Offers Highly-Rated Programs And Strong Job Prospects At Affordable Rates, Editors Say

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has earned the No.1 spot on U.S. News & World Report's 2019 ranking of the best U.S. online bachelor's degree programs. The ranking affirmed the school's focus on academic excellence, affordability and promising career opportunities for graduates, according to the school.

Embry-Riddle is accessible to students worldwide through fully online programs and at more than 135 locations.

U.S. News & World Report identified Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus as the No. 1 online undergraduate educator among 348 schools ranked on the 2019 list. It was the sixth consecutive year that Embry-Riddle's online bachelor's degree programs ranked within the Top 5 on the list.

This year's list placed Embry-Riddle among outstanding company: The university successfully competed with many of the United States' most distinguished research institutions, and it was the only private university among the top schools.

Embry-Riddle President Dr. P. Barry Butler said: "We are honored to be named No.1 among so many exceptional online educators. The latest U.S. News & World Report ranking will inspire us to sustain and advance all of our award-winning educational programs in service to students."

Embry-Riddle Worldwide Chancellor Dr. John R. Watret added, "Embry-Riddle's online programs meet the highest standards of academic excellence, and they are also remarkably accessible to all students – from first-generation university students, to military members transitioning back into civilian life, to professionals working to advance their careers. Because Embry-Riddle is No. 1, our students are exceptionally well-positioned to secure rewarding, meaningful jobs, particularly because the aviation industry is rapidly growing, yet it faces a global shortage of highly qualified pilots and aviation maintenance technicians."

According to Dr. Jason M. Ruckert, Vice Chancellor & Chief Digital Learning Officer at Embry-Riddle Worldwide, "Advancing technology-enhanced education with affordability, academic quality and student success at the forefront is what sets Embry-Riddle apart."

The 2019 U.S. News & World Report ranking involved an analysis of some 1,500 online bachelor's degree programs, encompassing four general categories: student engagement (which counted for 35% of each institution's score); faculty credentials and training (20%); peer reputation (20%); and student services and technology (25%).

The ranking was only the most recent distinction earned by Embry-Riddle's Worldwide Campus.

In 2018, Embry-Riddle Worldwide's unique virtual crash laboratory and aerial robotics virtual lab received a CIO 100 award for innovative and transformative digital educational technology. A high-tech effort to help students feel connected with Embry-Riddle and persist with their studies earned a top honor for excellence in education from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for Educational Technologies. Embry-Riddle also ranked #1 on a U.S. News & World Report list in 2018 that looked at 97 institutions offering online bachelor's programs for veterans.

Some 97% of graduates are employed or are in graduate school within a year of graduation, according to Embry-Riddle's annual alumni survey.

(Source: ERAU news release)

FMI: www.erau.edu