The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University in San Marcos are earning new national acclaim in a just-released report of the best graduate schools in the U.S. for 2026.<\/p>\n
U.S. News & World Report annually publishes its national “Best Graduate Schools”<\/a> rankings in early April, which comprehensively scores graduate programs across business, education, engineering, law, health, and many other disciplines.<\/p>\n New for the 2026 edition<\/a>, the publication updated its rankings across 12 health disciplines \u2014 only physician assistant and social work were excluded \u2014 and “the first full refresh” of doctoral science programs since 2022. U.S. News also revived its Master’s in Fine Arts rankings for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n “We know a graduate degree is a major commitment,\u201d said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor of Education at U.S. News. \u201cThat is why we are dedicated to methodologies that thoroughly examine a wide range of factors, from research excellence to career success. These rankings are a powerful tool for prospective students, offering clarity and confidence as they approach their most critical educational choice.”<\/p>\n The University of Texas at Austin has once again topped the charts as the best graduate school in Texas. It swept all first place rankings in U.S. News’ statewide categories for the Best Engineering Schools<\/a>, Best Education Schools<\/a>, Best Law Schools<\/a>, Best Business Schools<\/a>, and Best Nursing Schools<\/a>. <\/p>\n Texas State University, a public university halfway between Austin and San Antonio, boasts the 10th best graduate education school in Texas. <\/p>\n This is how the local schools ranked nationally, and how they compared with last year’s national ranking:<\/p>\n