Mason has 14 graduate programs in the top 50 in U.S. News rankings

George Mason’s nursing doctorate program is 1st among public universities in U.S. News and World Report graduate program rankings; the law school is top three in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia region

George Mason University’s nursing programs climbed to the top in graduate program rankings from U.S. News and World Report, ready to meet the commonwealth’s increased workforce demands for highly skilled career-ready health care talent.

Mason’s doctor of nursing practice program ranked No. 1 among public institutions—up 27 spots from last year—and No. 2 among institutions nationally—up 37 spots. The nursing master’s program came in at No. 4 (up 17 spots) for public universities and No. 10 (up 28) nationally.

The master of public health program also jumped ahead 23 spots to become No. 53 nationally among all institutions, and 35th among publics.  The social work program is 47th among public institutions, and the heath systems management program is 17th among public institutions and 32nd nationally. Mason is home to Virginia’s first College of Public Health.

"At Mason, our focus is clear: to foster excellence and innovation in public health education, research, and practice,” said College of Public Health Dean Melissa Perry. “As the pioneering College of Public Health in Virginia, we are setting the standard for interprofessional education in this vital field. Our programs are designed to equip the next generation of health professionals with the knowledge and skills to address the complex health challenges of our time."

Overall this year, Mason has 21 graduate programs in the top 50 among public universities and 14 programs in the top 50 of all universities nationally. (All U.S. News graduate program rankings, including previous years, are available here.)

Antonin Scalia Law School’s law program advanced to No. 11 among public schools and No. 28 among all law schools nationally. With this move, it ranks third among all law schools in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. The part-time program ranks second nationally among all public law schools.

“The law school achieved the highest ranking in the school’s history at No. 28,” said Scalia Law Dean Ken Randall. “The part-time JD program remains among the top five nationally. Despite its relative youth, Scalia is ranked No. 3 among the 16 law schools in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, behind only UVA and Georgetown.”

The College of Education and Human Development’s special education program gained ground as well, coming in at No. 16 for publics (up one) and No. 17 for all institutions (up two).

“We are so proud of our special education program,” said Dean Ingrid Guerra-López. “This recognition affirms our commitment to excellence, innovation, and the belief that every individual has the potential to make a meaningful impact in the world. It is a testament to our faculty, staff, and students, who work tirelessly to push boundaries and inspire change.”

The Schar School of Policy and Government is 4th in homeland security both nationally and among publics. The school ranks 39th nationally overall and 26th among publics for public affairs; 10th among publics for nonprofit management (13th nationally); 33 nationally and 24 among publics for public management and leadership; and No. 31 nationally and No. 17 among publics for public policy analysis.

“These rankings are affirmation of the strong quality of the Schar School’s academic programs and cutting-edge research,” said Schar School Dean Mark Rozell. “The continued growth in the rankings aligns to the value proposition that Schar provides to students and career-seekers located in the Washington, D.C., region, offering direct access to leaders, news makers, policy advocates, and amazing faculty expertise.”

“Mason has made significant investments in graduate education and the latest U.S. News rankings reflect our commitment to excellence as well as reaffirm the quality and hard work of our faculty, students, and staff,” Interim Provost Ken Walsh said. “I’m proud that our teaching and learning is recognized, as well as the impact of research and scholarship these programs produce.”

In 2022, Mason launched its Graduate Division, expanding student support services and creating a dedicated graduate success center,  to increase graduate funding for programs. New professional development programs, such as the Accelerate to Industry program, the Graduate Student Career Conference, the Communication Academy four-part performance workshop series, and a Skillcraft Series for graduate teaching through the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, offer students a roadmap combining their academic learning with work-readiness skills.

U.S. News announced April 8 that they would delay the release of Engineering School rankings and rankings for Clinical Psychology programs, as well as Medical School rankings.

The complete rankings released on Tuesday, April 9, can be found on the U.S. News and World Report website.