IU graduate programs rank best in country by U.S. News & World Report

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana University graduate programs have been ranked among the best in the country in the 2024-25 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings. Demonstrating IU’s academic and research impact and leadership, IU leads the state in the total number of top 10 and top 20 graduate programs or specialties ranked by U.S. News.  

Only seven public universities nationally and two schools in the Big Ten have more top-20 programs and specialty areas than IU.

Preparing the next generation of global public affairs leaders

IU’s acclaimed O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs leads all U.S. public affairs graduate schools with the most No. 1-ranked specialty areas. 

The O’Neill School has the top-ranked programs in environmental policy and management, public finance and budgeting, public management and leadership, and nonprofit management. It also boasts the top two rankings in the nonprofit management category, with the school’s program on the IU Bloomington campus ranking No. 1 and its program on the IU Indianapolis campus ranking No. 2.   

Thirteen specialty areas at the O’Neill School ranked in the top 20, with nine Bloomington specialties in the top 10 and four Indianapolis specialties in the top 20.

The O’Neill School’s master’s program in public affairs ranks No. 1 among public institutions and No. 2 among all universities.

National excellence recognized across IU 

In total, 16 IU graduate programs and specialties rank among the nation’s top 10, with 32 programs and specialties ranking among the top 20. Both figures represent increases from last year and make IU the state’s leader for the total number of top 10 and top 20 programs and specialties ranked.  

The Kelley School of Business ranked fifth among public institutions and 20th among all colleges and universities, the highest ranking since 2012. The school had two specialties ranked among the top 10, entrepreneurship and accounting, and seven in the top 20. 

The School of Education ranks in the top 20 in seven of eight specialties, including four in the top 10: student counseling and personnel services, elementary teacher education, secondary teacher education, and higher education administration. 

Finally, the College of Arts and Sciences, McKinney School of Law, and Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering each have top-20-ranked specialty programs. 

“These rankings provide much-deserved national recognition of IU’s world-class faculty and staff. They lead our progress and transformation, empowering our students to reach their fullest potential, serve the public good, and advance our society,” said President Pamela Whitten.