Auburn’s College of Education ranked among nation’s top schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools report

Auburn University’s College of Education is once again listed among the nation’s best public and private schools for graduate education programs. 

Out of 267 institutions that received the best designation in this year’s report —released Tuesday—Auburn’s College of Education placed in the top 100 for the category of Best Education Schools for graduate education programs. 

“This year’s ranking further reflects our College of Education’s strong placement among top peers in the country,” said Jeffrey Fairbrother, dean and Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professor of Auburn's College of Education. “It is a testament to the dedicated efforts of our faculty, staff and students who work tirelessly to advance our mission of building a better future for all.”

The annual Best Graduate Schools report, available online at www.usnews.com/colleges, ranks Auburn’s College of Education at No. 100.

The ranking was based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research, students and post-graduate outcomes. 

U.S. News & World Report collects graduate school data annually and presents the most current figures on enrollment, job attainment, faculty, and other critical quality indicators to help prospective students make informed decisions.

"The 2025 Best Graduate rankings are more than numbers; they guide students to determine pathways that align with their goals," said LaMont Jones, senior editor of Education at U.S. News & World Report. "When students have substantial data and options, they can make informed decisions to generate transformative life opportunities. U.S. News rankings and data leads students to find the perfect program where they can flourish."

The latest U.S. News & World Report listing follows another recent top ranking for Auburn’s College of Education. In January, U.S. News & World Report ranked Auburn’s College of Education at No. 15 overall in the Best Online Program category among colleges of education nationwide. Individual programs with the college that received “best” national designations included Education for Curriculum and Instruction at No. 13, Educational Administration and Supervision at No. 15, and Special Education at No. 14. Those rankings were based on factors such as student engagement and excellence, faculty credentials and training, expert opinion, and services and technology.

Such accolades come amid a banner year for Auburn’s College of Education as it celebrates its 110th anniversary as well as the launch of a new Doctor of Physical Therapy program later this year and a new 167,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building at the intersection of Samford Avenue and Duncan Drive.