03/11/16 lds
HAYS, Kan. -- The Fort Hays State University Virtual College has been ranked No. 1 in online education in the state of Kansas in a new ranking by TheBestSchools.org.

Best Schools, a leading resource for evaluating campus and online education, has previously ranked FHSU among the top 50 in the nation.

Best Schools' criteria include regional accreditation, the quality of programs offered, types of courses included and faculty strengths. Awards, rankings, and the reputation for online degree programs are also among the criteria, with the number of degrees offered online being the most important when. The wide variety of associate, baccalaureate, master and certificate programs are also factors.

Placing second was Kansas State University. The University of Kansas was No. 3.