U.S. News & World Report lists BGSU among nation’s top online programs

The University was among the top tier of universities in the publication’s Best Online Programs rankings

As part of its ongoing mission to provide students with top-class options for flexible online degrees, Bowling Green State University was once again recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Online Programs rankings.

The publication’s 2025 rankings evaluated BGSU Online as having exemplary undergraduate and graduate degree programs ranked highly in Ohio, the Midwest and nationally.

Comprehensively, BGSU was ranked as the No. 3 university in Ohio and No. 14 public university in the Midwest, placing the University among the top quartile nationally and recognizing its commitment to having adaptable, relevant programs that prepare students for career success.

Individually, undergraduate programs in business and the master's in criminal justice ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Ohio and among the top 25 programs nationally.

The University, which Military Times has ranked No. 1 in the Midwest for veterans and active military students four years in a row, also scored highly in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, ranking second in Ohio for veteran’s online bachelor’s.

"BGSU is committed to providing a world-class education to learners in all formats, and these rankings recognize the quality of our asynchronous delivery," said Dr. Glenn Davis, interim provost and senior vice president and vice president for student engagement and success. "Thanks to our award-winning and expert faculty, BGSU Online provides the same level of quality to students no matter where they are geographically or in their careers.”

Criminal Justice

Once again ranked as a top-25 program nationally, the online master's criminal justice program took top honors in the state of Ohio and was ranked No. 15 nationally.

BGSU offers flexible, online options for a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, which is designed for students already working in criminal justice, the military or social services, and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice that can be completed in 18 months.

Both programs are intended to prepare students to become criminal justice professionals who implement evidence-based solutions as leaders within their fields, while the master’s option also can serve as an excellent foundation for a doctoral degree or law school.

Business

Home to 13 specializations and housed within the Schmidthorst College of Business, business programs at BGSU are AACSB-accredited and prepare students for in-demand careers in fields such as business analytics and intelligence, accounting, finance and information systems.

U.S. News ranked BGSU No. 4 in Ohio for Online MBA and No. 4 for veteran’s Online MBA, including No. 72 nationally.

Collectively, BGSU ranked third in Ohio for graduate offerings in business and No. 66 nationally, a jump of 11 spots from last year’s rankings and recognition of the College of Business’ continued ascent.

Education

A longtime producer of quality educators, education master’s options rose and again scored in the top quartile nationally, ranking No. 71 in the country.

At BGSU, one of the state of Ohio’s largest education programs, students can choose from six different online master’s degrees in education to further their career prospects within their field.

BGSU Online programs – which are taught by the same expert faculty as in-person classes – are designed to meet current teachers or students making a career change where they are, allowing them to complete coursework from anywhere.

Classes are offered in seven-week, 15-week and blended formats at BGSU, which is the only university in Ohio to possess the Quality Matters Online Learner Support certificate for all of its online programming.