UNMC’s graduate and professional schools are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 “Best Graduate Schools” guide, released Tuesday.
Out of four evaluative tiers, UNMC’s College of Medicine moved up to Tier 1 in primary care training and retained its Tier 2 ranking in research. UNMC ranked 17th for most graduates practicing in rural areas and tied for 53rd for most graduates practicing in primary care, up from 67 last year.
“These rankings are a testament to UNMC’s focus on delivering high‑quality learning experiences, while also conducting ground-breaking research,” said UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD. “Our mission to serve Nebraskans, solve the pressing health care problems of our times and prepare the state’s health care workforce guides all that we do, and it’s gratifying to see that work recognized.”
In addition, the following UNMC programs were ranked in this year’s guide:
- Physician assistant program is tied at No. 14.
- Pharmacy is ranked at No. 16.
- Physical therapy is ranked No. 31.
- Public health is tied at No. 49.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice is tied at No. 68.
- Occupational therapy is tied at No. 51.
- Biostatistics is tied at No. 63.
Rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research, students and post-graduate outcomes for them. Refer to each program’s specific methodology for detailed explanations of any methodological changes.
Not all graduate and professional programs are ranked annually. For a complete list of rankings for UNMC, visit the U.S. News & World Report website.