The Martin J. Whitman School of Management has been rated No. 1 for participation in experiential learning projects in the Poets&Quants 2026 Best Undergraduate Business School rankings.

The recognition reflects one of the school’s most deeply held commitments: that the best way to learn business is to practice it.

Through global immersions, live-client projects, case competitions, the Goodman IMPRESS Program, the WIRE Initiative and the Local Leaders Initiative, Whitman students build real skills in real environments long before graduation.

Every opportunity is organized around four pillars that define what a Whitman graduate looks like: Be Global, Be Innovative, Be Collaborative and Be Prepared.

Those pillars now have a formal home. The recently launched Whitman Experiential Center unites all of the school’s signature experiential programs under one coordinated strategy as part of Transformation 2030, Whitman’s five-year plan to become a Top 25 undergraduate business program by 2030.

“Every Whitman student, regardless of major or background, has access to these opportunities,” says Erin Draper, director of experiential programs. “That is what it means to be prepared at Whitman.”

The No. 1 experiential learning rating is also reflected in Whitman’s broader rise to No. 37 overall in the Poets&Quants 2026 rankings.

Learn more about .

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s graduate business programs moved up to No. 17 from No. 24 this year in , while Whitman remained a strong

Maria Minniti, Bantle Chair of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy and chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE) at the Whitman School, says, “This rise in the rankings is proof positive of the Whitman School’s continuing commitment to providing innovative programs in entrepreneurship at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Our success has been supported by the entrepreneurial spirit that runs throughout the entire university. This significant upward movement, especially in the graduate rankings, emphasizes the professional value our programs bring to our students and their companies. It is the result of the hard work and commitment of the Whitman School’s leadership, faculty and students, and we are proud to be acknowledged for this level of success.”

“These rankings validate what we see every day in our classrooms, business hatchery, and through our experiential programs: students who are eager to tackle real problems and faculty who are deeply committed to helping them do it,” says John Torrens, deputy department chair and professor of entrepreneurial practice. “From our pitch competitions and business plan challenges to the mentoring students receive from successful alumni, Whitman’s entrepreneurship programs are intentionally designed to turn ideas into viable, sustainable ventures. It is gratifying to see The Princeton Review recognize the strength of this ecosystem and the impact our graduates are having as entrepreneurs and innovators.”

The rankings are based on data collection that considers 40 points about schools’ entrepreneurship programs, faculties, students and alumni.

The Princeton Review conducted the data collection between June and August 2025 with administrators at nearly 300 schools.

“The colleges and universities that made our lists for 2026 are truly exceptional,” says , The Princeton Review’s editor in chief. “Their entrepreneurship studies programs have robust experiential components. Their faculties are outstanding. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors and networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers. We strongly recommend these schools to students aspiring to become entrepreneurs.”

For more information, visit the Whitman or the .

The residential MBA program at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management is now ranked No. 54 in the nation, up from No. 66 last year and No. 84 a few years ago, by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools. This is the highest ranking for Whitman by U.S. News in more than 25 years.

The Whitman Entrepreneurship MBA was also ranked No. 29. These specialty rankings are based solely on ratings by business school deans and directors of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited MBA programs from the list of schools surveyed. They were asked to nominate up to 15 programs for excellence in each area listed.

Whitman’s MBA program is currently ranked closely with the University of Miami, University of Maryland, Tulane University, Fordham University and others.

Half of the ranking formula evaluated institutions on the successful job attainment and earnings outcomes of the graduating students. The other half is a combination of academic achievement metrics of entering students and overall program quality assessments of other business school leadership and corporate recruiters. The rankings assess academic quality and graduate success—factors that are universally important to prospective students, according to Robert Morse, chief data strategist at U.S. News & World Report.

Data was collected in fall 2024 and early 2025. U.S. News surveyed 508 institutions with master’s level business programs in the U.S. accredited by AACSB International. Eligible schools reported on their full-time in-person programs—as defined by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) guidelines. A total of 337 business schools responded and U.S. News ranked the top 133 business schools with eligible programs.  This year for the first time, U.S. News used collected data on both the old GMAT test and the new GMAT test that was introduced in fall 2023.

