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U.S. News ranks OHIO Online Bachelor’s programs in national top 30; Veteran and other programs among Ohio’s best

An OHIO Online students works on a computer in an office or study

Ohio University’s Online Bachelor’s programs ranked overall among the nation’s best in the latest U.S. News & World Report “Best Online Programs,” placing 29th nationally and third in Ohio, while its Online Bachelor’s for Veterans program ranked 19th in the nation and first in the state.

Several other OHIO online programs, including psychology and business, also earned top state and national rankings, underscoring the University’s continued commitment to high-quality online education and support for veterans.

Ohio University moved up 28 spots since last year, now placing 29th nationally and 3rdin Ohio for online bachelor’s degree programs, a testament to the work being done to provide high-quality and accessible online programs. The majority of OHIO’s online programs were ranked in the top 100 in their field by U.S. News & World Report, based on the online programs that were included this year by the publication. 

“Ohio University remains deeply committed to expanding access to high-quality, affordable education through flexible academic pathways that meet students where they are,” said Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “Recognition from U.S. News & World Report, including ranking OHIO Online among the nation’s top programs and earning national distinction for our support of Veterans, affirms the strength of that commitment and the care we take to support student success. We are especially proud to serve those who have served our country as they pursue their educational and professional goals.”

Veterans program rankings
OHIO was also ranked fourth for best online master’s in nursing for Veterans and first in the state, as well as 68th and third in Ohio for best online MBA for Veterans. For best online bachelor’s programs for Veterans, OHIO ranked 19th, up 12 spots and was ranked best in Ohio.

The University continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading institutions for service members and Veterans, being designated a Military Friendly Schools® for the 14th consecutive year. This recognition reflects a long-standing commitment to supporting veterans and active-duty military students through military-friendly initiatives, including an incentive scholarship for online student veterans that helps reduce costs and expand access to higher education. The University was also once again designated as a Collegiate Purple Star campus.

Nursing rankings
In the last several years, OHIO’s online master’s in nursing program has continued to experience a strong upward trend in U.S. News’ rankings, moving up from 51st in 2022 to now 12th in the nation the last two years. It is also ranked second in the state of Ohio among public institutions.

In the past year, Ohio University’s nursing programs have continued to earn strong recognition for excellence with OHIO’s nurse practitioner program ranking third in Ohio and the online BSN to DNP program ranking second nationally by AllNurses.com. The RN to BSN program also ranks 6th in the nation by AllNurses.com.

OHIO’s Nursing Program has also been recognized for its excellence, earning the top spot for public universities in Ohio by nursing.org, and ranking third among both public and private.

Additional notable rankings
Two of OHIO’s online bachelor’s programs ranked in the top 50, including the online psychology program ranked 19th in the nation and named best in the state, as well as the online bachelor’s in business program ranked at 47th and tied for best in the state.

“The continued rise of our online programs in national rankings reflects the significant emphasis we’ve placed on quality programs, student experience, and alignment with workforce opportunities,” said Kari Lehman, vice provost for OHIO Online. “Seeing many programs advance underscores our commitment to delivering accessible, high-value education for students balancing work, family and other responsibilities. These gains are made possible by the dedication of our faculty and professional staff, whose focus on student success drives this continued momentum.”

OHIO’s complete national and state rankings include:

The complete U.S. News & World Report online program rankings can be found on their website.

A full list of OHIO’s 60+ online programs can be found at OHIO Online.

Tags:
Rankings
Veterans
Department of Psychology
School of Nursing
Graduate College
OHIO Online
College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business
College of Health Sciences and Professions
Patton College of Education
Russ College of Engineering and Technology
Published
January 29, 2026
Author
Staff reports