Here’s where Maryland universities rank on U.S. News and World Report’s best online programs list

More than 15 Maryland-based degree programs appear on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 rankings of best online programs.

The annual lists, issued Tuesday, arrive as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting a spotlight on virtual education. They evaluate more than 1,600 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Note for this year, especially: They track programs that are always online, and do not include those that shifted to virtual due to the pandemic.

“As in-person gatherings remain limited, we might see more interest in online degrees than in prepandemic years,” said Anita Narayan, managing editor of education at U.S. News, in a statement. “But online degrees aren’t only practical in the short term — distance education can also be conducive to a schedule that includes full-time work or other commitments.”

Here’s where Maryland schools appeared in each of the categories:

Bachelor’s degrees

• 179. Frostburg State University
• 256-337. Coppin State University
• 256-337. Stevenson University
• Unranked. Morgan State University

Computer information technology (master’s)

• 2. Johns Hopkins University
• 43. University of Maryland Baltimore County
• 60. Towson University

MBA

• 10. University of Maryland College Park
• 100. University of Baltimore
• 126. Salisbury University
• 197. Frostburg State University
• 221. Morgan State University

Business master’s (non-MBA)

• 121. Morgan State University

Engineering (Master’s)

• 10. Johns Hopkins University
• 15. University of Maryland College Park

Nursing (master’s)

• 14. Johns Hopkins University
• 75. University of Maryland, Baltimore
• 131. Salisbury University