“Whitman is once again proving that we are a school on the rise. This latest achievement for our MBA program showing our highest ranking in over 25 years acts as another proof point that the work we are doing is making a difference. Our investments into our programming and emphasizing student placement success—something that is central to our students’ decisions to pursue an MBA—are paying off. This is a strong testament on the accomplishments of our team and the trajectory of our MBA program,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Whitman rise to No. 54 in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for our residential MBA program—our highest in decades. Rankings aren’t everything, but they do matter to prospective students making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. This recognition reinforces what we already know: a Whitman MBA offers strong career outcomes, meaningful connections and long-term value. It’s a great time to be part of this community,” says Mary Collier, executive director of graduate admissions and student recruitment.

See full list of U.S. News graduate business school rankings:

For more information on the methodology:

The has earned the No. 1 overall spot in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Public Affairs Schools rankings. This year’s top ranking follows Maxwell’s yearlong celebration of its founding 100 years ago as the first school in the nation to offer a one-year graduate program in public administration.

“We are honored to be recognized for our work by peers at institutions of higher education dedicated to public service,” says Dean . “It is a challenging time for many with a commitment to effective public service, yet our mission remains clear: to prepare the next generation of leaders dedicated to improving their communities, strengthening democracy and leaving the world better than they found it.”

The Best Public Affairs Schools rankings are based solely on surveys of deans, directors and department chairs representing 268 master’s programs in public affairs and public administration. Each school is numerically ranked by peer school leadership on a 5-point scale, with the average score determining the school’s overall rank. Additionally, survey respondents can nominate up to 15 schools for excellence in 12 subspecialties, with the number of nominations determining each school’s position in the ranking.

U.S. News began ranking graduate programs in public affairs in 1995. Since then, the Maxwell School has been ranked No. 1 in every survey but one. In addition, the school remains highly ranked in 10 subspecialties:

• Environmental policy and management
• Health policy and management
• International global policy and administration
• Information and technology management
• Local government management
• Non-profit management
• Public finance and budgeting
• Public management and leadership
• Public policy analysis
• Social policy

“We are honored for this recognition and thankful to our peers,” says , associate dean, chair and professor of public administration and international affairs. “I believe it speaks to the tremendous research and teaching done by our faculty and the outstanding contributions to public affairs made by our many accomplished alums.”

Launched in 1924 as the School of American Citizenship by Syracuse University alumnus George Holmes Maxwell, the school began with a graduate program in public administration, an undergraduate citizenship course and a weekly seminar in political science. Today the school is home to 12 academic departments and 15 interdisciplinary research centers and institutes, where students and scholars grapple with a range of issues, including environmental sustainability; autonomous systems policy; population health and aging; law and security; conflict resolution; democracy and journalism; global affairs; and regional studies.

Syracuse University ranks No. 3 in Best for Veterans for Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities for three consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.

Syracuse University additionally ranked No. 7 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities, and the AACSB-accredited , a partnership between the College of Professional Studies and the Whitman School of Management, ranked No. 1 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs of private universities.

“The rankings are a testament to the excellence of the College of Professional Studies staff and faculty—of consistently and without fail delivering online programs of exceedingly high quality with a differentiated level of student support,” says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. “Our third consecutive year ranked No. 3 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans of private universities similarly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to establishing Syracuse University as an unrivaled ‘best place’ for veterans and military-connected students.”

These rankings are attributed to the University’s innovative degree and certificate programs developed for online learning by best-in-class faculty and instructional design and course development teams.

The College of Professional Studies is raising the bar for what it means to be an online learner by prioritizing student success through high-touch admissions, advising and financial aid counseling. Students gain the prestige and rigor of earning a degree from a top-tier R1 research institution with flexible, part-time online programs taught by University faculty.

To learn more about continuing online education, visit .

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management moved up one spot to No. 13 in the country for its undergraduate business program in The Princeton Review’s Top 50 Undergraduate and Graduate Program in Entrepreneurship rankings.

“This rise in the rankings is proof positive of the Whitman School’s continuing commitment to providing innovative programs in entrepreneurship at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Our success has been supported by the entrepreneurial spirit that runs throughout the entire university,” says Maria Minniti, Bantle Chair of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy and chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE). “This upward movement in the rankings is the result of the hard work and commitment of the Whitman School’s leadership, faculty and students, and we are proud to be acknowledged for this level of success.”

