October 10, 2022

Columbus State University has been named one of the nation’s best schools for online degrees and certificates in higher education in the healthcare field for 2023 by EduMed.Org. Six percent of regionally accredited colleges and universities earned a ranking position, and Columbus State’s online programs in the medical field earned top honors for their overall quality, affordability and commitment to student success.

A school must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online program in the ranking subject to be eligible. Just 8% of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position.

“Our rankings showcase the schools giving future nurses and allied health professionals the best chance to succeed from day one in the classroom to day one on the job,” said Wes Harris, outreach coordinator for EduMed.org. “This starts with low-cost tuition, but also includes academic counseling, career placement and other key resources that students need to graduate and get hired.”

CSU ranked fourth as one of the Best Online Nursing Programs in Georgia. Recently placed 413th as an academic program by the “U.S. News and World Report” in its annual list of “Best Colleges,” CSU’s Nursing program is nationally recognized for traditional students and working adults alike.

In the nation, CSU placed 13th in Best Nurse Practitioner Programs Online, 30th in Best Online Health Science Degree Programs, 38th in Best Nursing Programs Online and 41st in Best RN-to-BSN Programs Online. 

EduMed.org’s rankings come at a time when the demand for trained healthcare professionals is on the rise. 

“One key to solving the healthcare shortage is making higher education more accessible,” Harris said. “Online programs open the door to students who may not be able to commit to a campus-based program while working, or to commute to a classroom at all. Each school in our rankings has made online learning a priority.”

EduMed.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and from the schools themselves. The website’s data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each healthcare discipline. Primary data points include academic counseling services, career placement services, student-to-faculty ratio, tuition, percent of students receiving school-based financial aid and amount of school-based aid per student.

Based in the College of Education and Health Professions, Columbus State’s School of Nursing offers traditional, online and hybrid programs ideal for on-campus students, working professionals and distance learners. Offerings include a BSN Program, an RN-BSN program, an MSN program with tracks for a Nurse Educator, Nurse Informaticist, or Nurse Leader, and an FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) program. Graduate certificates in Nursing Informatics and Nurse Education are also available.

For more information about CSU’s School of Nursing, visit https://www.columbusstate.edu/nursing/.