America's Top Online Colleges and America's Top Online Learning Providers 2024
From comprehensive university degree programs to specialized professional development courses to classes for hobbyists or lifelong learners, the vast expanse of online learning opportunities can be overwhelming.
For the third consecutive year, Newsweek has collaborated with the respected global data firm Statista to unveil America's Top Online Colleges and America's Top Online Learning Providers 2024. These rankings are based on a survey of over 9,000 online learners, as well as our research about the institutions.
In our effort to find America's Top Online Colleges, we evaluated and ranked 200 colleges and universities that offer online undergraduate and graduate programs. The awarded institutions have been given either five stars, denoting an aggregate score surpassing the median of all recognized institutions, or four stars, signifying a score just below that threshold.
Evaluating America's Top Online Learning Providers led us to select 50 esteemed organizations that offer online courses, both certificate and non-certificate, catering to the personal and professional development needs of learners across the United States. While the star rating can help compare these institutions, we didn't rank the Top Online Learning Providers: the topic and form of their courses are too varied to make an overall ranking meaningful.
For those embarking on a search for high-quality online education, we hope that our ranking is helpful in your quest.
| Award | Legal Name | Brand Name | City | State | Course aggregator platform (e.g. Massive Open Online Courses) | Types of courses and topics of classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★★★★ | 360training | 360training | Austin | Texas | Business, Health, Skilled Trades | |
| ★★★★★ | AboveTraining Inc. | StateFoodSafety | Orem | Utah | ||
| ★★★★ | Aceable, Inc. | Aceable | Austin | Texas | Business | |
| ★★★★ | Acumen Fund, Inc. | Acumen Academy | New York | New York | Business | |
| ★★★★ | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | AWS Training and Certification | Seattle | Washington | IT | |
| ★★★★★ | American Counseling Association | American Counseling Association | Alexandria | Virginia | ||
| ★★★★★ | American Heart Association, Inc. | American Heart Association | Dallas | Texas | Health | |
| ★★★★ | Apple Inc. | Apple | Cupertino | California | IT | |
| ★★★★★ | Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC | National Academy of Sports Medicine | Gilbert | Arizona | Sports / Fitness, Health | |
| ★★★★ | Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies | Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies | New York | New York | ||
| ★★★★ | Career Step, LLC | CareerStep | Lehi | Utah | Science, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Health | |
| ★★★★★ | ChildCare Education Institute | ChildCare Education Institute | Duluth | Georgia | Education | |
| ★★★★ | Codecademy LLC | Codecademy | New York | New York | Yes | IT |
| ★★★★★ | CompTIA, Inc. | CompTIA | Downers Grove | Illinois | IT | |
| ★★★★★ | Coursera, Inc. | Coursera | Mountain View | California | Yes | Business, Education, IT, Science, Legal, Arts & Design, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health, Social Services, Skilled Trades, Humanities |
| ★★★★ | DataCamp, Inc. | DataCamp | New York | New York | Yes | Business, IT |
| ★★★★ | Defense Acquisition University | DAU | Fort Belvoir | Virginia | Business, IT | |
| ★★★★★ | Domestika Inc. | Domestika | Berkeley | California | Business, IT, Arts & Design, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Humanities | |
| ★★★★★ | Duolingo, Inc. | Duolingo | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | Languages | |
| ★★★★★ | Education To Go | ed2go | Temecula | California | Yes | Business, Education, IT, Legal, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health |
| ★★★★ | edX LLC | edX | Lanham | Maryland | Yes | Business, Education, IT, Science, Legal, Arts & Design,Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health, Social Services, Humanities |
| ★★★★★ | freeCodeCamp | freeCodeCamp | San Francisco | California | IT | |
| ★★★★ | Google LLC | Grow with Google | Mountain View | California | Business, IT, Arts & Design | |
| ★★★★★ | Harvard Business School Online | Harvard Business School Online | Boston | Massachusetts | Business | |
| ★★★★★ | Health Care Compliance Association | Health Care Compliance Association | Eden Prairie | Minnesota | Health | |
| ★★★★★ | HubSpot, Inc. | HubSpot Academy | Cambridge | Massachusetts | Yes | Business, IT, Arts & Design |
| ★★★★ | Instructure, Inc. | Canvas Network | Salt Lake City | Utah | Yes | Education |
| ★★★★★ | Iowa Area Education Agencies | AEA Learning Online | Johnston | Iowa | Education | |
| ★★★★★ | Khan Academy, Inc. | Khan Academy | Mountain View | California | Yes | Business, Education, IT, Languages, Health, Humanities |
| ★★★★ | LinkedIn Corporation | LinkedIn Learning | Sunnyvale | California | Yes | Business, IT, Arts & Design, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages |
| ★★★★ | MedBridge Inc. | MedBridge | Bellevue | Washington | Health | |
| ★★★★★ | National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation | ServSafe | Chicago | Illinois | ||
| ★★★★★ | Penn Foster | Penn Foster | Scranton | Pennsylvania | Business, Education, IT, Science, Legal, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Health | |
| ★★★★★ | Penn State Extension | Penn State Extension | University Park | Pennsylvania | Business, Science, Health | |
| ★★★★ | Pluralsight, LLC | Pluralsight | Draper | Utah | IT, Arts & Design | |
| ★★★★ | Project Management Institute, Inc. | Project Management Institute | Newtown Square | Pennsylvania | Business | |
| ★★★★ | Relias Academy, Inc. | Relias Academy | Morrisville | North Carolina | Health | |
| ★★★★★ | San Diego College of Continuing Education | San Diego College of Continuing Education | San Diego | California | Business, Education, IT, Arts & Design, Health | |
