In U.S. News grad rankings, UVA Law remains No. 4, as Darden, Education and Nursing earn high marks

April 7, 2026
Side view of the Rotunda beside a blooming tree under a clear blue sky.

(Photo by Lathan Goumas, University Communications)

U.S. News and World Report has ranked the University of Virginia’s School of Law No. 4 in the nation for the third year in a row in its annual graduate school rankings, released Tuesday.

The school is tied with the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Stanford Law School is No. 1, and the University of Chicago Law School and Yale Law School are tied at No. 2. For the sixth year in a row, the news outlet ranked UVA Law the No. 1 public school in the country. 

Among the top 20 U.S. business schools, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Darden School of Business ranks No. 1 for employment rates at graduation and three months later. It also has the highest average starting salaries and bonuses among public schools. These results are based on employment outcomes for the Classes of 2024 and 2025.

Darden is also ranked No. 2 overall among public schools and No. 11 among all U.S. schools. It marks the third consecutive year the school has been ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 among public schools.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ School of Education and Human Development maintained the No. 6 spot in U.S. News’ rankings, earning a top-10 ranking for the third consecutive year.

In the new rankings, the school shares the No. 6 position with six peer institutions, including Harvard University, New York University and Teachers College - Columbia University. Among public universities, the Education School rose to No. 3, one spot higher than last year. The school remains the best graduate education school in Virginia.

The Education School’s special education program is No. 6, and the educational policy and elementary teacher education programs are No. 8.

U.S. News also gave the UVA School of Nursing’s Master of Science in Nursing program high marks. It is the No. 9 public course of study in the nation and No. 1 in the state.

U.S. News & World Report ranks graduate schools based on factors that include peer assessments, research funding, faculty resources, program selectivity and graduation rates.

Mary Wood, Lauren Foster, Laura Hoxworth and Christine Thalwitz contributed to this report.

Media Contacts

Jane Kelly

University News Senior Associate Office of University Communications

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