The graduate programs were also ranked at No. 24 this year. “These rankings are a quantifiable reflection of the quality of our program and our commitment to giving our students experiences that continue to spark their entrepreneurial spirit,” says John Torrens, deputy department chair and professor of entrepreneurial practice. “Our faculty are truly committed to helping our students bring their ideas to life through mentoring, coaching and sharing their own professional experiences in this space. In addition, students have many opportunities to obtain funding through our various competitions, like the Orange Tank business pitch competition and our Panasci Business Plan Competition, many of which are supported by generous alumni who appreciate the work we do at the Whitman School.”

The rankings are based on data collection that takes into account 40 points about schools’ entrepreneurship programs, faculties, students and alumni. The Princeton Review conducted the data collection in summer 2024 with administrators at nearly 300 schools.

“Since we debuted these rankings nearly two decades ago, the number of colleges and universities offering entrepreneurship courses has grown tremendously,” says , The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “We highly recommend the schools that made our lists for 2025. Their faculties are outstanding. Their programs have robust experiential components. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors as well as networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers.”

For more information on Whitman’s undergraduate entrepreneurship major visit: or for the graduate program visit:

�ճ���� has once again been listed among the best MBA programs in the U.S. for 2024-25 by Bloomberg Businessweek. According to this year’s rankings, the Whitman School was ranked No. 1 nationally among private universities for its return on investment (ROI), and No. 63 overall.

“We are pleased to once again be listed as among the best MBA programs in the country. Those who have been following Whitman’s upward trajectory over the past few years can see that we are on the right track and investing in the right things to support our students and their success. These [rankings are] evidence of that,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “While we recognize that rankings are not ends to themselves, the fact that the Bloomberg Businessweek rankings take into consideration a variety of factors that matter to us helps to reinforce that what we are doing is making an impact.”

Bloomberg Businessweek rankings rely on incoming student data (including diversity), placement success at graduation and surveys of the most recent graduating class, MBA alumni from 2016-2018 and recruiters. The recent graduates and alumni evaluated Whitman on such topics as their learning experience, opportunities to network and emphasis on entrepreneurial skills in their programs.

In August, Bloomberg launched its . In addition to ranking No. 1 for ROI among private universities, Whitman also had the second-highest ROI among all schools in the U.S. With the help of the business schools, Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed 5,292 students, 9,222 alumni and 734 employers for this year’s ranking.

View the  of the 111 full-time MBA programs, and learn more about the .

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s MBA program is now ranked No. 1 nationally among private universities for its return on investment (ROI) by Bloomberg. The also has the second-highest ROI among all schools in the U.S.

According to Bloomberg, its new, innovative  helps students determine whether pursuing an MBA is a financially viable path, and, if so, what are the best choices available to them. They based this on full-time MBA programs in the U.S.

The ROI calculator helps students make this decision using a standard measure of financial success: profit relative to initial principal, or ROI, built on the data reported to Bloomberg from surveys distributed for annual rankings. The calculator, which advances Bloomberg’s efforts to help potential MBA students make the best decision they can, is accompanied by reporting that considers the factors increasingly recognized as an important part of this assessment — though not easily quantifiable.

Whether or not an MBA will increase their earnings is a big concern for prospective students, since that is often a main reason for pursuing an MBA. The ROI Calculator demonstrates that the Whitman program does provide that return on investment, with an ROI of 22%. This is based on median cost (tuition and expenses), interest, net forgone income and the total MBA investment.

“Prospective MBA students often emphasize that ROI is crucial when selecting a business school,” says Mary Collier, Whitman’s executive director of graduate recruitment. “That’s why providing an exceptional educational experience and maximizing ROI for our students is a top priority at Whitman. We are delighted that our dedicated efforts have earned us the No. 1 national ranking among private schools for ROI among MBA programs. At Whitman, we embrace a holistic approach to student success with a strong focus on achieving outstanding career outcomes.”

“Whitman is thrilled to once again be recognized as an outstanding investment for our students to pursue an MBA,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “Return on investment should be one of the main criteria for anyone considering an MBA, and our No. 1 national ranking for private schools and No. 2 overall reflects Whitman’s emphasis on high-quality education, personal touches, outstanding student experience, leveraging the strong Syracuse University network and our commitment to our students’ career success. It is these factors that really translate into this ROI measure. We are pleased that the student-focused investments into our MBA program are paying off for our MBA graduates.”

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management was prominently featured in The Princeton Review’s , and the program is ranked No. 21 among the Top 50 schools. In 2023, Whitman’s online MBA program was ranked No. 40.

