Middle Tennessee State University has been recognized as one of the best schools for online learning at the master’s level by OnlineMastersDegrees.org (OMD).
To be eligible, a college or university must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online master’s program in the ranking subject. Just 9 percent of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position.
MTSU’s programs earned top honors in the following subject areas:
- Best Online Accelerated MBA Degrees
- Best Online Master’s Degrees in Criminal Justice
- Best Online Master’s Degrees in Library Science
- Most Affordable Online Master’s Degrees in Criminal Justice
This recognition comes at a time when enrollment in master’s degree programs is on the decline. According to a 2023 report by the Council of Graduate Schools, enrollment dropped almost 5 percent from Fall 2021 to Fall 2022 despite an increase in applications. The same report cites uncertainty in the value of a master’s as one of the main reasons for the downturn.
“With more students questioning whether a master’s degree is worth the investment, it is important to highlight the schools offering the best value,” said Kyle Darland, co-founder of OMD. “For the OMD rankings, this started with regionally accredited institutions with the lowest net costs. This includes tuition and fees but also looks at the amount of institutional aid their grad students receive. Overall cost is a major factor in most enrollment decisions.”
The rankings also consider value as it pertains to flexibility. Many master’s students need to balance work, family and other responsibilities, making online learning a must-have option for colleges.
“Each ranked school offers at least one fully or partially online master’s program, and many have dozens across a wide range of subjects,” Darland said. “Online programs make earning a master’s far more convenient and may encourage people on the fence about enrolling to take the first step.”
OnlineMastersDegrees.org analyzed more than 7,700 accredited colleges and universities using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the institutions themselves. After the data was compiled, OMD’s data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each of the different master’s degree specialties. Primary data points include:
- Graduate student tuition
- Number of online programs
- Number of graduate students in online courses
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- Graduate student acceptance rate
- Academic counseling services
- Career placement services
About OnlineMastersDegrees.org
OnlineMastersDegrees.org (OMD) began in 2020 to support online learning at the master’s level. Our user-friendly, research-backed content helps students find scholarships, resources, and financial aid and connect with accredited colleges and universities nationwide.