US News Ranks NC State College of Education #28 in the Nation; 4 Specialty Programs Ranked in Top 25

The NC State College of Education is tied at No. 28 in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Graduate Schools rankings released March 29—the college’s highest U.S. News’ ranking to date. Among just public schools of education, the College of Education is tied No. 16 in the nation. 

“The U.S. News’ rankings recognize the great work our faculty, staff, students and alumni continue to do to live out NC State’s land-grant mission to make a transformative impact on society by advancing the greater good. It also shows our college’s ability to adapt to meet North Carolina’s evolving educational needs,” said Paola Sztajn, interim dean of the College of Education, who will become dean April 1. “The ranking is really a testament to the leadership of Professor Mary Ann Danowitz and the growth that our college experienced during her tenure as dean.”

Danowitz, who served as dean of the College of Education from 2016 through October 2021, said: “I could not be more proud or grateful to our faculty and staff in the College of Education. The No. 28 ranking is a credit to the outstanding faculty and staff, their accomplishments, and the increased national awareness of our great college’s unwavering and sustained efforts over time to close the opportunity gap in education and address many of the greatest problems of our time to increase success for all learners and equity in education across the lifespan.”   

U.S. News surveyed 457 schools for its overall Best Education Schools, and ranked them based on student selectivity, faculty resources, quality assessments and research activity. As reported by U.S. News, the College of Education’s faculty and researchers had $29 million funded in 2021—the most of any college of education in North Carolina and among the top 5% in the nation. The college also awarded more doctorates than any college of education in North Carolina in 2020-21, and has continued to improve in quality assessments, which is based on surveys of peers and hiring officials in education, including superintendents. 

For the third straight year, the College of Education also had multiple programs ranked in U.S. News’ education specialty categories, which are solely based on nominations from peers: 

• Educational Administration tied at No. 14 in the nation
• Secondary Teacher Education tied at No. 18 in the nation
• Elementary Teacher Education tied at No. 22 in the nation
• Curriculum and Instruction tied at No. 24 in the nation

The College of Education’s overall ranking has increased from No. 59 since the 2017 rankings released in spring 2016.