PROVIDENCE – Four local colleges were named by U.S. News & World Report as having the best online programs in the country, according to the news outlet’s 2024 Best Online Programs released Wednesday.
U.S. News says it assessed 1,752 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, ranking 1,680. The programs that the ranked institutions offered reviewed by U.S. News this year were business analytics, finance, general management, marketing and best online MBA programs for veterans.
Bryant University in Smithfield, Salve Regina University in Newport, Johnson & Wales University in Providence and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth all appeared in the best overall ranking. Bryant was the highest-ranked local college at No. 37, up from No. 65 from a year ago.
UMass Dartmouth was ranked No. 86 in the overall list, improving its No. 102 ranking from last year. The Dartmouth-based state university was also ranked No. 56 in the best online MBA programs for veterans – the only other ranking a local college appeared in this year outside of the overall list.
Salve was ranked No. 193 this year, down from No. 169 a year ago, and JWU came in at No. 201, a drop from No. 197.
The New England Institute of Technology and the University of Rhode Island, both of which appeared
in last year's rankings, were not noted in this year’s rankings by U.S. News.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.