“UMass Lowell is proud of the outstanding education and strong return on investment created by our graduate, online and professional programs as they engage students to advance their knowledge and become leaders in their professional lives and in the community,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “We’re pleased by the continued recognition of that excellence by U.S. News & World Report.”

UMass Lowell ranked No. 1 nationally for offering the best online master’s program in criminal justice, and ninth for the best online master’s program in computer information technology, for veterans.

The rankings specifically for military-connected students recognize the special need for this population to benefit from reputable distance education that is both affordable and accessible. The rankings measure these factors, among others, in compiling the annual rankings, according to information provided by U.S. News & World Report. An estimated 1,450 military-connected students attend UMass Lowell, both on campus and online, many while deployed at locations around the world.

In categories that assess the strengths of online education provided to the general population, for the second consecutive year, UMass Lowell’s online master’s degree program in criminal justice is ranked No. 2 in the nation. The university’s online graduate degree programs in education ranked No. 10 in the country, while UMass Lowell’s online master’s in engineering management rose to No. 23 in the nation.

In an evaluation of the best online bachelor’s degree offerings, UMass Lowell’s psychology program is No. 16 in the country.

The rankings for each of these four programs mean they are the best in New England.

In a general category ranking UMass Lowell’s online bachelor’s degree programs – which include subjects from business and English to liberal arts, information technology and criminal justice – UMass Lowell ranks No. 30 in the nation and the best among higher-education institutions in Greater Boston.

All of UMass Lowell’s online programs – which see more than 42,000 enrollments annually – are accredited and offered through the same high-quality academic departments as the university’s on-campus degree programs. Online students are connected to a brick-and-mortar institution, one of the top 100 public universities in the nation and have access to a broad range of support both in-person and online that is designed to meet their unique needs.

“UMass Lowell is proud to be recognized in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for the quality of our online faculty and programs,” said Steven Tello, UMass Lowell’s vice provost for graduate, online and professional studies. “This recognition reflects the university’s commitment to provide affordable, flexible and high quality professional education. Further, our rankings among veterans on a national level reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting the men and women who serve in the armed services. We are proud of our campus, our programs, our faculty and our students.”