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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's distance education program has been named the nation's best online college in terms of value by ValueColleges.com, an organization that provides in-depth analysis and rankings on affordability and quality in higher education.

Oregon State Ecampus ranks first on a list of the Top 50 Best Value Online Colleges for 2017. The rankings assess online bachelor's programs based on tuition costs, reputability, and return on investment using data from the website Payscale.com.

In its evaluation, the organization noted that Ecampus delivers the most online undergraduate major and minor programs in Oregon, and that OSU is a leader in STEM research and boasts the Carnegie Foundation's highest research activity classification.

"This ranking speaks to our mission to provide learners with access to a high-quality Oregon State education," said Ecampus Executive Director Lisa L. Templeton. "The value comes in the form of highly engaging programs that give our students opportunities for career advancement."

All Ecampus students pay the same tuition rate no matter where they live. Ecampus serves adult learners in all 50 states and more than 40 countries by delivering 21 undergraduate degrees and 27 graduate programs online.

During the 2015-16 academic year, more than 19,000 OSU students took at least one Ecampus class.

Oregon State has developed a reputation as a leader in online education, having been ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report each of the past two years. In 2014, Ecampus won the Online Learning Consortium's Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching - one of the industry's most prestigious awards.