UVA’s law and business schools climb in latest U.S. News rankings

UVA schools earned high marks in U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 rankings of graduate programs.

The law school jumped from No. 8 last year to No. 4 this year, tying with Duke University, the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. It remains the country’s top public law school.

Along with several of its peer schools, UVA law in 2023 suspended cooperation with the U.S. News and World Report rankings and decided to stop supplying data. Dean Risa Goluboff cited “concerns that the rankings do not adequately capture the values of our law school.” U.S. News said it would continue ranking schools regardless of whether they submit data by referencing publicly available information, including admissions and test score data.

The Darden School of Business also soared this year, jumping to No. 10 on the list of business schools, tied with Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business. In both 2023 and 2022, Darden was ranked No. 14. Earlier this year, the Financial Times ranked Darden the No. 16 best business school in the world.

Of UVA’s graduate schools, the School of Education and Human Development saw the biggest jump in the latest U.S. News rankings, from No. 16 last year to No. 8 this year. It is now tied with the education schools at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Stanford University and the University of Texas, Austin.

Here’s how some of UVA’s other graduate schools stacked up in the latest U.S. News rankings:

• School of Nursing: No. 18 best nursing school, master’s program, and No. 31 best nursing school, doctor of nursing practice program (Last year’s ranking: No. 14 for master’s program and No. 28 for doctor of nursing practice)
• School of Engineering and Applied Science: No. 37 best engineering school (Last year’s ranking: No. 37)
• School of Medicine: No. 30 best medical school for research and No. 53 best medical school for primary care (Last year’s ranking: No. 30 for research and No. 53 for primary care)

In its comprehensive 2024 Best National University Rankings, U.S. News ranked UVA as the No. 24 best overall university in the country and No. 5 among public universities. The publication said it incorporated a new methodology in response to increasing concerns that it places too much value on an institution’s prestige.