Purdue’s online master’s degrees in engineering and education achieve top spots in national rankings, making significant gains

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Online master’s programs in engineering and education from Purdue University once again achieved top rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 list of the best online graduate programs. Five online master’s degrees in engineering are ranked No. 1 this year, and Purdue’s full array of online engineering master’s degrees ranked No. 2 overall.

In education, two of Purdue’s online master’s programs were ranked in the top 10. Purdue’s online education master’s programs also achieved a high ranking for best online education programs for veterans. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings Tuesday (Jan. 27). 

“Purdue’s strong rankings reflect our enduring commitment to innovation and to preparing learners for the evolving demands of the modern workforce,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue’s senior vice president for partnerships and online.

“Whether on campus or online, our students gain the agility and problem-solving confidence needed to thrive in a rapidly shifting environment. And with our expanding portfolio of high-quality online programs, we’re empowering tens of thousands of working professionals to level up their skills, advance their careers, and succeed on their own terms.”

Purdue’s online master’s programs in civil engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering and engineering management all ranked No. 1. Civil engineering rose to the top spot from No. 2 in 2025; and electrical, industrial, mechanical and engineering management all retained their top spots. 

This marks the first year Purdue’s online engineering programs took the No. 1 spot for all five discipline rankings. It’s also the first year civil engineering earned a No. 1 spot. 

Bolstered by the Robert H. Buckman College of Engineering Online Education Program, Purdue’s portfolio of online engineering master’s programs achieved a No. 2 rank nationally, in line behind only the University of California, Los Angeles. The programs broke last year’s tie with the University of Illinois, which is now ranked No. 3 nationally. 

“Purdue’s continued top-tier rankings for our online master’s programs reflect the depth, rigor and relevance of our engineering education,” said Arvind Raman, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Purdue’s College of Engineering. “Now, with seven years of preeminence in specialty rankings and nearly 15 years of excellence in overall rankings, we continue to prove that our programs deliver unparalleled quality to our students, bolstered by the strengths of our faculty and the intentional design of our curriculum, which prepares students to move their industries and the world forward.”

In education, Purdue’s online master’s programs tied for No. 13 overall, up seven places from last year. Additionally, Purdue’s online master’s program in curriculum and instruction tied for No. 10 overall with three other universities. The online master’s programs in educational-instructional media design earned the No. 9 spot, moving up three spots from last year. And Purdue’s educational administration and supervision program remained in the top 20, coming in at No. 16.

Purdue also ranked tied for No. 6 in best online master’s in education programs for veterans, up from No. 7 last year. 

“These latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report reflect the continued momentum and strength of Purdue’s College of Education online master’s portfolio,” said Phillip J. VanFossen, interim dean and the James F. Ackerman Distinguished Professor of Social Studies Education in the College of Education. “These rankings underscore our faculty’s commitment to excellence, innovation and delivering high-quality online learning experiences that meet the evolving needs of educators.” 

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.