These Wisconsin Colleges Offer 2022's Best Online Degrees

Ethan Duran
·4 min read

MILWAUKEE, WI — Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, current and prospective college students in Wisconsin are still turning to online schools and programs to get their degrees in the safety of their homes.

To help students decide on their post-secondary education plans, U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday released its annual list recognizing select schools and degree programs in Wisconsin that were specifically designed to be earned online.

A total of 15 colleges and universities from Wisconsin earned a spot on the 2022 list of Best Online Programs, released Tuesday by U.S. News.

Overall, the rankings evaluated more than 1,700 online bachelor's and master's degree programs.

"The uncertainty caused by the pandemic may result in more people considering the merits of an online education," Liana Loewus, managing editor of education at U.S. News, said in a news release. “As students consider what's right for them and their schedules, they can use the data provided by U.S. News to research their options and make informed decisions about their academic future."

This year’s rankings did not take into account schools or programs that have temporarily moved online due to the pandemic, according to a release by U.S. News. The list also doesn’t include blended learning programs that combine courses in brick-and-mortar classrooms with online education.

To determine which schools and programs made this year’s list, U.S. News looked at overall academic quality across a variety of disciplines. In addition to online bachelor's degrees, U.S. News ranked master's programs in business, education, nursing, engineering, computer information technology and criminal justice. Online MBA programs were split from other business degrees and ranked separately.

The methodologies to determine the best programs varied according to specialty. Learn more about the methodologies used at USNews.com.

Here’s a look at how other schools in Wisconsin fared on this year’s list:

University of Wisconsin — Madison

  • Ranked No. 9 in Online Master's of Engineering

  • Ranked No. 147 in Online Master's of Education

University of Wisconsin — La Crosse

  • Ranked No. 188 in Online Master's of Education

University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee

  • Ranked No. 199 in Online Master's of Education

  • Ranked No. 39 in Online Bachelor's Programs

Cardinal Stritch Unibersity, Milwaukee

  • Ranked No. 242-321 in Online Master's of Education

  • Ranked No. 148-193 in Online Master's of Business Programs

  • Ranked No. 275-361 in Online Bachelor's Programs

  • Ranked No. 252-328 in Online MBA Programs

Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor, Mequon

  • Ranked No. 242-321 in Online Master's of Education

  • Ranked No. 116 in Online Bachelor's Programs

  • Ranked No. 252-328 in Online MBA Programs

  • Ranked No. 57 in Online Master's in Nursing Programs

Maranatha Baptist University, Watertown

  • Ranked No. 242-321 in Online Master's of Education

  • Ranked No. 87 in Online Bachelor's Programs

University of Wisconsin — Steven's Point

  • Ranked No. 242-321 in Online Master's of Education

Marquette University, Milwaukee

  • Ranked No. 9 in Online Master's of Information Technology

  • Ranked No. 38 in Online Master's in Nursing Programs

University of Wisconsin — Stout

  • Ranked No. 65-85 in Online Master's of Information Technology

  • Ranked No. 275-361 in Online Bachelor's Programs

University of Wisconsin — Whitewater

  • Ranked No. 64 in Online Master's of Business Programs

  • Ranked No. 44 in Online Bachelor's Programs

  • Ranked No. 24 in Online MBA Programs

Herzing University, Milwaukee

  • Ranked No. 122 in Online Bachelor's Programs

  • Ranked No. 171 in Online MBA Programs

  • Ranked No. 89 in Online Master's in Nursing Programs

Marian University, Fond du Lac

  • Ranked No. 255 in Online Bachelor's Programs

Alverno College, Milwaukee

  • Ranked No. 275-361 in Online Bachelor's Programs

University of Wisconsin — River Falls

  • Ranked No. 275-361 in Online Bachelor's Programs

University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium

  • Ranked No. 9 in Online MBA Programs

Florida-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University remained at No. 1 this year among Best Online Bachelor's Programs. There was a three-way tie between Indiana University-Bloomington, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the University of Southern California for the top MBA program.

Meanwhile, Columbia University had the top-ranked computer information technology and engineering master’s programs. Tied at No. 1 for Best Online Master's in Nursing programs were Ohio State University,
the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina.

Finally, the No. 1 master’s program in education is at Clemson University in South Carolina.

See the full 2022 list of Best Online Programs here.

This article originally appeared on the Milwaukee Patch