| ★★★★ | Shenpire Group LLC | Skill Success | Orange | California | Business, IT, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health, Social Services | |
| ★★★★ | Skillshare, Inc. | Skillshare | New York | New York | Yes | Business, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health |
| ★★★★ | Skillsoft Corporation | Skillsoft | Nashua | New Hampshire | Business, IT | |
| ★★★★★ | SOPHIA Learning, LLC. | Sophia | Minneapolis | Minnesota | Business, IT, Languages, Humanities | |
| ★★★★ | Stratford Career Institute | Stratford Career Institute | St. Albans | Vermont | Business, Science, Legal, Arts & Design, Health | |
| ★★★★★ | TABCPermit.com | TABCPermit.com | Cedar Park | Texas | ||
| ★★★★★ | The American National Red Cross | American Red Cross | Washington | District of Columbia | Education, Health, Skilled Trades | |
| ★★★★ | TN Marketing, LLC | Craftsy | Plymouth | Minnesota | Arts & Design | |
| ★★★★★ | Udacity, Inc. | Udacity | Mountain View | California | Yes | Business, IT |
| ★★★★ | Udemy, Inc. | Udemy | San Francisco | California | Yes | Business, IT, Science, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Health |
| ★★★★★ | Upskillist Group Ltd | upskillist | Portsmouth | New Hampshire | Business, Education, IT, Science, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Languages, Health | |
| ★★★★ | Yanka Industries, Inc., d/b/a MasterClass | MasterClass | San Francisco | California | Yes | Business, Science, Arts & Design, Sports / Fitness, Hospitality, Soft Skills, Health, Humanities |
Visit our rankings portal Licensing:
If your facility is listed in the ranking, learn more about the licensing options for Top Online Colleges or Top Online Learning Providers.
Methodology:
For the third time, Newsweek and Statista are awarding institutions that offer online learning courses or online college/university degrees to adult learners in two top lists:
• America's Top Online Colleges (colleges and universities that offer online degree programs to learners who want to obtain an academic degree, including hybrid programs with online and offline courses or exams)
• America's Top Online Learning Providers (institutions other than a university or college and platforms that provide access to their own or third-party online courses)
The rankings are based on an online survey among U.S. residents who have used online learning service offers to obtain an academic degree or acquire knowledge and skills for their job (professional development) or hobbies (personal development) via online courses.
Between June 5, 2023 and July 17, 2023, Statista surveyed more than 9,000 individuals in the United States. Survey respondents indicated which institutions they used to obtain an online degree or where they attended an online course. In the next step, respondents shared their experiences by rating the institutions regarding several criteria. Finally, respondents could indicate how satisfied they were with the organization and to what extent they would recommend it to others.
User reviews and additional institutional indicators were transformed into score values and aggregated towards a final score. To receive an award, institutions needed an above-average total score value. The awarded institutions received either five stars if their final score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions or four stars if their score is below this threshold.
The top lists were created through an elaborate process: Participants' responses as well as the final selection of institutions in each list, were carefully reviewed. Statista makes no statement about the quality of education institutions or learning providers that are not included in the lists, and their reputation is not disputed.
For the full methodology, download this file.
If your facility is listed in the ranking, learn more about the licensing options for Top Online Colleges or Top Online Learning Providers.
Methodology:
For the third time, Newsweek and Statista are awarding institutions that offer online learning courses or online college/university degrees to adult learners in two top lists:
• America's Top Online Colleges (colleges and universities that offer online degree programs to learners who want to obtain an academic degree, including hybrid programs with online and offline courses or exams)
• America's Top Online Learning Providers (institutions other than a university or college and platforms that provide access to their own or third-party online courses)
The rankings are based on an online survey among U.S. residents who have used online learning service offers to obtain an academic degree or acquire knowledge and skills for their job (professional development) or hobbies (personal development) via online courses.
Between June 5, 2023 and July 17, 2023, Statista surveyed more than 9,000 individuals in the United States. Survey respondents indicated which institutions they used to obtain an online degree or where they attended an online course. In the next step, respondents shared their experiences by rating the institutions regarding several criteria. Finally, respondents could indicate how satisfied they were with the organization and to what extent they would recommend it to others.
User reviews and additional institutional indicators were transformed into score values and aggregated towards a final score. To receive an award, institutions needed an above-average total score value. The awarded institutions received either five stars if their final score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions or four stars if their score is below this threshold.
The top lists were created through an elaborate process: Participants' responses as well as the final selection of institutions in each list, were carefully reviewed. Statista makes no statement about the quality of education institutions or learning providers that are not included in the lists, and their reputation is not disputed.
For the full methodology, download this file.
