BY UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
A baker’s dozen of organizations that evaluate online higher education programs have recently ranked 40 online degrees and programs at Fort Hays State University as among the best in the nation for 2020.
The rankings include seven national No. 1 rankings and one statewide No. 1 rating. A total of 25 Fort Hays State online programs were among the top 10 in the nation in the various rankings, and all but two place FHSU among the top 20 in the nation.
In all 40 rankings, Fort Hays State was rated the best in Kansas.
The rankings involve evaluations of individual degrees, departments and programs. Some individual programs and degrees are evaluated by more than one organization.
The listings are presented in rank order with links to the individual ranking. Intelligent.com’s findings are presented first, with the other 12 ranking agencies listed alphabetically within rank order.
Intelligent.com
Twenty-two degree programs at Fort Hays State University were ranked in the top 10 nationally for 2020 by Intelligent.com, an agency dedicated to helping students make informed decisions about choosing their place of higher education.
That group included four No. 1 rankings, six at No. 2, two at No. 3, three at No. 4, a No. 5, two No. 7 rankings, two No. 8s and two at No. 10.
An additional four programs were ranked in the top 20 by Intelligent, and another was ranked in the top 30. All 27 of the programs were best in Kansas in the rankings.
Intelligent’s program rankings are based on its assessment of 1,604 accredited colleges and universities. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The colleges and universities in each category were drawn from this pool and then ranked on a scale of 0 to 100 on student engagement, potential return on investment and other third-party evaluations.
For the Intelligent rankings, each category includes the number of universities and programs assessed for that category.
The Intelligent.com website is at www.intelligent.com.
About Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs. The website offers curated guides which include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships and even study strategies.
No. 1, Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-psychology-degree-program/
Master of Science in psychology (school)
144 schools assessed, 292 programs compared
No. 1, MBA in Finance Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-mba-in-finance-degree-programs/
MBA, general MBA plus 13 concentrations, from accounting to tourism and hospitality management
189 schools, 401 programs
No. 1, Master’s in Liberal Arts Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-liberal-arts-degree-programs/
Master of Liberal Studies, available in 47 concentrations
156 schools, 442 programs
No. 1, Master’s in School Counseling Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-school-counseling-degree-programs/
Master of Science in counseling (school)
166 schools, 324 programs
No. 2, Child Development Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-child-development-degree-programs/
Bachelor of General Studies (child development)
In this category, Intelligent labeled Fort Hays State “Best Public University.”
134 schools, 361 programs
No. 2, Master’s in Higher Education Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-higher-education-degree-programs/
Master of Science in Education (higher education student affairs)
195 schools, 436 programs
No. 2, Master’s in Education Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-education/
Master of Science in Education, specialty emphases including reading and library specialists, ESOL, transition to teaching from other careers, JROTC instructor preparation, teaching English as a foreign language, teacher leader, mathematics, chemistry, and elementary education
Intelligent.com labeled this program “Most Innovative.”
84 schools, 350 programs
No. 2, Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-sports-management-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Science in health and human performance, concentrations available from exercise science to K-12 teaching and coaching
137 schools, 332 programs
No. 2, Master’s in History Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-history-degree-programs/
Master of Arts in history
155 schools, 294 programs
No. 2, RN to BSN Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-rn-to-bsn-online/
Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
This program carried a “Best in the Midwest” label from Intelligent.
136 schools, 334 programs
No. 3, Master’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-criminal-justice-degree-programs/
Master of Professional Studies (criminal justice)
156 schools, 267 programs
No. 3, MBA Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-mba/
Online Master of Business Administration
“Best in the Midwest”
116 schools, 356 programs
No. 4, Master’s in Education Administration Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-education-administration-degree-programs/
Master of Science in education administration
“Best in the Midwest”
101 schools, 249 programs
No. 4, Master’s in Public Administration Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-public-administration-degree-programs/
Master of Liberal Studies (public administration)
“Best in the Midwest”
139 schools, 413 programs
No. 4, Master’s in Online Teaching Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-in-online-teaching-degree-programs/
Master of Science in instructional technology
“Best Public University”
196 schools, 423 programs
No. 5, MBA in Marketing Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-mba-in-marketing-degree-programs/
Master of Business Administration (marketing)
129 schools, 314 programs
No. 7, Hospitality Management Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-hospitality-management-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration in tourism and hospitality management
“Best in the Midwest.”
