Best Online University Programs for Veterans

U.S. News has released its first ever rankings of the Best Online University Programs for Veterans, featuring colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees and master's programs in education, nursing, engineering and business.

All the institutions that qualified are certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, two federal initiatives designed to help veterans reduce the cost of education.

The programs listed have all been designed to improve the higher education experience for veterans, according to the report. The schools involved have also promised to consider granting academic credit for military training.

To get on to the "Best Of" lists the 153 degree programs included in these new lists had to be completely online and had to be ranked in U.S. News’ general 2013 Best Online Education Programs.

New York’s Pace University came in number one in the undergraduate degree class. The college says it has a "veteran friendly" employee in every office at the school to deal with financial aid and other issues. Here are the listings:

BEST ONLINE BACHELOR’S PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS

1.Pace University, NY

2.Brandman University, CA

3.Bellevue University, NE

4.Regent University, VA

5.University of Nebraska-Omaha, NE

BEST ONLINE GRADUATE BUSINESS PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS

1.Washington State University, WA

2. Central Michigan University, MI

3. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE

4. Temple University (Fox), PA

5. West Virginia University, WV

BEST ONLINE GRADUATING ENGINEERING PROGRAMS FORN VETERANS

1.North Carolina State University, NC

2.University of Toledo, OH

3.University of South Florida, FL

4.University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, AR

5.University of Alabama-Birmingham, AL

BEST ONLINE GRADUATE NURSING PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS

1.Clarkson College, NE

2. East Carolina University, NC

3.West Virginia University, WV

4. Regis University, CO

5.Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, IN

BEST ONLINE GRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS

1.Eastern Kentucky University, KY

2. Central Michigan University, MI

3. North Carolina State University-Raleigh, NC

4. Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, AR

5. West Virginia University, WV