The University of Illinois Springfield’s online bachelor’s degree programs have been ranked among the nation’s best in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings, earning a 48th-place national ranking out of 348 institutions and placing third in Illinois among public universities.

The online bachelor’s degree in psychology ranked seventh in the nation, rising 14 spots, and was the highest-ranked online psychology program offered by a public university in Illinois. The online bachelor’s degree in business administration ranked 32nd nationally, improving nine spots from last year.

“These rankings reflect UIS’ commitment to delivering flexible, high-quality online education,” said UIS Chancellor Janet. L Gooch. “Our faculty and staff remain focused on providing an innovative and supportive learning environment that helps students reach their educational and career goals.”

U.S. News evaluated the best online bachelor’s degree programs by analyzing factors such as student engagement, access to services and technologies, faculty credentials and training, student excellence and peer assessment. Programs that promote active participation and meaningful interaction between students and instructors scored higher, along with those offering strong support services. Faculty qualifications and the results of peer assessment surveys by academic leaders also played a significant role.

UIS offers more than 30 online bachelor’s degree programs in business administration, communication, computer science, criminology and criminal justice, education, English, history, information systems security, international and global studies, liberal studies, management information systems, marketing, medical laboratory science, mathematical sciences, philosophy, political science, psychology and public and nonprofit administration.

In fall 2025, UIS enrolled 1,928 online students, with online learners residing in 44 states, 81 Illinois counties and 25 foreign countries.