128 schools, 312 programs
No. 7, Computer Science Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-computer-science-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Science in computer science
“Best Technology Institute”
127 schools, 248 programs
No. 8, MBA in Healthcare Management Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-mba-in-healthcare-management-degree-programs/
Master of Business Administration (health care management)
225 schools, 374 programs
No. 8, MBA in International Business Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-mba-in-international-business-degree-programs/
Master of Business Administration (international business)
“Best in the Midwest”
172 schools, 431 programs
No. 10, Computer Programming Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-computer-programming-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Science in computer science
74 schools, 324 programs
No. 10, Early Childhood Education Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-early-childhood-education-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Science in Education, elementary education (early childhood unified)
“Best Bachelor’s Degree”
144 schools, 394 programs
No. 11, Bachelor’s in Counseling Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-bachelors-in-counseling-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in sociology (addictions counseling track)
“Best in the Midwest”
106 schools, 371 programs
No. 12, History Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-history-degree-programs/
Master of Arts in history (non-thesis option)
“Best Non-Thesis Program”
118 schools, 271 programs
No. 17, Master’s Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-masters-degrees/
Master of Professional Studies, general and 16 specific concentrations in art, business, criminal justice, education, music, science and social science fields
“Best Professional Studies Programs”
187 schools, 399 programs
No. 19, Criminal Justice Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-criminal-justice-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in criminal justice
“Most Experienced Faculty”
207 schools, 323 programs
No. 27, Business Administration Degree Programs
www.intelligent.com/best-online-business-administration-degree-programs/
Bachelor of Business Administration in management
177 schools, 307 programs
BestCollegesOnline.org
No. 1, Top 15 Most Affordable MBA in Hospitality Management Online Programs in 2020
www.bestcollegesonline.org/most-affordable/online-mba-hospitality-management/
Master of Business Administration (tourism and hospitality management)
Best Colleges Online evaluated 40 colleges and universities that offered online MBA programs in tourism and hospitality. The 40 programs were culled from reputable online sources such as the Center for Educational Statistics College navigator.
The Best Colleges’ website is at www.bestcollegesonline.org.
GreatCollegeDeals.net
No. 1, 15 Best Deals on MBA in Hospitality Management Online Programs 2020
www.greatcollegedeals.net/rankings/affordable-online-mba-hospitality-management/
Master of Business Administration (tourism and hospitality management)
FHSU’s MBA in tourism and hospitality management was also in Great College Deals’ ranking of “best deals,” which was based on the university’s cording to U.S. News and World
Report ranking, affordability, and regional or national accreditation.
The Great College Deals website is www.greatcollegedeals.net.
PsychDegrees.org
No. 1, Most Affordable Bachelor’s In Addictions and Recovery Online 2019
www.psychdegrees.org/affordable/online-addictions-recovery-bachelors/
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in sociology (addictions counseling track)
This ranking was created with data compiled at the National Center for Education Statistics based on graduate tuition rates. Online tuition at Fort Hays State is the same for in-state or out-of-state students.
Psych Degrees is at www.psychdegrees.org.
ValueColleges.com
No. 1, Best Online Colleges in Kansas for 2020
www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/online-colleges-kansas/
Online education at Fort Hays State was ranked best in Kansas by Value Colleges based on offering fully online degree programs and completion programs for students who have credits but no degree. Value Colleges also accounts for regional and national accreditation and data on return on investment.
The Value Colleges website is www.valuecolleges.com.
Learn.org
No. 3, Most Affordable Online masters’ in School Counseling Programs
learn.org/articles/Masters_in_School_Counseling_Online_and_Campus-Based_Program_FAQs.html
Master of Science in counseling (school)
Learn.org arrived at its rankings after evaluating hundred of universities across the country based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, value and cost.
The organization’s website is at learn.org.
