The rankings are a “testament to the pursuit of academic excellence in which each of our faculty and students are engaged,” Provost Andrew T. Guzman said. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
USC graduate programs shine in U.S. News & World Report rankings
Several USC graduate programs rank in the top 20 in the annual report, with USC Chan’s occupational therapy program landing a top ranking.
U.S. News & World Report announced its 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings Tuesday morning, with the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy’s occupational therapy program tied for the nation’s top spot.
Several other USC graduate programs also ranked highly in the annual report. Nine of USC’s graduate programs ranked in the top 20 nationwide, including USC Chan’s physical therapy program (tied for No. 4); the USC Price School of Public Policy’s public affairs program (tied for No. 5); the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ clinical psychology program (tied for No. 9); the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ pharmacy program (tied for No. 14); USC Price’s health care management program (tied for No. 19); and the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s nursing anesthesia program (tied for No. 20).
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s computer science and engineering programs also received high rankings (both tied for No. 21), as did the Keck School of Medicine’s public health program (tied for No. 26).
“We are proud of the quality education every student receives at USC,” said Andrew T. Guzman, USC provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “To have so many highly ranked graduate programs is a testament to the pursuit of academic excellence in which each of our faculty and students are engaged. We could not be more thrilled with the outcome of this year’s rankings.”
U.S. News & World Report rankings: Excelling in scope and scale
Andrew McConnell Stott, dean of the USC Graduate School and vice provost for academic programs, said the results speak to the university’s enduring, worldwide appeal.
“It’s truly gratifying to see the hard work of these programs reflected in the rankings, confirming what we already knew: that USC is a first-choice destination for graduate students seeking exceptional faculty and world-class experiences in teaching and research,” Stott said.
Grace Baranek — associate dean, chair and Mrs. T.H. Chan Professor of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at USC Chan — is not surprised at her program’s leading spot. The program has more than 5,000 alumni living in 16 countries on six continents around the world and has held the top spot longer than any other program in the country since U.S. News began ranking occupational therapy programs in 1998.
“Across the landscape of occupational therapy higher education, no other place has the scope and scale we have here at USC Chan,” Baranek said. “It’s gratifying to have the incredible talent and steadfast dedication of our faculty, staff and students recognized by U.S. News.”
Chris Boone, USC Price dean and C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Chair, praised the consistency of the school’s academic achievements.
“For the last decade, the Price School has been in the top five of public affairs schools in the country,” Boone said. “I am very proud of the faculty, staff, students and alumni who contribute to the school’s extraordinary academic success and high national reputation.”
A ‘badge’ of academic excellence
Because of these top rankings, USC can display U.S. News Best Graduate Schools awards “badges” (logos) to promote its ranked programs on websites, in advertisements and in other media. The badge is recognized nationwide as a symbol of academic excellence.
Today’s new rankings include a select number of disciplines. Other fields will be ranked later this year.
