU Florida | ★★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 49 | Virginia Commonwealth University | VCU Online | ★★★★★ | Richmond | Virginia |
| 50 | Clemson University | Clemson University | ★★★★★ | Clemson | South Carolina |
| 51 | University of Arizona | University of Arizona Online | ★★★★★ | Tucson | Arizona |
| 52 | Excelsior College | Excelsior College | ★★★★★ | Albany | New York |
| 53 | Ohio University | OHIO Online™ | ★★★★★ | Athens | Ohio |
| 54 | Northampton Community College | Northampton Community College | ★★★★★ | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
| 55 | Temple University | Temple University | ★★★★★ | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
| 56 | Mt. San Antonio College | Mt. SAC Online | ★★★★★ | Walnut | California |
| 57 | Liberty University | Liberty University Online | ★★★★★ | Lynchburg | Virginia |
| 58 | Texas Tech University | Texas Tech University | ★★★★★ | Lubbock | Texas |
| 59 | California Baptist University | CBU Online | ★★★★★ | Riverside | California |
| 60 | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | VOLS Online | ★★★★★ | Knoxville | Tennessee |
| 61 | Sinclair Community College | Sinclair Community College | ★★★★★ | Dayton | Ohio |
| 62 | Florida State University | Florida State University - Distance@FSU | ★★★★★ | Tallahassee | Florida |
| 63 | University of Central Florida | UCF Online | ★★★★★ | Orlando | Florida |
| 64 | Louisiana State University | LSU Online | ★★★★★ | Baton Rouge | Louisiana |
| 65 | University of North Florida | University of North Florida Online | ★★★★★ | Jacksonville | Florida |
| 66 | Blackboard, Inc. | Baltimore City Community College | ★★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 67 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State Online | ★★★★★ | Mississippi State | Mississippi |
| 68 | California State University, Northridge | CSUN - Tseng College | ★★★★★ | Northridge | California |
| 69 | Guilford Technical Community College | Guilford Technical Community College | ★★★★★ | Jamestown | North Carolina |
| 70 | Palm Beach State College | Palm Beach State College | ★★★★★ | Lake Worth | Florida |
| 71 | University of Cincinnati | University of Cincinnati | ★★★★★ | Cincinnati | Ohio |
| 72 | Stark State College | Stark State College | ★★★★★ | North Canton | Ohio |
| 73 | California State University San Marcos | California State University San Marcos | ★★★★★ | San Marcos | California |
| 74 | University of South Florida | University of South Florida | ★★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 75 | Ultimate Medical Academy | Ultimate Medical Academy | ★★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 76 | Bellevue University | Bellevue University | ★★★★★ | Bellevue | Nebraska |
| 77 | Georgia College & State University | Georgia College | ★★★★★ | Milledgeville | Georgia |
| 78 | California State University Long Beach | California State University Long Beach | ★★★★★ | Long Beach | California |
| 79 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | Purdue University Fort Wayne - Online Learning | ★★★★★ | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
| 80 | City College | City College | ★★★★★ | Tallahassee | Florida |
| 81 | Montgomery College | Montgomery College | ★★★★★ | Rockville | Maryland |
| 82 | Western Governors University | Western Governors University | ★★★★★ | Salt Lake City | Utah |
| 83 | St. Petersburg College | St. Petersburg College | ★★★★★ | St. Petersburg | Florida |
| 84 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | ★★★★★ | Killeen | Texas |
| 85 | Houston Community College | Houston Community College | ★★★★★ | Houston | Texas |
| 86 | Clayton State University | Clayton State University | ★★★★★ | Morrow | Georgia |
| 87 | Florida SouthWestern State College | Florida SouthWestern State College | ★★★★★ | Fort Myers | Florida |
| 88 | Portland Community College | Portland Community College | ★★★★★ | Portland | Oregon |
| 89 | College of DuPage | College of DuPage | ★★★★★ | Glen Ellyn | Illinois |
| 90 | Georgia Southern University | Georgia Southern University | ★★★★★ | Statesboro | Georgia |
| 91 | Hillsborough Community College | Hillsborough Community College | ★★★★★ | Tampa | Florida |
| 92 | Forsyth Technical Community College | Forsyth Technical Community College | ★★★★★ | Winston-Salem | North Carolina |
| 93 | The University of Utah | UONLINE | ★★★★★ | Salt Lake City | Utah |
| 94 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC-Chapel Hill Online | ★★★★★ | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
| 95 | Adams State University | Adams State University | ★★★★★ | Alamosa | Colorado |
| 96 | Abilene Christian University | Abilene Christian University Online | ★★★★★ | Abilene | Texas |
| 97 | Greenville Technical College | Greenville Technical College | ★★★★★ | Greenville | South Carolina |
| 98 | The Ohio State University | Ohio State Online | ★★★★★ | Columbus | Ohio |
| 99 | A.T. Still University | A.T. Still University | ★★★★★ | Kirksville | Missouri |
