University of Nebraska Kearney's online graduate programs claim top ranks in Nebraska and nationwide

The University of Nebraska Kearney is one of the best schools in the country for online graduate education, according to multiple nationwide ranking lists.   
 
U.S. News & World Report ranked UNK as one of the “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs” at 63rd and 20th for “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs for Veterans.” 
 
UNK was the only Nebraska institution among the 35 other colleges and universities to earn a spot on the “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs for Veterans” list. 
 
UNK was also recognized by Online Masters Degrees (OMD) and Online Masters Colleges (OMC), with UNK earning the number one spot for “Best Online Master’s in Nebraska” from OMC.  
 
OMC’s rankings included other notable statewide colleges and universities, with Wayne State College coming in second and Doane University in third, and University of Nebraska –Lincoln and –Omaha coming in at fifth and eighth, respectively. 

"The distinguishing factor between UNK and other Nebraska colleges and universities is unequivocally our esteemed sense of community,” Dean of Graduate Studies and Academic Innovation Dr. Mark Ellis said. “The unwavering dedication to excellency demonstrated by our students, faculty, and staff is exactly what places our online graduate programs on top.” 
 
OMD ranked UNK in the top 9% for “Best Online Master’s Degree Program in 2024,” with five programs earning a place in the top 10 based on their specific fields. 
 
UNK’s online STEM Education M.S.Ed. ranked second for “Best Online Science Education Master’s Degrees,” and UNK’s online History M.A. and online English M.A. both ranked third for “Top History Master’s Programs Online” and “Best Online Master’s Programs in English.”
 
Professor and Director of STEM Education Dr. Janet Steele said she feels “extremely pleased” to have the STEM Education M.S.Ed. receive such a high ranking. 
 
“Unlike the Biology Department and the Teacher Education Department, the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Astronomy do not have their own graduate programs,” Steele explained. “Therefore, all the graduate courses they offer are specifically designed for students in the STEM Education M.S.Ed. program.” 
 
She emphasized this recognition would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of her fellow faculty members within these departments.  
 
Additionally, UNK’s online Health Sciences M.S. ranked seventh for “Top Health Science Master’s Degrees Online” and UNK’s online Teacher Education master’s programs ranked eighth for “Top Online Elementary Education Master’s Degrees.” 
 
“I am immensely proud to work with all of our esteemed faculty and staff to deliver innovative and exemplary online education to our graduate students,” Ellis said. “Though we have reached the top, we will not stop here; we aspire to continue delivering exceptional online educational opportunities well into the future.”