Penn GSE ranked No. 3 by “U.S. News & World Report” for 2024

April 25, 2023

Penn’s Graduate School of Education has been ranked No. 3 in the nation in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for graduate schools of education. Even with substantial changes in the rankings methodology, Penn GSE is the only graduate school of education to be ranked in the top three for five consecutive years. The School shares the spot with Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. The top spot is shared by Columbia University’s Teachers College and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

This year’s rankings also recognize the sustained strength and impact of Penn GSE’s Education Policy (No. 6) and Higher Education (No. 4) programs, marking the 16th year these programs have been in the top 10. Penn GSE’s excellence was also highlighted through rankings in Curriculum and Instruction, Education Administration, Elementary Teacher Education, Education Psychology and Secondary Teacher Education.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings have sparked controversy this year in several professional fields, with a number of institutions arguing that the methodology runs counter to efforts aimed at advancing equity and the public purposes of higher education. As a result, a number of schools refused to submit data, effectively boycotting the rankings. Adding to the controversy, a record number of institutions have contested the data and methodology used in this year’s rankings, according to U.S. News & World Report. After a number of schools contested the accuracy of the numbers, U.S. News & World Report revised some rankings and delayed releasing others. 

Penn GSE convenes leaders, researchers, policymakers and educators united in their mission to deliver new possibilities and drive more positive outcomes in education. The School’s programs are led by world-renowned faculty and attract students from a diverse array of backgrounds and skills who come together to serve the greater good. Penn GSE graduates include educational leaders across the globe, with more than 19,000 alums in nearly 100 countries.