Online graduate programs in nursing, criminal justice, education and business rank nationally
East Carolina University’s nursing program remains in the top 10 nationwide and is the No. 1 online master’s program among public universities in North Carolina in a new ranking by U.S. News and World Report.
Other highly ranked online master’s programs at ECU include criminal justice — the only program in North Carolina at either a public or private university in the category. ECU’s online master’s in education placed in the top 15% of institutions nationwide, while the online MBA remains in the top half of programs across the country.
U.S. News and World Report released its 2026 Best Online Programs rankings of nearly 1,850 online bachelor’s and master’s programs Tuesday. Factors used to determine program rankings include engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer assessment, services and technologies, and student excellence.
ECU’s online master’s program in nursing is the highest ranked among public institutions in North Carolina.
The ECU College of Nursing moved up in the rankings in every category this year:
- No. 9 — Overall best online master’s in nursing of 201 ranked programs, placing it in the top 4% of programs ranked by U.S. News
- No. 7 — Best online master’s in nursing administration/leadership
- No. 6 — Best online master’s in nursing education
- No. 3 — Best online master’s in nursing for veterans
“These newest rankings are a reflection of the continuing progress that we see every day in our classrooms and clinical sites where our students are educated and trained,” said Dr. Bim Akintade, dean of the College of Nursing.
“Pirate nursing has proven time and again that we are, comprehensively, the flagship nursing program in the UNC System, and increasingly recognized as leaders in advanced nursing practice, nursing education and leadership within our profession nationally. I am very, very proud of our faculty, staff and especially our students,” he said.
ECU’s online graduate program in criminal justice has been a mainstay in the U.S. News rankings. This year the program ranked No. 40 of 99, placing it in the top 40% nationally.
“We’re proud to remain the top-ranked criminal justice online graduate program in North Carolina, and to continue earning national recognition,” said Dr. Heidi Bonner, professor and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.
“This recognition reflects the work of faculty who bring both scholarly expertise and real-world perspective, and who are committed to serving adult learners and working professionals through a rigorous, flexible experience,” Bonner said.
ECU’s online education master’s program rose four spots in the rankings to No. 50 of 323 programs.
“This recognition is a powerful affirmation of the work our faculty, staff and students are doing every day. It highlights our ongoing growth and our dedication to delivering high-quality, impactful online graduate education,” said Dr. André Green, dean of the College of Education. “We are energized by this recognition and motivated to keep raising the bar for excellence.”
ECU’s online MBA in the College of Business’ Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business placed No. 178 of 364 programs ranked. ECU’s MBA also earned recognition as a best for veterans’ program.
“We are pleased to see the continued strength of our MBA program among the leaders in online graduate education — especially with serving our active military and veterans,” said Dr. Andy Herdman, interim assistant dean of the Arthur Graduate School. “This progress underscores our mission to meet learners where they are — to provide working professionals a flexible, self-paced program without compromising the quality or rigor of the degree.”
To qualify in a best for veterans category, a program must be ranked in the top 50% of the best online programs, participate in the Yellow Ribbon program or charge in-state tuition for veterans, and enroll at least 10 veterans or active service members.
Visit U.S. News for more information on the rankings.
(Ben Abel, Lacey Gray, Rich Klindworth, Kristen Martin and ECU’s Institutional Planning Assessment and Research office contributed to this story).