Finding the ‘now’ of teaching: Online education programs reach No. 3 in national rankings

Anaiz Moreno always knew she wanted to go for a master’s degree, but she never imagined it would be happening so soon. After all, the high school English teacher only recently earned her credential from San Diego State University’s School of Teacher Education, in December 2023.

She asked: Was it really time to go back to school?

"I'm happy I did,” said Moreno, now halfway through her first year in SDSU’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Elementary and Secondary Education program. "I started taking classes in the summer and it’s helped me adapt my lessons into the new, modern tech world that we live in. I’ve been introduced to a lot of platforms to have really engaging lessons.” 

Experiences like Moreno’s offer insight into SDSU’s rising national profile in online education offerings. SDSU is now tied at No. 3 nationally in the newly released U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Online Master’s in Education Program Rankings. 

That’s two spots up from the 2024 ranking, which was the program’s previous best. SDSU trails only Clemson University and the University of Florida and tied for third with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of North Texas.

“The continuing rise in stature of our online master’s programs is a testament to our innovative faculty who understand the needs of in-service teachers and the intricacies of the ever-evolving education landscape,” said Y. Barry Chung, dean of the College of Education. “I’m so proud that SDSU is setting the standard for quality, accessible professional development for PK-12 educators.”

Two SDSU online programs factored into this year’s ranking — the MAT and an M.A. in Reading and Literacy Education.

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"I get to introduce what I learn to students here in the Imperial Valley who don't have that experience with digital platforms,” Moreno said. “It's like a cool new thing for them.”

In addition to learning about new platforms, Moreno said the program has helped her become an expert in lesson planning while ensuring she’s teaching in a culturally-responsive way that connects students to the content. She’s already used what she’s learned to revamp a lesson on “Romeo and Juliet” using new technology.

And like teachers in many districts, she is also looking forward to the pay increase that comes with earning a master’s degree.

"I get the master's, I get the pay bump and I have all these resources to now use for my classes,” Moreno said. “So it really goes hand-in-hand. I recommend it to all secondary education teachers who want to be in the ‘now’ of teaching. 

“The professors understand the field that we're in — that helps. It's a really great program and I'm happy I'm in it.”