UNC Charlotte advances in U.S. News graduate rankings across disciplines
New U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings reflect UNC Charlotte’s continued rise, with engineering and business leading progress across graduate programsprograms.
Engineering Rankings Reflect Strength and Continued Momentum
The William States Lee College of Engineering continues to build national standing, with multiple programs advancing and reinforcing UNC Charlotte’s strength in high-demand technical fields:
- Electrical Engineering: No. 91 (up 18 spots)
- Civil Engineering: No. 75 (up 16 spots)
- Mechanical Engineering: No. 85 (up 6 spots)
Collectively, these rankings reflect ongoing investment in research, industry partnerships and workforce-aligned programs.
Business Programs Climb and Expand National Presence
In the Belk College of Business, the JL Price MBA rose eight positions to No. 41, maintaining its position as the top-ranked part-time MBA among North Carolina public universities.
The Belk College of Business also debuted across a wide range of newly ranked specialties, with multiple programs placing among the nation’s top 100:
- Real Estate: No. 38
- International Business: No. 65
- Production / Operations: No. 65
- Information Systems: No. 72
- Entrepreneurship: No. 85
- Supply Chain Management: No. 93
- Management: No. 94
This progress reflects the scope of UNC Charlotte’s business programs and their alignment with key regional industries.
Public Affairs Programs Rank Among the Nation’s Best
UNC Charlotte continues to demonstrate national strength in public service disciplines:
- Nonprofit Management: No. 12 (up 12 spots)
- Local Government Management: No. 18 (up 3 spots)
- Public Finance and Budgeting: No. 19 (up 4 spots)
- Public Management and Leadership: No. 32 (new ranking)
The Gerald G. Fox Master of Public Administration overall rose 2 spots to No. 47 nationally.
Additional Program Highlights
- Public Health: No. 74 nationally (up 25 spots)
- Special Education: No. 17 nationally (up 3 spots)
The Cato College of Education continues to be ranked among the best in the nation at No. 84. The College of Health and Human Services also includes high performing Master of Nursing (No. 69), Doctor of Nursing Practice (No. 91), Nurse Anesthesia (No. 60) and Healthcare Management (No. 53) programs.
Additionally, Computer Science and Statistics continue to be among the Top 100 nationally, ranking 96 and 72 respectively.
As UNC Charlotte continues to advance, these rankings highlight the strength of graduate programs that are closely connected to workforce needs and regional priorities, according to Bill Tolone, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School.
“These results reflect the real-world value of a Charlotte graduate degree across disciplines,” Tolone said. “We are seeing meaningful gains in areas that matter, driven by strong faculty research and a clear focus on student outcomes.”