Rankings and Recognitions

It’s certainly true that Ball State University’s main campus programs have earned a multitude of national rankings and recognitions, and that same commitment to quality and best practices carries over into our online programs.

U.S. News & World Report

2026 Best Online Programs

Ball State has earned top rankings from U.S. News & World Report's "Best Online Programs" since the publication's first rankings in 2012. Ball State Online programs recognized are:

• 8th—Business Analytics (concentration in the Master of Business Administration)
• 11th—Master’s in Special Education
• 13th—Master's in Educational Administration and Supervision
• 14th—Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• 15th—Master’s in Curriculum and Educational Technology
• 25th—Bachelor’s degrees in psychology programs (Applied Behavior Analysis)
• 29th—Bachelor’s degrees
• 30th—Master’s in Nursing
• 32nd—Master's degrees in education programs
• Adult and Community Education
• Athletic Coaching Education
• Business Education
• Career and Technical Education
• Curriculum and Educational Technology
• Educational Administration and Supervision
• Educational Psychology
• Elementary Education
• Executive Development for Public Service
• Mathematics Education (K-12)
• Mathematics Education (Post-Secondary)
• Music Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• Quantitative Psychology
• 47th—Bachelor's degrees in business programs (Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management)
• 49th—Master’s degrees in information technology programs (Computer Science and Information and Communication Science)

U.S. News rankings take into account such factors as faculty credentials, student engagement (which includes retention and graduation rates), class size, peer reputation, and the quality of the university’s student services and technology.

2026 Best Online Programs for Veterans

U.S. News & World Report also recognizes the university as a leader in reducing the cost of education for veterans through online programs. Highly ranked programs have strong traditional academic foundations based on student-instructor access, graduation rates and instructor credentials.

• 26th—Master’s degrees in education programs (see our master's degree list)
• 51st—Bachelor's degrees in business programs (Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management)

Named an Opportunity University by Carnegie 

Ball State has been named an “Opportunity College and University” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The classification assesses institutions on how well alumni earnings stack up against others in the same regional job markets. Ball State is the only public institution in Indiana to receive this recognition.

Education is a powerful driver of economic mobility. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn about 84% more per week than those with only a high school diploma. At Ball State, this economic reality fuels a deep commitment to student success. This recognition highlights Ball State’s dedication to removing barriers, expanding access, and equipping students to launch rewarding careers.

Military Friendly

Ball State Online has been named Military Friendly since 2009—a designation given to less than 15 percent of more than 4,000 colleges nationwide and is based on input from veterans and surveys of participating institutions.

Learner Support Program Certification

Ball State is the first higher education institution in the country to earn Learner Support Program Certification for its online programs. The honor is given by Quality Matters (QM), a leading quality assurance organization for online education. It recognizes online programs that provide all the critical student and academic services needed for learner success and use learner feedback to continuously improve those services.

Online Education Award

Ball State University won the 2014 Excellence in Institution-wide Online Education Award from the Online Learning Consortium (formerly the Sloan Consortium). The award was given for embracing online education as a key strategic element of our mission, leading to outstanding online academic programs of quality, scale, and breadth.

Strategic Innovation in Online Education

Ball State received a 2014 Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award for meeting strategic and innovative goals for online education. This award is the highest distinction given by UPCEA, an association of leaders in online education.

Specific Online Programs

• Ball State Teachers College is in the top 25 in the nation for number of nationally recognized educator preparation programs it offers. We have a large number of all-online graduate educator programs including elementary education, special education, educational psychology, education administration, applied behavior analysis, and more.
• Our course sequence for the undergraduate and graduate programs in applied behavior analysis have been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst examination. Applicants need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination.
• Ball State has the nation's first graduate program in public relations certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).