The best online master's degree programs in a given discipline are accredited by the professional accrediting organization in that field. For example, the best online nursing graduate degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, an independent organization which grants strict, peer-reviewed accreditation to quality schools. Such professional accrediting organizations will often list its top campus-based and online degree programs.
Online Education Database (OEDb), a nonprofit organization that conducts independent surveys similar to those used by U.S. News & World Report, ranks the top online universities yearly. Upper Iowa University and Western Governors University annually rank in the top five for students seeking an online graduate degree.
Many of the top state university systems offer online graduate degrees through continuing education systems that connect multiple institutions. For example, the University of Texas System's UT TeleCampus offers top online graduate degrees through 15 connected state schools. Another great example is The University of North Carolina Online, which offers competitive online master's degrees through 16 connected state institutions.
"U.S. News & World Report" offers the most-referenced graduate school rankings. To find the best online graduate degrees, according to "U.S. News & World Report," search for the best programs in your field and check with each individual school to see if they offer online options. While "U.S. News & World Report" offers a database of online programs, it does not provide comprehensive rankings that specifically apply to online schools.