| 100 | University of Illinois Chicago | University of Illinois Chicago | ★★★★★ | Chicago | Illinois |
| 101 | Post University | Post University | ★★★★ | Waterbury | Connecticut |
| 102 | University of Maryland Global Campus | University of Maryland Global Campus | ★★★★ | Adelphi | Maryland |
| 103 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | ★★★★ | Las Vegas | Nevada |
| 104 | Southern New Hampshire University | Southern New Hampshire University | ★★★★ | Manchester | New Hampshire |
| 105 | Towson University | Towson University | ★★★★ | Towson | Maryland |
| 106 | Valencia College | Valencia College Online | ★★★★ | Orlando | Florida |
| 107 | Lansing Community College | Lansing Community College | ★★★★ | Lansing | Michigan |
| 108 | University of Houston | University of Houston | ★★★★ | Houston | Texas |
| 109 | Front Range Community College | Front Range Community College | ★★★★ | Westminster | Colorado |
| 110 | University of North Texas | UNT Online | ★★★★ | Denton | Texas |
| 111 | Wake Technical Community College | Wake Technical Community College Online | ★★★★ | Raleigh | North Carolina |
| 112 | Rio Salado College | Rio Salado College | ★★★★ | Tempe | Arizona |
| 113 | Ball State University | Ball State Online | ★★★★ | Muncie | Indiana |
| 114 | Columbia Southern University | Columbia Southern University | ★★★★ | Orange Beach | Alabama |
| 115 | Long Island University | Long Island University | ★★★★ | Brookville | New York |
| 116 | The University of Texas at El Paso | The University of Texas at El Paso | ★★★★ | El Paso | Texas |
| 117 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw State University | ★★★★ | Kennesaw | Georgia |
| 118 | Academy of Art University | Academy of Art University | ★★★★ | San Francisco | California |
| 119 | Broward College | Broward College Online | ★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 120 | Community College of Baltimore County | Community College of Baltimore County | ★★★★ | Baltimore | Maryland |
| 121 | Indiana State University | Indiana State University | ★★★★ | Terre Haute | Indiana |
| 122 | University of Central Oklahoma | University of Central Oklahoma | ★★★★ | Edmond | Oklahoma |
| 123 | California State University, Fullerton | California State University, Fullerton | ★★★★ | Fullerton | California |
| 124 | Full Sail University | Full Sail University | ★★★★ | Winter Park | Florida |
| 125 | Miami Dade College | Miami Dade College | ★★★★ | Miami | Florida |
| 126 | Delgado Community College | Delgado Community College | ★★★★ | New Orleans | Louisiana |
| 127 | American Public University | American Public University | ★★★★ | Charles Town | West Virginia |
| 128 | Berkeley College | Berkeley College Online® | ★★★★ | Little Falls | New Jersey |
| 129 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | UCLA | ★★★★ | Los Angeles | California |
| 130 | Tarrant County College | Tarrant County College | ★★★★ | Fort Worth | Texas |
| 131 | Columbus State Community College | Columbus State Community College | ★★★★ | Columbus | Ohio |
| 132 | Colorado Christian University | CCU Online | ★★★★ | Lakewood | Colorado |
| 133 | Southeast Missouri State University | Southeast Missouri State University | ★★★★ | Cape Girardeau | Missouri |
| 134 | Tidewater Community College | Tidewater Community College | ★★★★ | Norfolk | Virginia |
| 135 | Washington State University | Washington State University | ★★★★ | Pullman | Washington |
| 136 | The Pennsylvania State University | PennState World Campus | ★★★★ | University Park | Pennsylvania |
| 137 | Central Washington University | Central Washington University | ★★★★ | Ellensburg | Washington |
| 138 | Arkansas State University | Arkansas State University | ★★★★ | Jonesboro | Arkansas |
| 139 | Central Piedmont Community College | Central Piedmont Community College | ★★★★ | Charlotte | North Carolina |
| 140 | Davenport University | Davenport University | ★★★★ | Grand Rapids | Michigan |
| 141 | The University of Memphis | The University of Memphis | ★★★★ | Memphis | Tennessee |
| 142 | Mercy College | Mercy College | ★★★★ | Dobbs Ferry | New York |
| 143 | Oakland Community College | Oakland Community College | ★★★★ | Bloomfield Hills | Michigan |
| 144 | Florida Atlantic University | Florida Atlantic University | ★★★★ | Boca Raton | Florida |
| 145 | Aims Community College | Aims Community College | ★★★★ | Greeley | Colorado |
| 146 | The University of Alabama | University of Alabama Online | ★★★★ | Tuscaloosa | Alabama |
| 147 | Trident Technical College | Trident Technical College | ★★★★ | Charleston | South Carolina |
| 148 | Central Connecticut State University | Central Connecticut State University | ★★★★ | New Britain | Connecticut |
| 149 | The University of New Mexico | UNM Online | ★★★★ | Albuquerque | New Mexico |
| 150 | University of Missouri-St Louis | University of Missouri-St Louis | ★★★★ | Saint Louis | Missouri |
| 151 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Florida State College at Jacksonville | ★★★★ | Jacksonville | Florida |
