Newsweek names ECU to America’s Top Online Colleges for 2026
East Carolina University has been recognized by Newsweek in its 2026 ranking of America’s Top Online Colleges.
ECU ranked second among UNC System schools named a top online program. ECU is in the top 30% of schools — 72nd out of 250 colleges — recognized.
East Carolina University has been recognized by Newsweek in its 2026 ranking of America’s Top Online Colleges.
To develop the rankings, Newsweek and Statista surveyed more than 10,000 U.S. residents who earned a degree online or participated in an online course for a job or hobby. The survey was conducted between June 6 and June 30.
Participants were asked to evaluate their schools in six main categories: organization, support, price, reputation, success and practical relevance. They also were asked how satisfied they were and if they would recommend the organization to others.
That data, along with publicly available key performance indicators, were used to develop an overall score and rank, according to Newsweek.
Virtual learning provides students and educators with greater flexibility and personalization over in-person classes. As a result, online coursework has seen incredible growth, especially in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer H. Cunningham, Newsweek’s editor in chief, said in a story about the rankings on its website.
The National Center for Education Statistics reported that about 10 million college students took at least one online class in 2022, accounting for more than half of all college students, according to Newsweek.
ECU offers more than 100 online degree and certificate programs in areas like business, health care, technology and education.
The rankings were posted Nov. 5 on Newsweek’s website.
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