By Brian McNeill

Three programs offered by Virginia Commonwealth University have been ranked as part of U.S. News & World Report's 2026 list of the best online programs.

"At VCU, we want to bring the best educational opportunities to our students and our surrounding communities, wherever they may be," said Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. "Our recent rankings underline our commitment to access and affordability while maintaining academic rigor and support. Congratulations to our faculty leaders who continue to reiterate fervorous dedication to our educational mission and the unique pedagogy of distance education."

U.S. News & World Report's annual list, announced today, includes rankings of two online programs of the VCU College of Engineering. VCU tied for No. 18 in the category of Best Online Master's in Engineering Programs, up from No. 22 in 2025. U.S. News also ranked VCU in a tie for No. 10 in Best Online Master's in Mechanical Engineering Programs.

"These national rankings affirm VCU Engineering's growing impact on engineering education nationwide and our shared commitment to excellence," said Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. dean of the College of Engineering. "Driven by the dedication and innovation of our faculty in their respective fields, and strengthened by the outstanding support of our staff, we have built rigorous, forward-looking programs that expand access while maintaining the highest academic standards."

Eskandarian added: "This success is further enabled by strong partnerships and effective investments from VCU's central administration and the Provost's Office, which support online program development, enabling us to innovate, scale and serve students across the country. Together, we are poised to build on this momentum and help shape the future of engineering education."

The VCU School of Education tied for No. 36 in U.S. News' ranking of Best Online Master's in Education Programs.

"This recognition reflects the VCU School of Education's ongoing commitment to advancing learning and knowledge through impactful research, high-quality teaching and meaningful engagement," said Kelli Feldman, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education dean and Ruth Harris professor. "Our online programs are designed to prepare and support professionals to lead change and inform social, economic, health and educational policy and practice, while remaining accessible and responsive to the needs of working educators,. As we look ahead, we are deepening our focus on interprofessional preparation so our graduates are equipped to collaborate across disciplines and create progressive change in the communities they serve."

U.S. News & World Report has ranked online higher education programs since 2012. For the 2026 edition, the publication assessed approximately 1,850 online degree programs. Including the new online program rankings, VCU has 22 graduate and professional programs ranked among the Top 50 by U.S. News.