U.S. News rankings include Penn State World Campus graduate, bachelor's programs

Penn State World Campus has been included in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs rankings.

The annual rankings, which were released January 25, placed Penn State World Campus on lists for graduate degree programs, including engineering, business, education, and information technology; bachelor’s degree programs; and the best programs for veterans.

Here are the full rankings of the program categories:

• No. 3 (tie), graduate engineering programs
• No. 8 (tie), graduate education programs
• No. 12 (tie), graduate business (non-MBA) programs
• No. 13, graduate computer/IT programs
• No. 15, MBA
• No. 16 (tie), bachelor’s degree programs

U.S. News considered more than 380 colleges and universities in its bachelor’s programs rankings by reviewing surveys submitted by the institutions. U.S. News rated the institutions on categories of engagement, services and technology, faculty credentials and training, and expert opinion. 

The surveys for graduate degree programs measured those four categories as well as student excellence.

Best online degree programs for veterans

U.S. News also ranked Penn State World Campus on its Best Online Programs for Veterans lists. 

Those rankings are based on the same factors as its Best Online Programs rankings, in addition to an institution’s ability to make college more affordable and accessible through the GI Bill®, scholarships, and financial aid programs designed for military students.

Here are the rankings for Best Online Programs for Veterans:

• No. 3 (tie), graduate engineering
• No. 3, graduate education 
• No. 5, graduate business (non-MBA)
• No. 8, graduate computer/IT
• No. 10 (tie), MBA
• No. 11 (tie), bachelor’s programs

Specialty rankings

The Best Online Programs 2022 edition includes rankings of specific disciplines within the program categories. The specialties rankings were based on ratings provided by peer institutions.

Highlights for Penn State World Campus include the No. 2 rankings for graduate industrial engineering, bachelor’s in business, and bachelor’s in psychology. Here are the full specialty rankings:

• No. 2, bachelor’s in business
• No. 2, bachelor’s in psychology
• No. 2 (tie), graduate industrial engineering
• No. 3, graduate educational/instructional media design
• No. 3, graduate engineering management
• No. 4 (tie), graduate mechanical engineering
• No. 5 (tie), graduate curriculum and instruction
• No. 7, graduate electrical engineering
• No. 7 (tie), graduate finance
• No. 7 (tie), graduate general management
• No. 7 (tie), graduate special education
• No. 10 (tie), graduate education administration and supervision
• No. 10 (tie), graduate marketing
• No. 15 (tie), graduate business analytics

Penn State was one of the pioneers in online higher education when it launched Penn State World Campus in 1998. 

Now, almost 25 years later, Penn State World Campus offers more than 175 degree and certificate programs online and counts more than 15,000 students around the globe and more than 30,000 alumni.

Learn more about the bachelor’s and graduate degree programs offered online through Penn State World Campus.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.