The ranking is based on a combination of institutional and student survey data, including career outcomes, technological infrastructure, academic rigor, cost and affordability, among others. The survey also incorporates student opinions that The Princeton Review collected through its online MBA student survey and institutional data reported by administrators at the business schools. This year, the data reflects surveys of administrators at 165 business schools offering online MBAs and more than 10,700 online MBA students.

According to The Princeton Review, online MBA programs have become as rigorous as their on-campus counterparts. For many business school candidates, an online degree might even be the smarter choice. Online programs offer flexibility, affordability, access to innovative technologies, students from a diverse career backgrounds and global opportunities.

Here are some of the highlights of what Whitman students said:

• The online MBA program provides “a solid educational and professional core,” “online interaction with classmates and the professor” and “flexibility of an online format instead of going part time attending classroom lectures.”
• The school also offers immersion events “so that online students still have the opportunity to network with their peers.” This makes them feel as though they are “a part of the institution and not just a number.”
• The majority of topics cover “current business practices and can be applied to current business problems.” While the amount of work can be “a lot to manage,” according to many students, “the way the classes are laid out makes it very easy for students to access, since there are many different days and hours students are able to choose from to accommodate their own work schedules.”
• The asynchronous and synchronous classes “are often taught by two different people.” This often “helps students hear the same information in two different ways.” Supplementary “resources and videos” are also provided as extra support.
• Discussions in class are “always thought-provoking” due to classmates who are “driven, intelligent and strive for excellence.”

“We are very happy to once again have validation of our programs from an outside rankings organization. This continues our school’s upward trajectory for being recognized as providing a highly valuable educational experience,” says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School. “We also appreciate the comments on the student-focused part of our program. Whitman has continuously concentrated on the online students’ experience, and we appreciate them highlighting this aspect.”

“This is the second ranking survey where students have highlighted the academic experience we provide. Whitman achieved an overall ranking of No. 29 this fall in the Poets&Quants ranking of online MBA programs. Recent alumni ranked us No. 15 overall on academic experience. Of particular note was alumni satisfaction with live synchronous classes (ranked No. 10 nationally) and professor quality (ranked No. 7 nationally),” says Amy McHale, assistant dean for graduate programs at Whitman.

.

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has ranked the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ among the for the second consecutive year.

Ranked No. 23 in THR’s June 19 issue, the department was noted for such outstanding alumni as Aaron Sorkin ’83, H’12 and Vanessa Williams ’85, as well as the opportunities afforded by its relationship with , a professional theater company, and the immersive Tepper Semester in New York City.

The department offers four bachelor of fine arts degree programs in acting, musical theater, stage management, and theater design and technology, as well as a bachelor of science degree program in drama that features a theater management track. The department’s culture of rigorous conservatory-style training at a major research university with a direct connection to the working professionals at Syracuse Stage is of great benefit to students in all of its programs, including the non-performance areas.

Drama students also benefit from the support of the department’s extensive alumni network and additional study abroad/study away opportunities in Los Angeles, London (with classes at Shakespeare’s Globe and Rose Bruford College) and Florence, Italy.

The has maintained its top 40 national ranking by Poets&Quants, coming it at No. 36 in the nation and No. 22 among private universities. Whitman was ranked No. 34 last year and No. 48 in 2020.

Poets&Quants’ methodology relies on three equally weighted (33.3%) sources of data: Admissions Standards (e.g., acceptance rate, SAT scores, diversity), Career Outcomes (e.g., placement at 90 days, compensation, internships) and Academic Experience (e.g., survey of recent alumni across a variety of satisfaction and experience scores).

Whitman’s rankings in each of these categories is:

• Admissions Standards—No. 39 (No. 41 in 2022)
• Career Outcomes—No. 38 (No. 32 in 2022)
• Academic Experience—No. 53 (No. 56 in 2022)

Poets&Quants slightly altered its calculations this year, taking into consideration three years of data to help smooth out year-over-year fluctuations.

“We are proud to maintain our top 40 ranking of the best undergraduate business programs. It’s another tangible acknowledgement of Whitman’s strong national reputation and where there is evidence of our solid progress in priority areas to us,” says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School. “While we fell slightly in the rankings from our highest on record last year, we were excited that some of the metrics used this year in the final rankings were at an all-time high for Whitman. This shows that we’re in a very competitive space. Overall, this top-tier national ranking is another notable accomplishment for Whitman’s faculty, staff and students.”

