U.S. News & World Report released new graduate school rankings, featuring five University of Missouri-Kansas City schools among the best in the nation.
Programs ranked in top 100 of their kind include the Doctor of Nursing Practice, education graduate programs, law, pharmacy and the part-time MBA program.
U.S. News and World Report is just the latest publication to recognize UMKC with top honors. The Wall Street Journal ranked UMKC as the No. 1 in student experience and mobility among all universities in Missouri and Kansas, and Princeton Review described the university as “academically outstanding” in its 2025 Best Colleges: Midwest Region ranking.
Pharmacy: No. 38
The School of Pharmacy received a No. 38 ranking. The Pharm.D. program serves students across the state, with campus sites in Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield.
“This reflects the hard work of our community that earns this recognition for the clinical knowledge and skills of our students and graduates and the research driven by our faculty and graduate students,” said Russell Melchert, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “Recently, our chapter of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists was recognized as one of the Top 7 chapters in the country at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Pharmacists Association. With more than 140 chapters, that’s quite an accomplishment and no doubt contributes to the great recognition of our program.”
The UMKC School of Pharmacy also includes a Pharm.D./MBA program, graduate certificate in pharmaceutical sciences and Pharmacy Assurance Program for high school seniors.
Doctor of Nursing Practice: No. 51
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program secured No. 51 in the nation. Specialty tracks include adult-gerontology nurse practitioner; family nurse practitioner; primary and acute care pediatric nurse practitioner; women’s health nurse practitioner; psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner; and Master of Science in nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice.
“We’re so pleased our DNP program is No. 51 out of 164 programs across the country,” said Joy Roberts, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies. “We commend our excellent faculty and high-achieving students for their work and credit them for the continued success of the program.”
The School of Nursing and Health Studies is familiar with these high achievements, receiving a No. 22 ranking for the online graduate nursing program earlier this year.
Education: No. 64
The UMKC School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences was ranked No. 64 in Overall Best Education School, up one spot from last year’s ranking.
“This ranking affirms the direction we are headed,” said Sara Helfrich, dean of the UMKC School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences. “We are continuing to adapt how we prepare educators and professionals for the field and our efforts are reflected in our students making real-world impact."
The school houses graduate programs in educational administration; higher education administration; teaching; curriculum and instruction; and language and literacy, as well as undergraduate and doctoral programs and specialist and certificate programs.
Master of Business Administration, part-time: No. 85
Designed for working professionals and housed in the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, the part-time MBA program earned the No. 85 spot. Students can complete the program fully online, fully in person or a hybrid of both options.
“It is great to see that our part-time MBA program is being recognized for how it is serving working professionals and our business partners in this region,” said Brian Klaas, dean of the Henry W. Bloch School of Management. “We designed it to provide flexibility and convenience for learners with demanding work responsibilities and to provide impactful experiences with simulations, case studies and projects engaging business leaders from the region.”
It’s been consistently voted among the Kansas City area’s best MBA programs by the Kansas City Business Journal.
Master of Public Administration: No. 120
Earning the No. 120 spot, the Bloch School offers Kansas City's only MPA program with NASPAA accreditation, preparing the next generation of public service leaders to address complex challenges across nonprofit, public and civic sectors.
Students develop core competencies in policy analysis, program evaluation and budget management while benefiting from strong community connections throughout the Kansas City region and learning from faculty with extensive public service experience.
Concentrations in health leadership, nonprofit management and innovation, and urban policy and management further allow students to tailor their studies to their career goals while preparing for impactful roles in public service.
Law: No. 100
The UMKC School of Law was ranked in the top 100 law programs for the second year in a row.
“Recognition as a top 100 law school in back-to-back years, for the first time in our history, is a sign that we have great momentum as a team,” said Lumen Mulligan, dean of the UMKC School of Law. “Our J.D. and LL.M. students are excelling in first-time bar pass rate and employment and we have welcomed new cohorts of students to our Master of Legal Studies program. Our faculty are renowned instructors and world-class researchers, and our staff are leaders in their fields.”
In addition to the overall ranking, the UMKC School of Law ranked at #21 for trial advocacy and #22 for legal writing and is the only law school from Missouri or Kansas to have a top-25 ranking in these specialty areas.