Orange City, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — Northwestern College has been recognized among the nation’s best for its online academic programs, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
In the 2026 rankings released January 27th, Northwestern tied for 24th in the online bachelor’s degree program category. That mark is the highest among institutions in Iowa and among members of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, also known as the CCCU. Northwestern currently offers online bachelor’s degree-completion programs in early childhood education.
The college also performed well at the graduate level. Northwestern’s Master of Education program tied for 76th out of more than 300 schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Online Master’s in Education Programs rankings. That places Northwestern as the top-ranked CCCU institution and third overall in the state of Iowa.
Dr. Jill Swisher, dean of Northwestern’s Graduate & Professional Studies division, says the recognition reflects the college’s mission and focus on student success.
“We are grateful for this national recognition, which reflects our commitment to providing academically rigorous, faith-integrated online programs that truly serve our students,” Swisher says. “These rankings highlight the shared dedication of our faculty, staff and students, who work together to deliver an online learning experience that is accessible, meaningful and grounded in purpose.”
Northwestern offers its Master of Education degree in several tracks, including early childhood with endorsement, educational administration with K-12 principal endorsement, master teacher, special education with endorsement, teacher leadership, and teaching history. The college also recently launched a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in early childhood that leads to initial licensure, along with continuing education courses and certificate programs.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the rankings are based on factors such as student engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technologies, and peer assessment.