“The Whitman School has made incredible investments in the academic experience over the past several years through curricular innovations, opportunities for leadership development and an emphasis on providing an inclusive environment to all,” says Lindsay Quilty, assistant dean of undergraduate programs. “We continue to see a rise in applications and our current first-year class represents the largest female cohort in program history. The Poets&Quants survey results are further validation that we are investing in areas that resonate with our alumni well beyond graduation.”

According to Poets&Quants, 91 schools participated in 2024’s ranking, including two schools that have not been previously ranked. They go on to say that, all 91 undergraduate business programs ranked by Poets&Quants are at the leading edge of business education, delivering a learning experience that transforms students’ sense of who they are and what they can do in the world. In fact, the ranked schools in this report reflect the top 12% of the more than 840 business schools accredited by AACSB International, the main accrediting body for business education.

Learn more about the Whitman School’s undergraduate programs on its .

The is now ranked No. 29 in the nation for its online MBA program by , an improvement from its No. 31 ranking last year.

The Poets&Quants’ rankings methodology relies on three categories equally relating to admissions standards, employment outcomes at graduation and academic experience, the latter two of which are based on a survey of recent alumni. In each of these alumni-based categories, Whitman was rated higher than in the last two years and ranked No. 15 overall on academic experience. Of particular note was alumni satisfaction with live synchronous classes (ranked No. 10 nationally) and professor quality (ranked No. 7 nationally).  Whitman was ranked No. 23 overall for career impact, with one-third of alumni reporting a promotion and an average 56% salary increase as a result of the program.

“We are very proud to be in the top tier of online MBA programs this year, especially as this is a quickly growing and highly competitive industry. The feedback shows that the Whitman School places a tremendous emphasis on high-quality teaching, dynamic and interactive classes and overall student experience. Seeing this play out in the rankings validates our efforts and investments in these areas,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “Our recent alumni also show significant career benefits as a result of our MBA program. Receiving promotions and salary increases are key decision factors for prospective MBA students, so it is pleasing that we also scored so well nationally in this regard. It’s clear that we are a student-first program that makes a positive difference in students’ lives.”

“In addition to the demonstrated career impacts that our alumni have seen, 70% of graduates we surveyed said they have applied what they learned to their current position,” adds Amy McHale, assistant dean for master’s programs. “Many of our courses have experiential learning opportunities, and our residencies also allow students to spend a weekend diving into a specific topic. Together, these opportunities provide the knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied.”

Syracuse University and the now rank among the top two universities in the world for entrepreneurship research productivity. That’s according to the 2023 edition of the , the only global, research-focused ranking of entrepreneurship programs. Syracuse University ranked No. 3 last year; this year it holds the No. 2 spot, behind only Indiana University.

“This is a huge achievement for Syracuse University and the Whitman School,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean at the Whitman School. “This ranking further validates our commitment to the rigorous pursuit of entrepreneurship and the type of research productivity necessary to advance this important strategic priority. This type of productivity represents the depth of our entrepreneurship programs and of our faculty who demonstrate scholarly excellence through their dynamic research and findings in the discipline.”

“We are proud of the academic excellence and research productivity at Syracuse University and in the Whitman School by our outstanding group of faculty,” says Alexander McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School. “This ranking has grown in importance in recent years given it’s the only global research ranking of its kind. Not only does our position on this ranking highlight our thought leadership in the competitive entrepreneurship space, it also affirms that the University’s strategic focus on leveraging our entrepreneurial spirit in everything we do continues to serve us well–from both an academic and research perspective. We don’t just talk about entrepreneurship at Syracuse University, we live it every day.”

Launched in 2009 by the at Texas Christian University (TCU), the TCU Global University Entrepreneurship Research Productivity Rankings track research articles in entrepreneurship journals according to authorship and university affiliation. Syracuse University and the Whitman School were ranked based on publications by its faculty in three of the top entrepreneurship journals—Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal—over five years from 2018-2022.

The data for this ranking is not adjusted for faculty size. All counts are made at the university level; differentiations are not made between departments or other units. Only one affiliation per article is counted.

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management has again been listed among the best MBA programs for 2023-24 in the U.S. by Bloomberg Businessweek, improving its ranking by seven spots to No. 61 nationally, up from  No. 68 last year. This places Whitman among other top business schools, such as the University of Miami, Case Western Reserve University, American University, the University of Tennessee and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

“We are pleased by the external validation that the Whitman School and our MBA program continue to receive through the rise in national rankings. This is another piece of evidence that our investments in ensuring that our students receive an outstanding education is valuable,” says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “While we recognize that rankings are not ends to themselves, the fact that the Bloomberg Businessweek rankings take into consideration a variety of factors that matter to us helps to reinforce that what we are doing is making an impact.”

