Newsweek: Florida Tech Top Online College in Florida, 10th in Nation in New 2026 Rankings
Magazine’s 2026 Rankings Use Survey Results to Gauge Schools’ Student Support, Price, Reputation
MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Tech is the top online college in Florida and 10th best in the nation, according to Newsweek magazine’s new ranking of online education providers.
The magazine features 21 Florida schools among the 250 institutions on its Best Online Colleges 2026 list, with University of South Florida the second highest at No. 35. Overall, the University of California, Davis was the top online school.
For its 2026 rankings, Newsweek worked once again with the firm Statista to conduct a survey of more than 10,000 individuals who have used online courses to obtain an academic degree or knowledge for jobs or hobbies. The schools that made the cut were ranked based on organization, support, price, reputation, success and practical relevance.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 10 million college students took at least one online class in 2022, a total representing more than half of all college students, the magazine wrote.
“I believe higher education can be a game-changing endeavor, but we have to make sure our timely courses and important programs are also offered in ways and through methods that makes them easier to fit into our busy lives,” said Florida Tech President John Nicklow.
“I am so proud to hear that thousands of independent voices in the Newsweek survey elevated Florida Tech Online to best in the Sunshine State and 10th in the nation,” Nicklow continued. “Their vote of confidence inspires us to work even harder to bring the power of higher education to those who seek it.”
Florida Tech offers three dozen degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students in a host of fields, and students can complete them at their own pace as they balance education with their daily lives. In 2024, Florida Tech was proud to proud to announce it had enlisted the educational technology company Risepoint to support its deep portfolio of online degree programs.
Newsweek is not the only august publication to recognize the quality of Florida Tech’s online programs. Earlier this year, Florida Tech programs in information technology and psychology were among the standout offerings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Top Online Colleges rankings, which also noted the strength of the university’s veterans-related programs.
