Ohio State’s online Master of Science in Nursing ranked No. 1 in the nation by US News

Ohio State's online Master of Science in Nursing ranked No. 1 in the nation by US News

Online bachelor's programs tie for 4th nationally

The Ohio State University's online five-track Master of Science in Nursing program has been named the No. 1 online graduate nursing program in the nation in the 2026 U.S. News & World ReportBest Online Programs rankings.

The top ranking represents the 10th consecutive year the online MS in Nursing program has been ranked among the top five online graduate nursing programs nationwide and a repeat of the 2022 No. 1 ranking.

"Every day, we come to work dedicated to supporting our students in answering their calling to care. And every day, our faculty, staff, alumni, preceptors and partners give so much of themselves to make it happen," said Karen Rose, professor and dean of the College of Nursing. "We see these rankings as confirmation that we are delivering on our promise to prepare confident, competent nurses and leaders who will change health care for the better to benefit all people."

Ohio State's online Master of Science in Nursing prepares advanced practice nurses through five specialization areas and has been recognized for excellence in clinical preparation, evidence-based practice and holistic student support.

The online Master of Science in Nursing in Family Nurse Practitionerjumped forward to No. 3 (tied with George Washington University) from the 2025 ranking of No. 5, and remains the top public institution ranked in this category. The university's online Master of Science in Nursing in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner programtied at No. 5 with the University of Missouri.

Ohio State's online undergraduate programs also earned strong national recognition in this year's Best Online Programs rankings. The university's online bachelor's programs, composed of the College of Nursing's RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); the College of Medicine's Bachelor of Science in Health Sciencesand AS to Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences; and the College of Dentistry's RDH to Bachelor of Science, Dental Hygienerose to No. 4 nationally (tied with the University of North Carolina-Charlotte), up from No. 5 last year.

Jason Lemon, vice provost and dean of Ohio State Online, said that he is proud that online learning at Ohio State is receiving recognition for its excellence.

"Online learning has proven itself as an excellent way for working professionals and adult learners to advance their education and continue to build the skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers and earning power," Lemon said. "Now, we are seeing that with The Ohio State University, it can also be an excellent way to participate in some of the highest ranked programs in the country.

"Ohio State's online programs have been the highest ranked programs in the state of Ohio, but now we can say that they are among the highest in the nation as well. These rankings mean that the dedication, academic quality, excellent faculty and amazing digital learning environments that we have worked on for years are receiving the recognition and publicity that we have always known they deserve."

While the online Master of Science in Nursing ranking leads Ohio State's 2026 results, several of the university's other fully online programs were also recognized this year:

• Online graduate engineering programs ranked No. 23 and Ohio State was the top Ohio institution ranked in the category.
• Online graduate education programs ranked No. 76, up from No. 54 in 2025.
• Online non-MBA business graduate program ranked No. 8.
• Online MBA ranked No. 50.

U.S. News & World Reportevaluates online programs using measures of student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer assessment, and services and technology, as well as student excellence for graduate programs.

For more information on Ohio State's online programs, visit online.osu.edu.
For the full 2026 U.S. News & World Reportrankings, https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education

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