In the 2024 edition of Best Graduate Schools, U.S. News and World Report has ranked 22 University of Delaware graduate programs among the best in the nation, including 10 in the top 50. More than half of the UD programs increased their rankings this year.

“It is gratifying that UD’s excellent graduate programs continue to be recognized on a national platform, reflecting the hard work, expertise and commitment of our distinguished faculty and dedicated staff members,” said President Dennis Assanis. “As we strengthen and expand these and other academic programs, it is our students who truly benefit the most from their UD experience long after they have earned their degrees.”

Retaining its position in the top 10 is UD’s chemical engineering graduate program, moving up this year from No. 8 to No. 7 in the nation.

This year’s edition includes rankings of graduate programs in six major disciplines—business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing—and specialty programs in the sciences, health, and public affairs. Due to an unprecedented number of inquiries from schools during the initial embargo period and verification of publicly available data, the law and medicine rankings will be released at a later date. The rankings for the specialty programs are based solely on peer assessment survey results. The rankings for the six major disciplines are based on a number of distinct ranking factors. Previously reputation accounted for 40% of the ranking. This year reputation accounts for 25% and there is now a greater emphasis on placement success for business, research activity for education and engineering, and program size and faculty resources for nursing.

“Building, sustaining and investing in graduate education and research is closer to a marathon than a sprint,” said Louis Rossi, dean of UD’s Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and professional education. “Being held in such high regard is an honor. It is important to remember behind that single ranking are a myriad of elements including our excellent faculty, facilities, curriculum, and most importantly innovative experiences that we offer to our students.”

Following are the UD graduate programs, along with the respective rankings, listed in the 2024 edition of Best Graduate Schools:

• Chemical engineering, 7 (up from 8)
• Public finance and budgeting, 14 (up from 24)
• Nonprofit management, 23
• Public management and leadership, 23 (up from 32)
• Education schools, 27 (up from 39)
• Public affairs schools, 28 (up from 29)
• Engineering schools, 42 (up from 45)
• Materials engineering, 42 (up from 44)
• Mechanical engineering, 49 (up from 50)
• Biomedical engineering, 50
• Civil engineering, 55
• Computer engineering, 57 (up from 69)
• Chemistry, 58
• Electrical/electronic/communications engineering, 66
• Earth sciences, 70
• Physics, 73
• Computer science, 77 (up from 82)
• Mathematics, 80
• Nursing, master’s program, 82
• Nursing schools -- Doctor of nursing practice, 83
• Business schools -- Full-time MBA, 119
• Business schools -- Part-time MBA, 133

The preceding list only includes subject areas evaluated in this year's edition; other UD graduate programs have been ranked in previous years. The full listing of UD graduate programs ranked by U.S. News and World Report, including UD’s No. 1 program in physical therapy, is available on the Institutional Research and Effectiveness Rankings webpage. Please note the programs and specialties used by U.S. News might vary slightly from the names of degree programs used by UD.