Michigan State University earned top recognition in the 2026–27 Best Graduate Schools rankings from U.S. News & World Report, with three graduate programs ranked No. 1 in the nation and 10 placing in the top 10.

“Graduate education plays a vital role in cultivating the next generation of innovators, experts and knowledge leaders,” said MSU Provost Laura Lee McIntyre. “Continuously earning high marks in these rankings affirms the strength of our academic disciplines and the high quality of our talented faculty.”

The MSU College of Education remains a leader, with standout programs in elementary and secondary education, both of which have held the No. 1 national ranking since 1995. This year, the college’s curriculum and instruction program also claimed the No. 1 spot, contributing to nine of the college’s 10 programs ranking among the nation’s top 10.

“The annual Best Education schools recognize, once again, the vast array of expertise and excellence in the MSU College of Education,” said Jerlando F. L. Jackson, dean of the College of Education and MSU Research Foundation Distinguished Professor of Education. “Our program areas are consistently ranked among the best in the nation, underscoring the quality of our faculty, the dedication of our students and alums, and the commitment of our staff. I am proud that Michigan State University is recognized externally for its significant, continued impacts across education.”

Here are the latest rankings of MSU’s College of Education graduate programs:

• No. 1 — Curriculum and instruction
• No. 1 — Elementary education
• No. 1 — Secondary education
• No. 2 — Educational administration
• No. 2 — Higher education administration
• No. 2 — Rehabilitation counseling
• No. 4 — Educational psychology
• No. 8 — Special education
• No. 9 — Education policy

This year, the MSU College of Engineering’s biosystems engineering graduate program ranked No. 8, up four spots from last year.

Due to a change in U.S. News’s methodology, MSU’s graduate-level supply chain management program decreased in its ranking this year, though the program remains in the top 20 nationwide. The university maintains its No. 1 ranking for supply chain management at the undergraduate level for 15 years in a row. MSU's Clinical Science doctoral program earned a top 25 national ranking from U.S. News & World Report — tied for the #24 spot in the 2026 Best Clinical Psychology Doctorate Programs report.

U.S. News & World Report bases individual disciplinary program rankings on expert opinion about program excellence.

Learn more about graduate education at MSU.