NursingProcess.org
No. 4, The Best Online RN to BSN Programs – 2020
www.nursingprocess.org/online-rn-to-bsn-programs/
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)
NursingProcess.org evaluated all online RN to BSN programs across the country to create this listing, using a matrix that considered rates of admissions, enrollment, retention, graduation and loan default. The rubric also gave weight to net price, percentage of students receiving financial aid and online presence as well as the NursingProcess editorial team’s rating.
The website is at www.nursingprocess.org.
CollegeFactual.com
No. 11, Best Colleges for Veterans
www.collegefactual.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university/news/fort-hays-state-university-2020-college-veterans-ranking/
To reach its rankings of best colleges for veterans, CollegeFactual evaluated 1,751 institutions for “veteran friendliness.” The rankings are based on 24 factors in six areas: affordability; veteran population; policies toward veterans; resources available for veterans; veteran satisfaction; and overall college quality.
The CollegeFactual website is at www.collegefactual.com.
OnlineSchoolsCenter.com
The 30 Most Innovative Online Colleges in 2020
www.onlineschoolscenter.com/30-innovative-online-colleges/
and The 30 Most Technologically Savvy Online Schools in 2020
www.onlineschoolscenter.com/the-30-most-technologically-savvy-online-schools/
Fort Hays State was included in two top-30 national rankings by OnlineSchoolsCenter. For these two rankings, OnlineSchoolsCenter compared colleges and universities from across the United States.
The OnlineSchoolsCenter website is at www.onlineschoolscenter.com.
No. 13, The 30 Most Innovative Online Colleges in 2020
OnlineSchools based this ranking on incorporation of new technologies, adaptability, flexibility, “groundbreaking resources,” unique degree courses, and responsiveness to demands of online students and professionals. The group also factored in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings and other awards and recognitions.
No. 26, The 30 Most Technologically Savvy Online Schools in 2020
For this rating, OnlineSchoolsCenter considered classroom teaching technology, faculty/student communication through webinars, email, teleconferencing, discussion or message board, live seminars and the methods available for students to access assignments or to work on projects.
OnlineDegrees.com
No. 16, 20 Best Online Colleges for Bachelors’ in Psychology
www.onlinedegrees.com/bachelors-in-psychology/
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in psychology
OnlineDegrees looked at tuition, flexibility, accreditation, and scholarships to select the top schools, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics and others, to evaluate schools offering bachelor’s in psychology degrees in online.
The website is at www.onlinedegrees.com.
OnlineColleges.com
No. 18, 25 Best Online Colleges for 2020-21
www.onlinecolleges.com/best-online-colleges.html
OnlineColleges based its rankings on data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Based on the search, the organization compared 1,813 colleges on 11 criteria to determine the best 25 in the nation. The critera included the ration of students participating in education at a distance, the electronic library collections, graduation and retention rate, tuition cost, services and others.
OnlineColleges is at www.onlinecolleges.com.
OnlinePsychologyDegrees.org
No. 18, Top 30 Master’s Degrees in Educational Psychology Online 2020
www.online-psychology-degrees.org/best/masters-ed-psych/
Master of Science in counseling (school)
OnlinePsychologyDegrees found its best 30 master’s in psychology programs from around the country based on cost of accredited schools with high-quality programs. Quality considerations were based on accreditation by the American Psychological Association; the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, which includes the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council; and regional accreditation.
OnlinePsychologyDegrees is at www.online-psychology-degrees.org.
Study.com
No. 18, 50 Best Economics School in 2020
study.com/resources/50-best-economics-schools
Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting
Study.com has devised a list of the top 50 economics schools in the United States. Some of the many different types of information used to create this ranking included programs offered, services available, and statistics from the U.S. Department of Education.
Study.com, which based its rankings on considerations of accessibility, affordability, and quality of education, praised Fort Hays State for its “exceptional career-related internships,” for the mentoring by faculty and staff and the flexibility of its online degrees. Clubs for economics students were also cited, as were the multiple scholarships available for students in the economics fields.
The Study.com website is at study.com/.