5 Mass. colleges ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best Graduate Schools’ (2025)

Several Massachusetts colleges were featured on the 2025 U.S. News World & Report “Best Graduate Schools" list. One Massachusetts university known for its advances in modern science and technology was once again crowned the best engineering graduate school in the country.

U.S. News World & Report released its annual “Best Graduate Schools” ranking list on Tuesday morning.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology was awarded first in the list of best engineering schools for graduate studies.

The Cambridge-based university ranked first in six out of 13 engineering specialties, including aerospace, chemical, computer, electrical, materials and mechanical.

U.S. News previously placed MIT at the top of its 2023 and 2024 lists of best engineering schools for graduate studies.

In the report’s list of the best business schools for graduate students, MIT’s Sloan School of Management was ranked fifth and University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management was ranked 76.

Worcester’s UMass Chan Medical School was ranked a tier 1 medical graduate school on the list and Tufts University was ranked a tier 2 medical graduate school.

In the report’s “Best Education” graduate schools section, the University of Massachusetts Boston ranked 45 and the University of Massachusetts Amherst placed 81.

The full U.S. News World & Report graduate schools rankings list can be viewed here.

“We are equipping future graduate students with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions in today’s competitive academic landscape,”said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., senior editor of Education at U.S. News.

Although MIT was once again praised for its academic excellence, in March, the university was one of several Massachusetts colleges that have been placed under investigation by Donald Trump’s administration.

• Read more: MIT among the Mass. colleges under new federal investigation

The Trump administration is investigating MIT for allegedly “engaging in race-exclusionary practices” in its graduate programs. The investigation is part of the president’s campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs nationwide.

“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “We will not yield on this commitment.”

Including MIT and the New England College of Optometry, the Department of Education has placed over 50 universities under investigation for alleged racial discrimination based on DEI policies.

The federal administration has previously threatened to remove federal funding from schools that continue to promote DEI guidelines.

Last week, Trump’s administration threatened to remove funding from K-12 public schools that maintain DEI programming.