Several University of Arizona graduate programs across many fields of study have once again been recognized as among the best in the United States in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings.
The annual list, released Tuesday, included eight placements in the top 20 overall.
Highlights
Earth sciences, housed in the College of Science, ranked No. 2 among public universities and No. 4 overall. Additional top marks in the College of Science included speech-language pathology, ranking No. 4 among public universities tying for No. 6 overall, along with a spot in the top 20 for audiology (tied for No. 11 among public universities and tied for No. 15 overall).
Rehabilitation counseling in the College of Education tied for No. 5 among public universities and tied for No. 7 overall. Higher education administration rose one spot (tied for No. 11 among public universities and tied for No. 16 overall) and the college tied for No. 57 overall.
The James E. Rogers College of Law earned yet another top placement in the legal writing specialty, tying for No. 5 among public universities and tying for No. 8 overall.
The Eller College of Management’s program in management information systems tied for No. 6 among public universities and tied for No. 11 overall.
In the College of Information Science, the U of A’s program in information systems ranked No. 11 among public universities and No. 13 overall. Library and information science tied for No. 24 overall.
Rankings in multiple specialties
In addition to its top 20 marks in earth sciences, speech-language pathology and audiology, the College of Science earned updated rankings in the following categories:
- Physics: tied for No. 34
- Clinical psychology: tied for No. 38
- Mathematics: tied for No. 39
- Psychology: tied for No. 39
- Biological sciences: tied for No. 41
- Chemistry: tied for No. 57
- Computer science: tied No. 59
- Biostatistics: tied for No. 65
The Eller College of Management tied for No. 63 on the Best Business Schools list, with rankings in the following specialties:
- Business analytics: tied for No. 25
- Accounting: tied for No. 35
- Marketing: tied for No. 37
- Executive programs: tied for No. 39
- Finance: tied for No. 46
- Part-time MBA: tied for No. 67
The College of Engineering rose one spot to a tie for No. 68 on the Best Engineering Schools list, with rankings in the following fields of study:
- Industrial/manufacturing/systems: tied for No. 24
- Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical: tied for No. 30
- Biological/agricultural: tied for No. 32
- Environmental: tied for No. 35
- Electrical/electronic/communications: tied for No. 47
- Civil: tied for No. 48
- Computer: tied for No. 50
- Material: tied for No. 50
- Biomedical/bioengineering: tied for No. 56
- Mechanical: tied for No. 54
- Chemical: tied for No. 67
The College of Law tied for No. 70 overall on the Best Law Schools list. The following specialties also were ranked:
- Public interest law: tied for No. 21
- Federal clerkships: tied for No. 23
- Environmental law: tied for No. 32
- Health care law: tied for No. 35
- Criminal law: tied for No. 35
- International law: tied for No. 39
- Constitutional law: tied for No. 40
- Business/corporate law: tied for No. 41
- Contracts/commercial law: tied for No. 54
- Clinical training: tied for No. 66
- Tax law: tied for No. 66
- Intellectual property: tied for No. 79
- Dispute resolution: tied for No. 85
The following programs in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences received updated rankings as well:
- Sociology: tied for No. 28
- History: tied for No. 50
- Political science: No. 51
- English: tied for No. 59
Health rankings
Starting two years ago, U.S. News & World Report presents its Best Medical Schools: Research and Best Medical Schools: Primary Care lists in tiers instead of ordinal rankings. The lists place the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson in tier 2 for primary care and tier 2 for medical research.
Numerical rankings remain in place for four specialty categories: Most Graduates in Primary Care, Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas and Most Graduates Serving Rural Areas.
On the Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas list, the College of Medicine – Tucson tied for No. 56 and the College of Medicine – Phoenix ranked No. 99. On the Most Graduates in Primary Care list, the College of Medicine – Tucson tied for No. 64 and the College of Medicine – Phoenix tied for No. 104 – a 21-spot jump. On the Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas list, the College of Medicine – Tucson rose 21 spots to No. 50 and the College of Medicine – Phoenix tied for No. 82.
The College of Nursing tied for No. 34 in master’s programs and tied for No. 37 in doctoral programs.
Survey-based rankings
Beyond the categories ranked annually, U.S. News also periodically ranks programs in the sciences, social sciences, library sciences, humanities, health and many other areas based solely on the ratings of academic experts. In addition to its top placements in survey-based rankings such as rehabilitation counseling, speech-language pathology and audiology, the U of A received the following marks in the following survey-based rankings in 2026:
- Pharmacy: tied for No. 27
- Nurse anesthesia: tied for No. 35
- Public affairs: tied No. 36
- Public health: tied for No. 39
For a full list of rankings, visit www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools.