| 152 | Lamar University | Lamar University | ★★★★ | Beaumont | Texas |
| 153 | Bloomsburg University | Bloomsburg University | ★★★★ | Bloomsburg | Pennsylvania |
| 154 | Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) | Middle Tennessee State University Online | ★★★★ | Murfreesboro | Tennessee |
| 155 | Purdue University Northwest | Purdue University Northwest | ★★★★ | Hammond | Indiana |
| 156 | SUNY Empire State College | SUNY Empire Online | ★★★★ | Saratoga Springs | New York |
| 157 | Austin Community College | ACC Online | ★★★★ | Austin | Texas |
| 158 | Salt Lake Community College | Salt Lake Community College | ★★★★ | Salt Lake City | Utah |
| 159 | Norfolk State University | Norfolk State University | ★★★★ | Norfolk | Virginia |
| 160 | Keiser University | Keiser University | ★★★★ | Fort Lauderdale | Florida |
| 161 | Phoenix College | Phoenix College | ★★★★ | Phoenix | Arizona |
| 162 | Georgia State University | Georgia State Online | ★★★★ | Atlanta | Georgia |
| 163 | East Coast Polytechnic Institute™ | ecpi University | ★★★★ | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
| 164 | South University | South University | ★★★★ | Savannah | Georgia |
| 165 | Pima Community College | PimaCommunityCollege | ★★★★ | Tucson | Arizona |
| 166 | Northern Arizona University | Northern Arizona University | ★★★★ | Flagstaff | Arizona |
| 167 | Academy College | Academy College | ★★★★ | Bloomington | Minnesota |
| 168 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | FAMU Online | ★★★★ | Tallahassee | Florida |
| 169 | The University of Toledo | UToledo Online | ★★★★ | Toledo | Ohio |
| 170 | Tulsa Community College | Tulsa Community College | ★★★★ | Tulsa | Oklahoma |
| 171 | Central Michigan University | Central Michigan University Online | ★★★★ | Mount Pleasant | Michigan |
| 172 | The Arts Institutes International LLC | AI Miami International University of Art & Design | ★★★★ | Miami | Florida |
| 173 | Abraham Lincoln University | Abraham Lincoln University | ★★★★ | Glendale | California |
| 174 | Kent State University | Kent State Online | ★★★★ | Kent | Ohio |
| 175 | California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento State | ★★★★ | Sacramento | California |
| 176 | Strayer University | Strayer University | ★★★★ | Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia |
| 177 | Daytona State College | Daytona State College | ★★★★ | Daytona Beach | Florida |
| 178 | Cuyahoga Community College | Cuyahoga Community College | ★★★★ | Cleveland | Ohio |
| 179 | Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee Area Technical College | ★★★★ | Milwaukee | Wisconsin |
| 180 | Baker College | Baker College | ★★★★ | Owosso | Michigan |
| 181 | Kean University | Kean Online | ★★★★ | Union | New Jersey |
| 182 | University of Arkansas Grantham | UA Grantham | ★★★★ | Little Rock | Arizona |
| 183 | HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College | HACC Virtual Learning | ★★★★ | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania |
| 184 | California State University Los Angeles | Cal State LA | ★★★★ | Los Angeles | California |
| 185 | South Texas College (STC) | South Texas College | ★★★★ | McAllen | Texas |
| 186 | Georgia Gwinnett College | Georgia Gwinnett College | ★★★★ | Lawrenceville | Georgia |
| 187 | Pasco-Hernando State College | Pasco-Hernando State College | ★★★★ | New Port Richey | Florida |
| 188 | Georgia State University’s Perimeter College | Georgia State University’s Perimeter College | ★★★★ | Atlanta | Georgia |
| 189 | Chamberlain University LLC | Chamberlain University | ★★★★ | Addison | Illinois |
| 190 | Macomb Community College | Macomb Community College | ★★★★ | Clinton Township | Michigan |
| 191 | Central Texas College | Central Texas College | ★★★★ | Killeen | Texas |
| 192 | American InterContinental University | AIU Online | ★★★★ | Chandler | Arizona |
| 193 | Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) | Eastern Gateway Community College | ★★★★ | Steubenville | Ohio |
| 194 | Strategic Education, Inc. | Capella University | ★★★★ | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
| 195 | Purdue University Global | Purdue University Global | ★★★★ | West Lafayette | Indiana |
| 196 | Ivy Tech Community College | IvyOnline | ★★★★ | Indianapolis | Indiana |
| 197 | Walden University LLC | Walden University | ★★★★ | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
| 198 | Des Moines Area Community College | Des Moines Area Community College | ★★★★ | Ankeny | Iowa |
| 199 | Lone Star College | Lone Star College | ★★★★ | The Woodlands | Texas |
| 200 | Bryant & Stratton College | Bryant & Stratton College - Online | ★★★★ | Orchard Park | New York |
Visit our rankings portal Licensing
If your company was listed in the ranking, click here to learn more about the licensing options.
METHODOLOGYThe 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 June 20 and August 29, 2022, Statista surveyed about 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.
You can download the complete methodology here.
