KWC Online Rises to #89 Nationally and #1 Among Kentucky Private Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Degrees

Kentucky Wesleyan College’s online bachelor’s degree program has made a remarkable national leap, rising to #89 nationally in the latest Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The more than 130-position climb represents one of the most significant advances in the category this year and places Kentucky Wesleyan among the top institutions in the country for online undergraduate education. Among private colleges, Kentucky Wesleyan is ranked #1 in Kentucky for online bachelor’s degree programs.

This recognition marks the 11th consecutive year Kentucky Wesleyan has been ranked by U.S. News, with continued distinction for its Best Online Bachelor’s Degree in Business program.

Current Kentucky Wesleyan online students reside in 15 states, with several military-affiliated students completing coursework while stationed overseas.

“We are focused on quality over quantity,” said President James P. Cousins. “Rather than offering endless sections or placing students in large, impersonal class settings, we invest in every individual student from the moment they consider applying through graduation. That approach is especially important for our local students and degree completers who have some college credit but no degree. We are extraordinarily affordable, values-driven, and very proud of the work Dean Lindsey Crowe and her team are doing.”

“Kentucky Wesleyan’s rise to #89 nationally reflects the deliberate, student-centered support our faculty and staff provide,” said Dean of Online Learning Lindsey (Adcock) Crowe ’02. “Our #1 ranking among private colleges in Kentucky underscores the strength of that commitment. Our online students experience the same personal attention and commitment to success that define The Wesleyan Way.”

The U.S. News Best Online Programs rankings evaluate more than 1,800 online bachelor’s and master’s programs, using measures specific to online education, including student engagement, faculty credentials, and support services. Only degree-granting programs offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions are included.

Kentucky Wesleyan College is a United Methodist-related four-year institution in Owensboro, Kentucky, offering a liberal arts education that prepares students intellectually, spiritually, and physically for meaningful lives and work. In addition to a strong campus experience, the College offers a growing portfolio of 100 percent online degree programs, including an MBA and an American Civics program added in Fall 2025. Online terms begin every two months and emphasize the same individualized attention found on campus. More information is available at www.kwc.edu/online.