U.S. News again ranks the Kelley School of Business’ online MBA program best in the nation
When you talk about digital-learning leadership in business education, Kelley stands out again and again. It isn’t merely an online version of a residential program—it’s built from the ground up with online in mind, and its results reflect that. One of the strongest signals is its performance in rankings by Poets&Quants. Kelley has finished in the top five every single year since the ranking began. It places Kelley not just as a contender, but as a benchmark.
What that means practically is this: when other programs are jockeying to just break into the top ten, Kelley has consistently been in the conversation—at or near the very top. Kelley Direct has held the #1 position in their ranking three times since P&Q launched the online MBA list, and has “always placed in the top five.”
Combine that with Kelley’s dominance in the U.S. News rankings—where the online MBA was ranked #1 for 2025, achieving that distinction 10 times in the past 13 years. That kind of sustained performance across independent rankings signals that the digital-learning engine at Kelley isn’t a flash in the pan—it’s built to last.
That kind of consistency tells you something deeper is going on. When a program performs this well for this long, it’s not luck or marketing—it’s systems. Kelley’s leadership in rankings comes from three interlocking strengths: data-driven quality control, remarkable faculty continuity, and long-term investment in learning design. The school treats its online experience like a laboratory—constantly measuring engagement, outcomes, and employer satisfaction—and then tweaking content and technology to keep the experience fresh. Combine that with a stable, full-time faculty who teach both online and in person, and you get consistency that ranking methodologies reward year after year.
The school, moreover, has played the long game in digital learning. Its online MBA launched in 1999, making it one of the first top-tier business schools to move into online education. Over time it’s refined its model—live synchronous sessions, strong faculty engagement, dedicated studio and tech infrastructure, and a portfolio of specialized online master’s degrees that expand its reach.
Kelley offers fully online specialized master’s degrees in areas such as business analytics, finance, IT management, healthcare management, marketing and more. These programs extend the online-learning mindset far beyond the flagship MBA and signal breadth, not just depth. That breadth adds to the ranking narrative: when a school dominates one online program and then scales into many online programs while maintaining quality, ranking bodies take notice.
It’s also worth noting how the online MBA at Kelley pairs scale and selectivity. Enrollment is 1,729 students in 2025 for the online MBA, up 69% over the past five years. Such growth alongside top ranking implies the school is scaling up without diluting the academic quality or reputation.
The ranking story also helps make the case for return on investment and brand strength. When prospective students see a consistently top-ranked online program across multiple independent sources, it boosts confidence in the digital format—and in Kelley’s ability to deliver outcomes comparable to in-person programs.
In short: if there’s one school you point to when you say “this is how you do online business education right,” Kelley is at the top of the list. Its sustained ranking dominance, expansion into online specialized masters, high enrollments, and consistent performance across ranking bodies all add up to a narrative of leadership rather than just participation.
LAST YEAR’S WINNER: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS’ GIES COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
POETS&QUANTS 2025 HONORS
DEAN OF THE YEAR: RICE BUSINESS’ PETER RODRIGUEZ
BUSINESS SCHOOL OF THE YEAR: ESCP BUSINESS SCHOOL
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR MBA ADMISSIONS: DUKE FUQUA’S SHARI HUBERT
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN BUSINESS SCHOOL BRANDING: ILLINOIS GIES’ JAN SLATER
MBA PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR: MICHIGAN ROSS’ ANDY HOFFMAN
205 BEST IN CLASS AWARDS FOR TEACHING QUALITY, CAREER SERVICES & MORE
The post 2025 MBA Best In Class Award For Digital Learning: Indiana University (Kelley) appeared first on Poets&Quants.