U.S. News & World Report

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 "2023" rankings were released March 29, 2022 and are shown under the 2022 column.

     2007 2008 2009 20102011201220132014 2015201620172018201920202021 2022
School of Medicine                                 
Research - Overall  41 43 43 40 38 37 37 34 37 40 40 31 38 34 27 29
  Among Publics 16 18 18 17 15 14 15 13 15 17 16 12 16 14 9 10
Primary Care - Overall  30 35 42 46 49 71 58 40 52 65 44 21 23 12 16 15
  Among Publics 20 26 29 32 32 40 36 26 35 37 26 17 17 10 14 13
                                   
Most Diverse Medical Schools a               86 58
Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas a               95 98
Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care Fields a               67 58
Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas a               122 111
                   
a new ranking in 2021                  
                                   
    200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021 2022
Carey School of Law                                 
Day Program - Overall  36 42 43 48 42 39 41 46 47 48 48 49 52 47 50 47
  Among Publics 15 21 20 25 20 18 19 22 25 24 24 26 27 24 26 24
Evening Program a - Overall     6 5 8 9 6 7 5 5 4 5 4 5 8 6
  Among Publics     2 1 2 2 3 3 2 2 1 2 1 2 3 2
Specialties                                
  Business / Corporate Law b                           61 52 56
  Clinical Training 5 8 8 9 6 5 5 11 5 7 7 6 7 6 9 8
  Constitutional Law b                           44 41 40
  Contracts / Commercial Law b                           46 56 59
  Criminal Law b                           57 50 39
  Dispute Resolution - - - - - - - - - 15 18 13 13 13 15 12
  Environmental Law 11 8 6 10 7 11 6 6 15 13 14 17 13 10 16 13
  Health Care Law 2 3 2 2 3 3 4 1 2 4 2 6 6 7 7 6
  Intellectual Property Law - - - - - - - - - - - - 69 79 97 87
  International Law - - - - - - - - - - - - 71 69 68 67
  Legal Writing - - - - - - - - - - - - 68 63 114 115
  Tax Law - - - - - - - - - - - - 71 63 73 76
  Trial Advocacy - - - - 8 8 - - 13 16 - - 43 31 30 31
                                   
a new ranking in 2009
b new ranking in 2020
                                   
               2003 2007 20112015201620172018201920202021 2022
School of Nursing                                 
Doctor of Nursing Practice a                  5 10 8 6 16 33 13
Master of Science            10 7 11 6 8 10 13 12 22 37 21
Nursing Anesthesia b           - 32 17 7 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
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                 - -
    Leadership j                 - -
    Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Acute Care j         - 9
    Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Primary Care j         6 5
    Nurse Practitioner: Family j                 8 4
    Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Acute Care k                 -
    Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Primary Care k                 6
    Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric / Mental Health, Across the Lifespan k         5
  Master's                      
    Clinical Nurse Leader j, l                 -  
    Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Acute Care j         - -
    Nurse Practitioner: Adult / Gerontology, Primary Care j         - -
    Nurse Practitioner: Family j                 - -
    Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Primary Care j, l         -  
    Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric / Mental Health, Across the Lifespan j     - -
    Nursing Administration j                 11  - -
                                   
a new ranking for 2016
b Nursing Anesthesia ranking last updated for 2016
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
             
                                   
                                   
    199720052008201220162020                    
School of Pharmacy                                 
Overall   7 8 9 17 9 14                    
                                   
                                   
    200020042008201220162018 2019 2022                
School of Social Work                                 
Overall   25 19 18 16 17 17 17  21                
                                   
                                   
    20002004200820122016 2020                    
Physical Therapy Program                                
Overall   - 16 15 19 28 42                    
                                   
                                   
    2019 2021 2022                          
Public Health Program a                                
Overall:   62 60 54                          
                                   
Ranking expanded in 2019 to include both schools and programs
                                   
                                   
    2002201020142018 2022                      
Graduate Program In The Sciences                                 
Biological Sciences  113 100 93 90 119                      
Chemistry  - 107 106 - 140                      
                                   

Note: Dates refer to year rankings were released. A dash (-) means UMB program was unranked for that year.

Updated March 31, 2022