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OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi‘s online Master of Business Administration program has been named as one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings, released today (Jan. 14), place Ole Miss in a three-way tie for No. 4 among public universities and No. 6 overall.

UM is tied with Pennsylvania State University and the University of Texas at Dallas for the No. 4 spot. The University of Florida and Auburn University were the only other Southeastern Conference schools included in the top 25 of the 2020 rankings.

“We are thrilled with this recognition of our online MBA program that indicates the outstanding education and value of the degree,” said Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration. “We have focused on the best online experience possible that mirrors our on-campus program, while allowing students to keep their jobs while earning their degree.

“This ranking indicates the dedication of the faculty, staff and alumni who are providing an excellent program that creates competitive graduate degrees for our students. We are pleased to be ranked fourth, and we will strive to innovate and excel to remain a leader in online MBA programs.”

MBA programs have a greater enrollment than any other type of graduate business degree program in the country, the U.S. News release noted. Prospective students often narrow their research exclusively to programs that award MBAs.

To aid their efforts, the publication compiles annual rankings of distance education MBA programs. This year’s rankings include 335 schools nationally.

“The rankings reflect a combination of excellent faculty credentials, high standards for student performance and outstanding technical support from our outreach division,” said Walter Davis, faculty adviser for the MBA program. “This is truly a team effort.”

For the 2020 edition, U.S. News ranked online MBA programs using five categories: student engagement, expert opinion, faculty credentials and training, student excellence, and student services and technologies.

The publication selects factors, called ranking indicators, to assess each program in the five categories. A program’s score for each ranking indicator is calculated using data that the program reported to U.S. News in a statistical survey and from data collected in a separate peer-reputation survey.

The strength of the Ole Miss curriculum is a plus for businesses in the state, said Ashley McGee, the program’s director.

“In an increasingly competitive market, our online MBA program continues to attract some of the best and brightest professionals,” she said. “Students looking for an accredited and affordable program recognize the value of an Ole Miss MBA.

“Many of our students are looking to advance within their current job and others may be seeking a change in their career. Our program opens doors for either scenario.”