The University of Florida has been ranked No. 1 nationally for online bachelor’s degree programs, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings released on Tuesday. 

The ranking moved UF up one spot from 2025 after the university earned the top spot in 2024 and 2023.   

“UF’s No. 1 ranking reflects a commitment to academic excellence and intentional design in online education,” Joe Glover, UF’s interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said in a UF release. “Our faculty and staff design and offer online programs that are rigorous, engaging and focused on student success, ensuring learners receive an exceptional UF education regardless of location.” 

UF also ranked first for its online bachelor’s in business and online bachelor’s for veterans programs, and No. 3 for online bachelor’s psychology, according to the release. 

U.S. News assessed several factors to rank the best online bachelor’s degree programs, including graduation rates, faculty credentials and support services available remotely.  

UF said the top ranking for online bachelor’s degrees highlights the success of UF Online, which offers undergraduate degree programs across multiple colleges and disciplines and is designed to serve many students, including working adults, veterans and those balancing education with other life commitments. 

In addition to the No. 1 overall ranking for online bachelor’s degree programs, a pair of UF online graduate degree programs ranked inside the top 5, including education (No. 2) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA), which came in fifth, according to the release. 

The Warrington College of Business and Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering had degree programs that ranked in the top 20. According to the release, the College of Business came in 15^th in the Online Master’s in Engineering category and 13^th in the Online Master’s in Electrical Engineering category. The College of Business, meanwhile, ranked 15^th in the Online Master’s in Business category. 

UF’s online graduate programs, the release said, were rated using metrics like faculty credentials and training, student engagement, peer assessments, student services and technology and academic outcomes.  

“High-quality education is essential in today’s rapidly evolving economy,” said Brian Harfe, UF’s associate provost of teaching and technology, in the release. “UF’s diverse online degree programs meet students where they are while providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to advance their careers and contribute to their communities.” 

The latest ranking from U.S. News adds to the national recognition UF has received dating back to this past fall, when Forbes magazine named UF the No. 5 public university in the country and U.S. News selected UF as the No. 7 public university for the second year in a row.  

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.