UF’s graduate schools made multiple appearances on U.S. News & World Report’s best graduate school rankings, published April 7.
UF’s College of Education ranked second nationally, tied with Northwestern University and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. This is the highest the education college has ever ranked, according to UF.
According to U.S. News & World Report’s methodology, the education college rankings are decided based on research, entering students’ academic performance, faculty resources and the opinions of education school deans and professional school hirers.
UF’s College of Pharmacy ranked fourth nationally, and the College of Veterinary Medicine ranked sixth. The College of Medicine received a Tier 1 designation for research, which means it is among the 85th to 99th percentile nationally.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked the nation’s specialty graduate school programs based on areas of study within the colleges. Student counseling ranked second, tax law ranked third and special education ranked fifth. Biological/agricultural engineering ranked sixth, real estate ranked eighth and occupational therapy ranked eighth.
Melinda Leko, the director of the special education program, credited the program’s rank to its research, program mentorship and faculty’s success in bringing in grant dollars.
“I think we’re just doing really great things that need to be done anyway,” Leko said. “It shows in our rankings because our program has just gotten such a very good reputation for itself.”
The program will welcome several new faculty in the Fall, Leko said. She anticipates the education college and its special education program will continue to do well, she said, because they recruit the country’s “top talent.”
Graduate students who apply to the program often say its high rank attracted them, Leko said.
Lisa Morin, a 47-year-old PhD student in the special education program, is one of the students Leko advises.
“She really has done a phenomenal job of tailoring the program for my area of expertise,” Morin said.
Morin chose UF’s special education program because she had an opportunity to serve as a research assistant, she said. She also went to UF for her undergraduate degree, so she already had connections to the school.
David Ling, the director of the Nathan S. Collier masters of science in real estate program, said applicants are “certainly aware” of the rankings.
Ling said he thinks the rankings reflect the program’s presence in peer-reviewed journals and its successful student outcomes in terms of job placement and salaries.
Christine Myers, the director of the doctor of occupational therapy program, said she is honored by the ranking because it is based on reputation.
Myers said there are no incentives for the program to get a high ranking other than the satisfaction of its excellence being recognized.
“UF OT’s reputation is the outcome of our commitment to the hard work necessary to bring distinction to our research and doctor of occupational therapy program,” Myers said.
Contact Cameron Countryman at ccountryman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @cpcountryman.
Cameron Countryman is a second-year journalism major and The Alligator's Spring 2026 Graduate School reporter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, paddle boarding and researching her next travel destination.
