Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering and the university’s Master of Information Technology program received high praise in the latest 2026 U.S. News and World Report Best Online Programs rankings released Tuesday.

The rankings, which are updated each year, evaluate more than 100 universities nationwide using a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Highly ranked programs have strong traditional academic foundations based on the excellence of entering students, graduation rates, and instructor credentials. They also excel at educating distance learners while offering robust career and financial support.

For the third straight year, the College of Engineering’s overall online master’s program ranked in the top 20 nationally, coming in at No. 14. This represents a four-spot jump from a year ago.

Three of the College of Engineering’s specific online master’s degree programs ranked in the top 10, with two of them making significant jumps from the 2025 rankings). These include:

  • Best Online Master of Electrical Engineering, No. 4 nationally, up four spots from last year
  • Best Online Master of Industrial Engineering, tied for No. 5 nationally, up five spots from last year
  • Best Online Master of Mechanical Engineering, tied for No. 8 nationally

“The latest online rankings from U.S. News and World Report reflect the college’s commitment to academic excellence, flexible and meaningful learning pathways, and the real world impact our faculty and students deliver whether on campus or online,” David Knight, interim dean of the College of Engineering, said. “Our online offerings are designed to meet the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s innovators, and this recognition underscores our role as a leader in engineering graduate education.”

The College of Engineering offers students the opportunity to expand their knowledge through Virginia Tech Engineering Online, which partners with Cardinal Education, a consortium of six universities that emphasizes flexible and rigorous learning in online graduate study programs. Students can work with engineers to expand their professional opportunities from the comfort of their home or office. The college’s online programs allow one to earn a master’s degree or a graduate certificate to enhance career and professional development.

Virginia Tech has offered distance learning with online labs and lectures that are recorded and archived so students can access lecture material at their convenience for the past 40 years.

Additionally, the College of Engineering offers numerous certificate programs that offer the flexibility needed by today’s engineers who want to increase and diversify their employment opportunities.

Virginia Tech’s Master of Information Technology (MIT) program finished tied for No. 6 nationally. The program is a collaboration between the College of Engineering and the Pamplin College of Business. The program also ranked No. 3 for veterans, marking the sixth consecutive year that it has been ranked in the top five in that category.

“The enduring value of the Virginia Tech MIT program is reflected by the continued strong placement among the best information technology programs nationally,” said Parviz Ghandforoush, associate dean for Pamplin National Capital Region operation and executive director of the MIT program. “The MIT program has a record of long-standing academic excellence and commitment to providing a highly relevant curriculum integrating business and technology for today's working professionals.

“Through an interdisciplinary and personalized course of study, our graduates, supported by expert faculty from business and engineering, gain the technical foundation to excel and lead in careers in information technology, business and leadership, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and much more. We continue to emphasize veteran education, actively focusing on access to quality instruction relevant to IT and cybersecurity careers and for students seeking to enhance their technology marketability.”

In addition, Virginia Tech tied for No. 33 in the Online Master's in MBA Programs category — a 22-spot jump from a year ago. The university fared well in the Best Online Business Analytics MBA programs, finished at No. 16 nationally. Coupled with the new Flex MBA pathway, which gives students greater control over when, where, and how they learn and with the choice to attend classes online asynchronously, in person, or a mix of both, the rankings underscore the value of a Pamplin business degree.

More information about Virginia Tech’s rankings can be found online.

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