Newsweek names Lone Star College System one of America’s Top Online Colleges

HOUSTON, TX -- With demand for online education opportunities on the rise, students have endless options at their fingertips. Lone Star College System secured a slot in Newsweek’s list of America’s Top Online Colleges 2026, ranking No. 20 nationwide and third in Texas.

“When we founded Lone Star College-Online, our goal was to reimagine online education, starting with the student in mind—specifically, the non-traditional student,” said Shelby Bercu, LSC-Online professor, Mathematics. “We focused on their needs, meeting them when they're available, which is often outside traditional hours, whether evenings or weekends. We're meeting them where they are to help them be successful.”

Carlos R. Morales, Ph.D., was named LSC-Online’s inaugural president earlier this year and said the Newsweek recognition speaks volumes about the quality, commitment and careful planning faculty and staff bring to deliver exceptional online education.

“This recognition highlights the quality of our work,” said Morales. “For a young campus like ours to be acknowledged at the national level, to see the progress reflected in the Newsweek rankings—it is truly rewarding. It is a testament to the effort and dedication of everyone who helped build this young campus from the ground up.”

This is the fifth time Newsweek has partnered with Statista to recognize the best options for virtual higher education in the U.S. The 250-institution ranking is determined based on a survey of 10,000 Americans who have used online learning resources, evaluating organization, support, price, reputation, success and practical relevance.

“Nationally, this is a great honor, but the best honor as a Texan is being ranked number three in Texas,” said Casey Garcia, LSC-Online professor, Speech and Humanities. “It is also an acknowledgment of the collaboration among our faculty, staff and administration to create this innovative virtual learning experience. This commendation affirms that we have achieved something remarkable, and we can only go up from here. The future is bright for LoneStar College-Online.”

LSCS launched its eighth college, LSC-Online, in 2022 as a fully virtual option providing students with more flexibility than the traditional college setting. LSC-Online ensures students feel connected through student life activities and wraparound services for a well-rounded education experience.

“As a student at Lone Star College-Online, I absolutely love seeing passionate educators and teams who truly care about student success and go above and beyond to help us thrive. During my time with Lone Star College-Online, whether through Desire 2 Learn (D2L) or while working on campus, I’ve felt that support every step of the way,” said Gabriela Barron, LSC-Online student.

LSC-Online student enrollment increased by 48% from fall 2022 to fall 2025, with a current population of 5,400 students. System-wide, nearly 45% of courses are online, while 46% are face-to-face and 9% are a hybrid of the two methods.

Learn more about what LSC-Online has to offer at LoneStar.edu/LSC-Online.