Bloomberg Businessweek rankings rely on incoming student data (including diversity), placement success at graduation and surveys of the most recent graduating class, MBA alumni from 2015-17 and recruiters. The recent graduates and alumni evaluated Whitman on topics such as their learning experience, opportunities to network and emphasis on entrepreneurial skills in their programs.

“These rankings also continue to show Whitman’s upward trend over the past few years, as Whitman has improved from No. 82. These accomplishments further reflect the great team effort of the staff and faculty at Whitman to recruit top talent and support its students,” says McKelvie.

With the help of the business schools, Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed 6,574 students, 10,347 alumni and 713 employers for this year’s ranking.

The complete 2023-24 rankings of 110 full-time MBA programs can be found here:

The complete methodology is available at 

Syracuse University’s is ranked No. 1 overall in a survey of its peers and is highly ranked in 10 subspecialties, according to the 2024 . The school has received the top honor in 12 of the 13 years in which the peer surveys have been conducted; this year, the honor is shared with Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

“The challenges facing communities across the globe are increasingly complex and interconnected. We see this in the economic and educational aftershocks of the pandemic and the threats to infrastructure, security and climate justice created by a warming planet,” says David M. Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School. “Now more than ever the world needs adaptable leaders who are engaged across diverse people, issue areas and interests. We know that no ranking provides a complete picture of performance; but we are proud to be among the schools being recognized by our peers for this work, and we look forward to our continued good work together.”

The Best Public Affairs Schools rankings are based solely on surveys of deans, directors and department chairs representing 269 master’s programs in public affairs and administration. Each school is numerically ranked by peer school leadership on a 5-point scale, with the average score determining the school’s overall rank. Additionally, survey respondents can nominate up to 15 schools for excellence in 12 subspecialties, with the number of nominations determining each school’s position in the ranking. Unlike rankings for other disciplines, the public affairs ranking does not look at performance indicator inputs (such as test scores) or outputs (such as hiring salaries).

This year, the Maxwell School is highly ranked across ten subspecialty categories, including:

• Public Management and Leadership
• Nonprofit Management
• Public Finance and Budgeting
• Public Policy Analysis
• Local Government Management
• International Global Policy and Administration
• Environmental Policy and Management
• Social Policy
• Urban Policy
• Information and Technology Management

“For anyone looking to make a difference in the community—locally, regionally, domestically or internationally—there’s a Maxwell program to fuel your passion and develop your effectiveness,” says Colleen Heflin, associate dean, chair and professor of public administration and international affairs. “We measure our success by the important work our graduates do as leaders in the fields of public policy, public administration and international affairs; the recognition and renown of our faculty members in their fields of expertise; and the vibrancy of our academic environment, including our students, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures and areas of interest.”

Central to the school’s growth is its continued investment in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility—in both its learning and research environments and in its public impact. The Maxwell School is home to that work to shed light on a range of issues, including environmental sustainability; autonomous systems policy; population health and aging; law and security; conflict resolution; democracy and journalism; global affairs; regional studies; and more.

Among Maxwell’s newest research centers is in Washington, D.C., a joint effort with the S.I. Newhouse School for Public Communications to promote nonpartisan, evidence-based research and to convene civic dialogue around polarizing issues. The institute is led by veteran journalist Margaret Talev, who joined the University as Kramer Director in January 2023.

Also joining the Maxwell community this semester as director of the is computer and cognitive sciences expert Hamid Ekbia, who has been appointed University Professor in the Maxwell School. Ekbia will engage researchers across campus to better understand the societal impacts of emerging technologies and to help shape the policy, legal and ethical frameworks guiding their proliferation.

Meanwhile, the , home to the new Policy Design Studio, launched last year under the leadership of its founding director Saba Siddiki, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. The center helps public service leaders evaluate the effectiveness of their policies and promotes stakeholder engagement in the policy design process.

“The Maxwell community strives every day to make a public impact with our teaching, research and applied work. The school’s excellence is fueled by the creativity and talent of its faculty, students and staff, as well as the continued support of its global alumni,” says Van Slyke. “They are what has made it such a special place to work, learn and study for 99 years, and what propels us into the future.”