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11 years and counting: UF again ranks among nation’s best for online education

Date

January 26, 2026

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National recognition underscores UF’s excellence in online instruction, faculty engagement and student success.

The UF College of Education remains at the forefront of online education, maintaining the No. 2 ranking in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs among 323 peer institutions.

UF Arch
UF continues to be the top-ranked college of education in Florida and has placed among the top two nationally for eleven consecutive years. This sustained recognition demonstrates the college’s established leadership in delivering flexible, innovative programs and high-impact learning experiences for students across the country.
Glenn Good

“Eleven continuous years as a national leader in online education reflects our belief that access and excellence can go hand in hand. True to our mission, we are committed to providing an exemplary educational experience that prepares our students for professional success while equipping them with the knowledge and skills to enrich their schools and communities.”

Glenn Good, Ph.D.

College of Education Dean

The College of Education offers a robust portfolio of online graduate programs, continually advancing its online offerings with support from the college’s E-Learning, Technology and Communications (ETC) department. This interdisciplinary team of instructional designers, videographers, editors, graphic designers and web and application developers partners with faculty to apply best practices, integrate emerging technologies and design engaging learning environments that support academic excellence and student success.

“Year after year, our online graduate programs succeed thanks to extraordinary collaboration among our faculty, staff, and students. Rankings aren’t the end goal, but a reflection of our commitment to delivering research-driven, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. Through partnership between faculty and our ETC team, and in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Learning Technologies, we continuously innovate how we teach and learn online. Our focus remains exactly where it belongs: expanding opportunity, improving outcomes, and preparing the next generation of educational leaders.””

Jason Arnold, Ed.D.

Senior Director of E-learning, Technology and Communications

Jason Arnold
In addition to its online graduate rankings, the University of Florida was recognized as the nation’s top institution for online bachelor’s degree programs overall, highlighting UF’s commitment to high-quality education at every level. 

Specialty Programs

As in past years, the college’s specialty programs continue to rank in the top 10 across all available specialty areas, an accomplishment achieved consistently since U.S. News began ranking specialty programs in 2020. Specialty area rankings are based on peer assessment of academic reputation and include:

Curriculum and Instruction

Educational Administration and Supervision

Special Education

Educational Administration and Supervision

““We are so proud and honored that the College of Education’s online graduate programs continue to be nationally recognized year after year. This is truly a testament to the innovative spirit and hard work of our faculty and staff, who are committed to serving our students well and preparing them to become the next generation of exceptional practitioners and scholars in the field.”

Elayne Colón, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Academic & Student Affairs

Elayne Colon

According to U.S. News, a master’s degree in education increases opportunities for advancement in leadership positions and can help further careers in teaching, training and development, and administration. Overall program rankings are determined based on five general components: student engagement (30 percent), expert opinion (20 percent), faculty credentials and training (20 percent), student services and technology (20 percent) and student excellence (10 percent).

“This continued recognition has been earned by the consistent efforts of our faculty, staff and students,” Good said. “Together, we’re forging the future of education!”

Students are exceedingly happy with our programs because we meet their needs. We offer a variety of pathways, from a traditional school leadership track to a systems track for students who see themselves in different roles. Once in the program, our courses are constantly updated and offer exercises, literature, and media that are current, relevant and meaningful. We are barely scratching the surface of what’s possible in education. Our program is designed so our graduates can lead and build the schools of today and tomorrow.

 

Walter Balser, Ed.D.

Coordinator, Educational Leadership M.Ed. and Ed.S.

The Reading and Literacy Education program at UF offers a rigorous, well-rounded and coherent curriculum that addresses pressing issues in the field. We have an exceptionally knowledgeable, collaborative and supportive faculty team that works hard to provide rich, meaningful and engaging learning experiences for all students. Our graduates from across the country have found our classes informative, challenging, thought-provoking and extremely relevant to their practice.

 

Zhihui Fang, Ph.D.

Coordinator, Reading and Literacy Education Program M.A.E., M.Ed., Ed.S. and Ph.D.

The Teacher Leadership School Improvement (TLSI) graduate program is consistently highly ranked because there is no one-size-fits-all solution to education. Teachers, more than ever, need to feel empowered to find solutions to improve education by collecting data and researching their own classrooms to identify strategies that work for their specific students. The program was designed with extensive input from practicing educators and is job-embedded. What educators learn can be immediately applied in their practice to address challenges in real time.
The TLSI program provides the necessary tools not only to improve students’ own practices but also to encourage them to lead colleagues toward overall school improvement. If you are an educator who strives to make a difference in your sphere of influence, then this is the right program for you!

 

Magdalena Castaneda, Ph.D.

Coordinator, Teacher Leadership for School Improvement M.Ed. and Ed.S.