Florida State University graduate programs continue to shine in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report’s edition of Best Graduate Schools, highlighting the university’s excellence across multiple disciplines.  

In the disciplines included in this year’s publication, 16 FSU graduate programs and specialties ranked in the Top 25 among public universities, with six graduate programs placing No. 1 in Florida. 

University leaders said the rankings reflect strength across a range of academic fields. 

“These rankings show the strength of Florida State across the board,” said President Richard McCullough. “From healthcare to law to the arts and public policy, our programs are delivering real results for students and communities. That kind of depth comes from sustained investment in faculty, research and student success.” 

The results also point to the range of opportunities available to graduate students across FSU, leaders said. 

“These results speak to both the quality and range of our graduate education,” said Provost Jim Clark. “Students can pursue top programs in areas as different as engineering, education, nursing and the arts, and they’re gaining the skills and experience to move directly into impactful careers. Achieving a graduate degree opens up advanced leadership and high-paying positions across Florida, the nation and the globe.” 

Programs in law, education, business, nursing and engineering are ranked annually by U.S. News, using data on enrollment, job attainment, faculty and other quality indicators. Other programs are ranked based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions.   

FSU graduate programs ranked best in Florida by U.S. News & World Report 

• FSU’s College of Law is tied for No. 1 in Florida. 

• The College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice is ranked No. 1 in Florida. 

• The College of Medicine’s primary care program holds the highest designation among public medical schools in Florida. 

• The College of Communication and Information’s speech-language pathology program is the best in Florida. 

• The clinical psychology graduate program in the College of Arts and Sciences is tied for No. 1 in Florida. 

• The College of Fine Arts’ graduate programs in visual arts are recognized as the best in Florida.

College of Law 

The College of Law climbed four spots to No. 34 overall and is No. 14 among public universities and No. 1 in Florida, tied with University of Florida. FSU also ranks in the Top 25 among public universities in five law specialties: environmental law (No. 13); contracts/commercial law (No. 16); tax law (No. 20); constitutional law (No. 18); and international law (No. 23).  

Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences 

The Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences graduate program in education ranks No. 8 among public universities and No. 16 overall. FSU programs ranked among the Top 20 public universities in specialties ranked by the publication: special education (No. 11) and secondary teacher education (No. 13). 

College of Nursing 

The College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice climbed seven spots to No. 21 overall and No. 12 among public colleges. The DNP program ranks No. 1 among public and private institutions in Florida.  

College of Medicine 

The College of Medicine’s primary care program once again earned the highest designation in Florida among public medical schools. FSU earned a Tier 2 ranking in the publication’s four-tier ranking system for medical schools.  

Herbert Wertheim College of Business 

The Herbert Wertheim College of Business’ MBA specialty in real estate secured the No. 8 ranking among public universities nationwide, No. 14 overall. 

FAMU-FSU College of Engineering 

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering maintained its No. 56 ranking among public engineering graduate programs with doctoral degrees. The college’s graduate engineering specialty program rankings in mechanical engineering soared 16 places to No. 50 among public universities. The college’s biomedical, civil, and materials engineering programs also moved up.   

College of Communication and Information 

This year, U.S. News ranked the discipline of speech-language pathology, based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions. The speech-language pathology graduate program in the School of Communication Science and Disorders, housed within the College of Communication and Information, ranked No. 13 among publics and No. 17 overall. The program is also the best in Florida.  

College of Social Sciences and Public Policy 

Graduate programs within the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy also received recognition, based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions. The college’s specialty in leadership ranked No. 16 overall and No. 10 among public universities, while the specialty in local government management ranked No. 21 overall and No. 18 among public universities.  

College of Arts and Sciences 

Clinical psychology and statistics, both housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, earned Top 25 rankings among public universities, based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions. 

The graduate program in clinical psychology, in the Department of Psychology, ranked No. 21 among public universities and No. 32 overall. The program, a five- to seven-year doctoral program accredited by the American Psychological Association and based on a clinical science model, is tied with the University of Florida for No. 1 in Florida. 

The college’s graduate programs in statistics, in the Department of Statistics, ranked No. 24 among publics. FSU offers master’s and doctoral degrees in biostatistics and statistics and a master’s degree in statistics with a major in statistical data science. 

College of Fine Arts  

The Department of Art’s MFA Studio Art program, housing in the College of Fine Arts, placed No. 33 among public universities and No. 1 in Florida based solely on opinions of each program’s quality as rated by academic experts at peer institutions. This three-year residential program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design.  

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