2 ASU graduate programs rank No. 1 in the nation
Two of Arizona State University's graduate programs ranked No. 1 in the latest U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Programs list, including the JD program in legal writing in the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. ASU photo
Eleven graduate programs at Arizona State University are in the top 10 nationwide, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Programs 2026 rankings released today.
A total of 27 programs made the top 25; nearly half of those — 11 — are from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
Two ASU programs ranked first in the nation: the JD program in legal writing in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and the local government management graduate program in the Watts College. Both were ranked No. 3 last year.
The legal writing program ranks ahead of Georgetown University, the University of Michigan and Texas A&M. The local government management program is ahead of Syracuse University, Indiana University and Harvard University.
Also in the top 10 is the supply chain/logistics program (No. 8) in the W. P. Carey School of Business, ahead of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Michigan State University and New York University.
The other programs in the top 10 are in the Watts College:
Information and technology management (No. 2) — up one spot from last year, ahead of Syracuse University and the University at Albany.
Homeland security and emergency management (No. 2) — the same as last year, ahead of the University of Southern California, George Washington University and Georgetown University.
Nonprofit management (No. 3) — up two spots from last year and ahead of Syracuse University, the University of Washington and Harvard University.
Public management and leadership (No. 5) — the same as last year and ahead of Harvard University, the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan.
Urban policy (No. 6) — up three spots from last year and ahead of Harvard University, Syracuse University and the University of California, Berkeley.
Environmental policy and management (No. 6) — up four spots from last year and ahead of Harvard University, Princeton University and Syracuse University.
Public finance and budgeting (No. 9) — up seven spots from last year and ahead of Harvard University, Ohio State University and the University of California, Berkeley.
Overall public affairs (No. 9) — up two spots from last year and ahead of American University, Georgetown University and Ohio State University.
“Across fields as diverse as public service, law, business, engineering, the sciences, and health and education, our graduate programs are achieving exceptional outcomes and advancing scholarship,” Executive Vice President and University Provost Nancy Gonzales said.
“What distinguishes ASU is not only our commitment to excellence, but the breadth of disciplines in which we excel. Year over year, ASU demonstrates that a university committed to broad accessibility and positive global impact can also drive excellence across the full spectrum of academic fields.”
The rest of the ASU graduate programs ranked in the top 25 in the nation are:
- Doctorate in earth sciences (No. 11), The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Dispute resolution (No. 11), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Public policy analysis (No. 13), Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions
- Environmental law (No. 14), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Social policy (No. 15), Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions
- Information systems, (No. 15), W. P. Carey School of Business
- Health care law (No. 16), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
- Speech-language pathology (No. 17), College of Health Solutions
- Environmental engineering (No. 17), Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
- International business (No. 19), W. P. Carey School of Business
- Industrial/manufacturing/systems engineering (No. 19), Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
- Overall graduate education programs (No. 19), Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
- Executive MBA (No. 21), W. P. Carey School of Business
- Educational administration (No. 21), Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
- Curriculum and instruction (No. 22), Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
- Marketing (No. 25), W. P. Carey School of Business
Learn more
- School of Public Affairs earns No. 1 in local government management; 10 specializations ranked in top 20
- Multiple schools within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences receive top spots
- Speech-language pathology graduate program earns top 20 ranking
- Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation is among the top 20 graduate colleges of education
- ASU Law lands top 20 public law school for the 17th year, secures No. 1 in legal writing
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