New grad school rankings boost UNC Charlotte, with some programs cracking top 20
Several UNC Charlotte graduate school programs improved their standing, with some cracking the top 20, in this year’s U.S. News and World Report national ranking of graduate programs.
Each year, U.S. News and World Report releases rankings of American schools, including rankings of high school, undergraduate and graduate programs. It began its undergraduate institution rankings in 1983 and since, it has become one of the most popular rankings of U.S. schools.
In its graduate program report released Tuesday, three UNC Charlotte programs in its school of public affairs ranked among the 20 best in the country and improved their standing since last year’s ranking:
- Nonprofit Management: No. 12 (up 12 spots)
- Local Government Management: No. 18 (up 3 spots)
- Public Finance and Budgeting: No. 19 (up 4 spots)
UNC Charlotte’s graduate program in special education, housed in its Cato College of Education, also ranked among the nation’s best, rising three spots to 17th in the country.
“These results reflect the real-world value of a Charlotte graduate degree across disciplines,” Bill Tolone, UNC Charlotte associate provost and dean of the graduate school said in a statement Tuesday. “We are seeing meaningful gains in areas that matter, driven by strong faculty research and a clear focus on student outcomes.”
Several of UNC Charlotte’s engineering programs also rose in the national rankings this year:
- Electrical Engineering: No. 91 (up 18 spots)
- Civil Engineering: No. 75 (up 16 spots)
- Mechanical Engineering: No. 85 (up 6 spots)
The university has invested heavily in its graduate programs and research capacity in recent years, attaining coveted “R1” research status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in February 2025.
The designation means the school engages in the highest level of research activity possible, including spending a minimum of $50 million on research annually. UNC Charlotte is one of 187 schools in the U.S. with the classification. Prior to February 2025, Charlotte was the largest city in the United States without an R1 university.
Other schools in NC
Among NC schools, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business took the top spot, at 14th. UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School is ranked 21st in the country for best business schools, tied with Indiana University.
Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill also took high honors for their law schools, at 7th and 18th respectively. While Charlotte does not currently have a full-time law school, Elon University announced plans in January to launch a program in 2027.
Duke took home the top ranking for engineering schools among NC institutions, coming in at 22nd, followed closely by NC State University at 28th.
Among other Charlotte institutions with graduate programs, Queens University of Charlotte’s graduate program in economics ranked 145th in the country, and Johnson C. Smith University’s master’s program in social work came in at 264th.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
