University of Wisconsin online master’s in Education and Engineering were ranked 8th and 11th best in the U.S., according to U.S News and World Report rankings.
The UW education program’s No.8 national ranking makes it the highest-ranked program in the Midwest. UW also ranked well in specific online master’s degree programs, including holding the No. 2 in Educational Administration and Supervision.
Within the online master’s engineering programs, specific programs were similarly awarded. Influencing Civil Engineering at No.8, and Industrial Engineering at No. 9.
About 96% of new entrants in the most recent online engineering master’s program cycle were employed at the time of application, according to the Director of Graduate Programs for Interdisciplinary Professional Programs in the College of Engineering Heather Smith. Out of this group, 81% of new entrants had some portion of their tuition subsidized by their employer, she said.
“I really believe online is a really appropriate place for certain kinds of learning,” Smith said. “It’s really important, though, that you’re doing the right things online and the right thing in person. And when it comes to engineering, I think in some ways, we actually do it better.”
Some online education master’s degree programs follow the trend of serving non-traditional students, according to Smith and Director of Sports Leadership MS Program in the School of Education Sara Jimenez Soffa.
About 70% of students work while pursuing their Sports Leadership degree at UW, according to Jimenez Soffa. Additionally, 99% of students are working full-time while pursuing an MS in Learning Analytics, according to Director of the MS in Learning Analytics Department of Educational Psychology in the School of Education, Julia Rutledge.
William Karpus has been dean of the Graduate School at UW for the past 10 years.
“These online master’s degrees are designed to upscale or reskill existing professionals who want to gain experience and skill sets in those particular areas, either for their own promotion or for their current jobs, or for switching jobs,” Karpus said.
The idea that online degrees are easier than in-person ones is a misconception, according to Smith. She argued that these degrees instead offer a “flexible” educational experience that yields interesting outcomes.
“Since our students aren’t working professionals, they’re doing their projects at work,” Smith said. ”So they’re actually applying it while they’re working. We have students who have only been working for a year or two and maybe haven’t led a lot of detective work. And then I had a student who was 50 years in industry. Lots of experience in projects, really knew what he was doing. And they’re in the same class, and just that benefit of learning from one another is really awesome.”
The U.S. News and World Report surveyed over 116 schools for the 2026 Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs rankings. U.S. News ranked schools using five categories, including faculty credentials, engagement, services, technology and student excellence.
When it comes to faculty credentials, Karpus said he feels that UW graduate programs stand out.
“Our faculty want to be involved in these programs — our frontline, tenured faculty want to be involved,” Karpus said. “And I think that’s what distinguishes many of our programs from others. The commitment of our front-line faculty, our ten-year line faculty, is just outstanding, and that’s one of the things that sets UW-Madison apart from many of our peers.”
Beyond evaluating faculty, U.S. News & World Report ranks online graduate schools based on student engagement and excellence. This category relates to students’ abilities to participate in courses, interact with faculty and peers and handle the demands of rigorous coursework.
Both ranked master’s programs in education and engineering are able to replicate a hands-on environment in an online setting, according to Jimenez Soffa and Smith.
Soffa said degrees within the program prioritize first-hand experience, based on a laboratory of practice model. The program utilizes research through Badger Inquiry on Sports which offers students the chance to participate in high-level case studies.
A research environment like BIos is a learning opportunity that most online programs cannot replicate, Jimenez Soffa said. In both the engineering and education online master’s programs, faculty and staff are committed to setting their students up for success after earning their degree, according to Smith and Rutledge.
“I personally really believe in the importance of relationship building, and that’s something that we emphasize a lot here at Wisconsin,” Smith said. “Many online programs are synchronous, and you just do it in your own time. We have a synchronous degree because we want you to be learning from one another as well.”
The online education MS in Learning Analytics has been specifically designed with student and faculty connection in mind, according to Rutledge. The MS in Learning Analytics program focused on practical application instead of theory, setting students up for real-world experience in the workforce.
The Sports Leadership MS Program offers dedicated support in the form of one-on-one placement coordinators who help students find high-level leadership opportunities within their community.
For Rutledge, the high ranking of Online Education reflects the benefit of online degrees for students.
“Online degrees provide accessibility and convenience,” Rutledge said. “And when designed well, online degrees can also provide all of the benefits of in-person programs.”
