UT Austin Is Among the Top Research Universities in Latest U.S. News Ranking of Graduate Schools

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin is one of the top American universities for graduate students based on the depth, breadth and excellence of its graduate and professional programs, according to the latest edition of “Best Graduate Schools” from U.S. News & World Report.

This year, UT Austin has 47 schools and specialties that ranked in the top 10, according to U.S. News. Only two public universities surpassed UT Austin with more top 10 graduate schools and specialties. Universities With Most Graduate Schools and Specialties Ranked in the Top 10 (U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools” 2020) University Public/Private 2020 University of California, Berkeley Public 111 Stanford University Private 108 Harvard University Private 98 Michigan University Public 97 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Private 67 Columbia University Private 65 Yale University Private 60 Princeton University Private 59 University of Pennsylvania Private 50 University of Chicago Private 49 The University of Texas at Austin Public 47 University of Wisconsin Public 47 University of California, Los Angeles Public 44 Duke University Private 44 University of Washington Public 40 “These national rankings reflect the high impact of research and teaching taking place all across The University of Texas at Austin and our commitment to graduate education,” said President Gregory L. Fenves. “And they demonstrate the vital role of leading research universities such as UT as engines of innovation, opportunity and prosperity.”

The university has top 10 specialties in 12 of its colleges and schools including business, communication, geosciences, education, engineering, information, fine arts, natural sciences, pharmacy, public affairs, social work and liberal arts. Four of its graduate and professional schools rank in the top 10: the LBJ School of Public Affairs (No. 10), the Steve Hicks School of Social Work (No. 8), the Jackson School of Geosciences (No. 7, ranked under Earth sciences) and the School of Information (No. 5, ranked under library and information sciences).

UT Austin also has five specialties ranked No. 1 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report: accounting in the McCombs School of Business, petroleum engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering, geology in the Jackson School of Geosciences, and Latin American history and Sociology of Population, both in the College of Liberal Arts.

The closest competitors in Texas are Texas A&M University, with nine graduate specialties ranked in the top 10, and Rice University, with two.

U.S. News & World Report’s graduate rankings, which are published separately from the magazine’s yearly ranking of undergraduate programs, are considered the gold standard of graduate and professional rankings. They are based on surveys of academic leaders and, for select programs, additional quantitative measures including placement test scores, student/faculty ratios, research expenditures and job placement success.

The publication updates some of its specialty rankings each year and republishes the most recent rankings in other areas. Areas updated this year were business, education, engineering, health specialties, law, medicine, nursing and public affairs. UT Austin’s recently launched Dell Medical School will not enter the rankings until its accreditation process is complete.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings are consistent with other recent rankings for UT Austin, which has been named the eighth best value among public colleges (Kiplinger, 2018), the 13th most productive university in the U.S. for scientific research (Nature Index, June 2018) and the 31st best university in the world (Center for World University Rankings, 2018-19).

UT Austin graduate schools and programs that U.S. News & World Report ranked in the top 30 are listed below. These rankings are drawn from early figures released by U.S. News & World Report and could grow when fuller lists are published. Check test-texas-news.pantheonsite.io for the most up-to-date lists.

UT Austin Graduate Schools & Specialties Ranked in the Top 30 (Source: U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools 2020”)

Professional Schools

Business – 19

• Accounting – 1
• Entrepreneurship – 10
• Finance – 11
• Information Systems – 4
• International – 15
• Management – 21
• Marketing – 13
• Production/Operations – 18
• Supply Chain/Logistics – 14
• Executive MBA – 26
• Part-Time MBA – 8

Education – 13

• Curriculum/Instruction – 7
• Education Policy – 13
• Educational Administration/Supervision – 5
• Educational Psychology – 5
• Elementary Teacher Education – 13
• Higher Education Administration – 15
• Secondary Teacher Education – 10
• Special Education – 5

Engineering – 11

• Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical – 7
• Biomedical/Bioengineering – 18
• Chemical – 4
• Civil – 5
• Computer – 7
• Electrical/Electronic/Communications – 9
• Environmental/Environmental Health – 4
• Industrial/Manufacturing/Systems – 21
• Materials – 20
• Mechanical – 12
• Nuclear – 18
• Petroleum Engineering – 1

Health Disciplines (other than Nursing)

• Audiology – 13*
• Clinical Psychology – 8*
• Pharmacy (UT Austin’s College of Pharmacy) – 3*
• Social Work (UT Austin’s Steve Hicks School of Social Work) – 8
• Speech-Language Pathology – 7*

Law – 16

• Clinical Training – 26
• Dispute Resolution – 24
• Environmental Law – 27
• Intellectual Property Law – 19
• International Law – 16
• Legal Writing – 29
• Tax Law – 14
• Trial Advocacy – 27

Library and Information Studies Schools (UT Austin’s School of Information) – 5*

• Archives and Preservation – 2*
• Digital Librarianship – 5*
• Information Systems – 10*
• Law Librarianship – 2*

Nursing

• Master’s – 24
• Doctor of Nursing Practice – 24

Public Affairs – 10

• Homeland Security – 10
• International/Global Policy – 7
• Nonprofit Management – 16
• Public Finance and Budgeting – 17
• Public Management and Leadership – 17
• Public Policy Analysis – 13
• Social Policy – 12

The Sciences

Biological Sciences – 27*

• Ecology/Evolutionary Biology – 6*

Chemistry – 15*

• Analytical – 4*
• Organic – 16*
• Physical – 14*

Computer Science – 10*

• Artificial Intelligence – 8*
• Programming Language – 8*
• Systems – 8*
• Theory – 7*

Earth Sciences (UT Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences) – 7*

• Geology – 1*
• Geophysics and Seismology – 7*

Mathematics – 14*

• Analysis – 7*
• Applied Math – 9*
• Topology – 8*

Physics – 17*

• Cosmology/Relativity/Gravity – 10*

Social Sciences and Humanities*

Economics – 27*

English – 20*

History – 16*

• Latin American History – 1*

Political Science – 19*

• Psychology – 8*

Sociology – 11*

• Sociology of Population – 1*
• Sex and Gender – 8*

Fine Arts – 27*

• Sculpture – 7*

*Ranking not revised for 2020. Based on latest ranking available.