EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the numbers for O’Neill and McKinney specialty program rankings.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Sixteen Indiana University graduate programs and specialty areas ranked among the nation’s top 10, with a total of 32 ranked in the top 20, according to the 2024-25 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate School rankings released today. IU leads the state in the total number of top 10 and top 20 graduate programs and specialties. Among the new rankings, only seven public universities nationally and two schools in the Big Ten have more top 20 programs and specialty areas than IU.
The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington also received the most No. 1 specialty rankings of any school in the public affairs graduate program category. The O’Neill School ranked No. 1 among public institutions and No. 2 among all colleges and universities in the category of public affairs graduate programs, marking the eighth straight year the O’Neill School has been ranked either first or second nationally.
“This year’s rankings again demonstrate that graduate programs across the university have earned their rightful place among the nation’s best,” Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said. “The impact of our dedicated faculty and the excellent graduate programs offered on Indiana University’s campuses is unmistakable. Through their students and alumni, these programs strengthen the vitality of Indiana, our nation and the world through a commitment to transformative research, bold innovation and a desire to improve communities.”
O’Neill’s programs in environmental policy and management, public finance and budgeting, public management and leadership, and nonprofit management all ranked No. 1. O’Neill was the only school to be ranked both No. 1 and No. 2 in the nonprofit management category, with the program on the Bloomington campus ranking No. 1 and the program on the Indianapolis campus taking No. 2. In total, 13 specialty areas at the O’Neill School ranked in the top 20, with nine Bloomington specialties placing in the top 10 and four Indianapolis specialties ranking in the top 20.
“The O’Neill School is extremely proud and honored to have four specialties ranked No. 1, more than any other public affairs school in the country, with an additional four specialties in the top 10,” O’Neill School Dean Siân Mooney said. “O’Neill has consistently ranked as one of the top two public affairs schools. We are especially proud of our leadership in nonprofit management across both our Bloomington and Indianapolis locations, which occupy the top two spots in the ranking. It’s a wonderful recognition for all that our faculty and students have accomplished.”
Overall, Indiana University led the state for the total number of top 10 and top 20 rankings for graduate programs and specialty areas in this year’s U.S. News Best Graduate School Rankings, with an increase in top programs driven by IU’s Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. The rankings are based on statistical and reputational data regarding graduate programs at U.S. colleges and universities. A complete list of rankings can be accessed on the U.S. News and World Report’s website.
The Kelley School of Business in Bloomington was ranked No. 5 among public universities and No. 20 overall, the school’s highest ranking since 2012. Six graduate specialties ranked in the top 20, including marketing (No. 17), production/operations (No. 18) and management (No. 19). The entrepreneurship program placed No. 7, and the accounting program was ranked No. 10. The part-time MBA program on the Indianapolis campus ranked higher this year at No. 13.
The IU School of Education in Bloomington received high marks with four specialty areas ranking in the top 10. Three additional specialties placed in the top 20, receiving higher rankings than previous years. The areas in the top 10 are student counseling and personnel services (No. 3), elementary teacher education (No. 5), secondary teacher education (No. 8) and higher education administration (No. 9).
Some of IU’s other ranked programs include:
- The audiology and speech-language pathology specialties at the College of Arts and Sciences, which ranked in the top 20.
- The computer science specialty in programming language at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, which was ranked at No. 19.
- The legal writing specialty at the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, which ranked No. 20.
U.S. News will release its rankings for Best Medical Schools and Best Clinical Psychology Programs at a later date.
