U.S. News & World Report: Best Graduate Schools
Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment has prepared a PowerPoint presentation providing an overview of 2021 US News and World Report Best Graduate School Rankings
The U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Graduate Schools ranks programs and specialties in law, medicine, and nursing annually, while other programs are typically ranked every four years. In the table below, the year indicates the calendar year the rankings were released. The "2025" rankings were released April 9, 2024 (except for Medicine) and are shown under the 2024 column. Medicine rankings for "2025" were released July 23, 2024 and utilize tier instead of ordinal rankings.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Medicine | |||||||||||||||||||
| Research - Overall | 41 | 43 | 43 | 40 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 34 | 37 | 40 | 40 | 31 | 38 | 34 | 27 | 29 | 32 | Tier 2 | |
| Among Publics | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 13 | Tier 2 | |
| Primary Care - Overall | 30 | 35 | 42 | 46 | 49 | 71 | 58 | 40 | 52 | 65 | 44 | 21 | 23 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 22 | Tier 1 | |
| Among Publics | 20 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 40 | 36 | 26 | 35 | 37 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 21 | Tier 1 | |
| Most Diverse Medical Schools a | 86 | 58 | 51 | 81 | |||||||||||||||
| Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas a | 95 | 98 | 114 | 146 | |||||||||||||||
| Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care a | 67 | 58 | 64 | 82 | |||||||||||||||
| Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas a | 122 | 111 | 98 | 107 | |||||||||||||||
| a new ranking in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Carey School of Law | |||||||||||||||||||
| Day Program - Overall | 36 | 42 | 43 | 48 | 42 | 39 | 41 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 52 | 47 | 50 | 47 | 51 | 55 | |
| Among Publics | 15 | 21 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 28 | |
| Evening Program a - Overall | 6 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 21 | 8 | |||
| Among Publics | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 | |||
| Specialties | |||||||||||||||||||
| Business / Corporate Law b | 61 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 35 | ||||||||||||||
| Clinical Training | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 5 | |
| Constitutional Law b | 44 | 41 | 40 | 48 | 39 | ||||||||||||||
| Contracts / Commercial Law b | 46 | 56 | 59 | 72 | 64 | ||||||||||||||
| Criminal Law b | 57 | 50 | 39 | 36 | 34 | ||||||||||||||
| Dispute Resolution | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 7 | |
| Environmental Law | 11 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 19 | 21 | |
| Health Care Law | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |
| Intellectual Property Law | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 69 | 79 | 97 | 87 | 46 | 53 | |
| International Law | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 71 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 47 | 71 | |
| Legal Writing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 68 | 63 | 114 | 115 | 98 | 111 | |
| Tax Law | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 71 | 63 | 73 | 76 | 68 | 70 | |
| Trial Advocacy | - | - | - | - | 8 | 8 | - | - | 13 | 16 | - | - | 43 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 40 | 36 | |
| a new ranking in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||
| b new ranking in 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||||
| School of Nursing | |||||||||||||||||||
| Doctor of Nursing Practice a | 5 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 33 | 13 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||||
| Master of Science | 10 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 22 | 37 | 21 | 25 | 20 | ||||||
| Nursing Anesthesia b | - | 32 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 22 | ||||||
| Nursing Midwifery c |
- | 21 | 29 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Specialties | |||||||||||||||||||
| Clinical Nurse Leader d,i | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Nursing Informatics d,i | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Nursing Administration e,i | 7 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family i | 12 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 11 | |||||||||||
| Adult f,g | 5 | 6 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gerontological / Geriatric f,g | 13 | - | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Adult / Gerontology, Acute Care d,i | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Adult / Gerontology, Primary Care d,i | 4 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||
| Pediatric, Primary Care h,i | - | - | 15 | 14 | - | 11 | 10 | - | |||||||||||
| Psychiatric / Mental Health, Across the Lifespan d,i | 8 | 11 | 9 | 6 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | |||||||||||||||||||
| Adult / Medical Surgical g | 8 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Community / Public Health g | 8 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Psychiatric / Mental Health g | 13 | - | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Doctor of Nursing Practice | |||||||||||||||||||
| Administration / Management j | 7 | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Leadership j | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Acute Care j | 8 | - | 9 | 10 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Primary Care j | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Family j | 4 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Primary Care k | 6 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric / Mental Health, Across the Lifespan k | 5 | 4 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Master's | |||||||||||||||||||
| Clinical Nurse Leader j, l | 2 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Nursing Leadership m | 2 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Acute Care j | - | - | - | 7 | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Primary Care j | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Family j | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Primary Care j | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric / Mental Health, Across the Lifespan j | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Nursing Administration j | 11 | - | - | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| a new ranking for 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||
| b Nursing Anesthesia ranking last updated for 2024, 2016 ranking shown 2017 through 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| c University of Maryland School of Nursing program discontinued in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||
| d new ranking for 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||
| e specialty named Nursing Service Administration before 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||
| f ranking applies to a combined program at University of Maryland School of Nursing | |||||||||||||||||||
| g ranking discontinued after 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||
| h specialty named Pediatric before 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||
| i ranking discontinued after 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
| j new ranking for 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
| k new ranking for 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||
| l ranking discontinued after 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| m new ranking for 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | 2005 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | |||||||||||||
| School of Pharmacy | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 7 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 14 | 15 | ||||||||||||
| 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2018 | 2019 | 2022 | 2024 | |||||||||||
| School of Social Work | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 25 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 24 | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | |||||||||||||
| Physical Therapy Program | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | - | 16 | 15 | 19 | 28 | 42 | 58 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| Public Health Program a | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall: | 62 | 60 | 54 | 76 | 68 | ||||||||||||||
| a Ranking expanded in 2019 to include both schools and programs | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||
| Graduate Program In The Sciences | |||||||||||||||||||
| Biological Sciences a | 113 | 100 | 93 | 90 | 119 | 119 | |||||||||||||
| Chemistry | - | 107 | 106 | - | 140 | 136 | |||||||||||||
| a ranking not updated for 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
Note: Dates refer to year rankings were released. A dash (-) means UMB program was unranked for that year.
Updated July 23, 2024