UR Nursing Ranks in U.S News Top 15 Master’s Programs, Top 30 DNP

The University of Rochester School of Nursing has been ranked No. 15 among U.S. nursing schools for its master’s programs, according to the 2025-26 Best Graduate Schools guide produced by U.S. News & World Report. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program also ranked No. 28 in the nation this year.

Designed for prospective students looking to advance their nursing education, the Best Graduate Schools rankings evaluate programs based on academic quality and research success. Among its regional competitors, UR Nursing is the only New York school outside of New York City to rank among the Top 20 master’s programs.

“The remarkable news of our U.S. News rankings underscores our commitment to providing pathways for nurses and healthcare professionals to advance their careers and expand their impact,” said Dean Lisa Kitko, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN. “This national recognition is a testament to the dedication and successes of our faculty, staff, students, and preceptors. We will continue to focus our efforts on empowering students with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to achieve their goals as clinicians, researchers, educators, and leaders.”

U.S. News’ annual ranking comprises 285 schools with master's or doctoral nursing programs accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. From this data collection, U.S. News calculated the rankings based on several factors, including research productivity, faculty resources and preparation, program size, student excellence and qualitative ratings from colleagues.

"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. "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."

UR Nursing has a strong history as a leader in advanced nursing education, having consistently earned Top 40 U.S. News rankings over the past two decades. It was among the first 50 nursing schools to introduce a Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2007, as part of a national effort led by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to prepare advanced practice nurses for clinical leadership roles and improve healthcare safety and quality. In 2024, UR Nursing became the first New York school to expand its pathways for entry into a DNP program, allowing master’s-prepared nurses from a wider variety of specialties – such as advanced practice RN roles, nursing education, informatics, administration, or midwifery – to pursue a doctorate.

An early leader in the Nurse Practitioner movement, UR Nursing was the first in the nation to introduce an Acute Care NP master’s program in the 1980s, and was among the first in the country to prepare nurse practitioners in primary care. Later, it became one of the first institutions to offer a master’s degree aligned with the Clinical Nurse Leader certification, and remains the only school with a CNL program in Upstate New York. In Fall 2024, UR Nursing introduced a Master’s Direct Entry program, providing a new pathway for non-nurses to pursue a new career while developing enhanced skills in key areas such as healthcare leadership, health policy, population health, quality improvement.

Learn more about master’s nursing programs at the University of Rochester. Subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates from the School. Prospective students can see how UR Nursing’s academic programs compare to other institutions and programs, and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.