Every year, U.S. News and World Report releases rankings for select university and college programs across the country. Each year it focuses on different types of programs, sometimes ranking sciences and other times humanities, etc. Below are those released for 2021, which focus only on Best Graduate Schools Rankings.

The University of New Mexico was listed as having several top 100 programs in the nation including public administration, public health, nursing school, medical school, engineering school and various social science programs.

The list of UNM rankings covered by U.S. News and World Report for 2021 is in alphabetical order below, with specialties listed underneath their parent schools/colleges. Continue scrolling for links to methodology and comparisons, including schools that tied with UNM in certain rankings. For questions or additional information on tied specialties, contact Rachel Whitt.

The University of New Mexico

  • #111 in Best Education Schools
  • #84 in Best Engineering Schools
    • #114 in Biomedical Engineering / Bioengineering
    • #73 in Chemical Engineering
    • #84 in Civil Engineering
    • #66 in Computer Engineering
    • #58 in Electrical / Electronic / Communications Engineering
    • #59 in Environmental / Environmental Health Engineering
    • #91 in Mechanical Engineering
    • #16 in Nuclear Engineering
  • #102 in Best Law Schools
    • #125 in Business/Corporate Law
    • #9 in Clinical Training
    • #110 in Constitutional Law
    • #79 in Contracts/Commercial Law
    • #108 in Criminal Law
    • #34 in Environmental Law
    • #83 in Health Care Law
    • #151 in Intellectual Property Law
    • #110 in International Law
    • #100 in Legal Writing
    • #95 in Tax Law
    • #90 in Trial Advocacy
  • #28 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care
  • #81 in Best Medical Schools: Research
    • #11 in Family Medicine
    • #5 in Most Diverse Medical Schools
    • #114 in Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas
    • #40 in Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care Fields
    • #57 in Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas
  • #60 in Best Nursing Schools: Master's
    • #77 in Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • #89 in Part-time MBA
  • #95 in Best Public Affairs Programs
  • #90 in Public Health

Best Earth Sciences Programs

  • #46 in Earth Sciences (Earth & Planetary Sciences)

Social Sciences and Humanities Doctoral Programs

  • #100 in Economics
  • #89 in English
  • #48 in History
  • #81 in Political Science
  • #70 in Sociology

Methodology and Ties

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Education Schools
(click here for Education Schools rankings methodology)

#111 in Best Education Schools (tie)
Data was standardized so that each school's value was compared with the mean and standard deviations of all other schools. Standardized scores, or z-scores, reflected the number of standard deviations each variable was from the mean value. The z-scores were weighted, totaled and rescaled so the top school received 100; other schools received their percentage of the top score. Graduate education schools were then numerically ranked in descending order of their overall scores.

Also ranked #111:
Appalachian State University (NC)
Bowling Green State University (OH)
Colorado State University
Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Texas Christian University
Towson University (MD)
University of Alabama--Birmingham

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings – Engineering
(click here for Engineering School rankings methodology)

#84 in Best Engineering Schools (tie)

  • #114 in Biomedical Engineering / Bioengineering (tie)
  • #73 in Chemical Engineering (tie)
  • #84 in Civil Engineering (tie)
  • #66 in Computer Engineering (tie)
  • #58 in Electrical / Electronic / Communications Engineering (tie)
  • #59 in Environmental / Environmental Health Engineering (tie)
  • #91 in Mechanical Engineering (tie)
  • #16 in Nuclear Engineering

Data was standardized so that each school's value was compared with the mean and standard deviations of all other schools. These z-scores reflect how many standard deviations a school's score on an indicator was from the average score on that indicator. Z-scores were weighted, totaled and rescaled so the top-scoring school received 100; scores for the others were calculated as a percentage of the top score. Graduate engineering schools were then numerically ranked in descending order based on their scores.

Also ranked #84:
Missouri University of Science & Technology--Rolla
University of Iowa
University of Texas—Arlington

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Law Schools
(Click here for Law School rankings methodology)

#102 in Best Law Schools (tie)

  • #125 in Business/Corporate Law (tie)
  • #9 in Clinical Training (tie)
  • #110 in Constitutional Law (tie)
  • #79 in Contracts/Commercial Law (tie)
  • #108 in Criminal Law (tie)
  • #34 in Environmental Law (tie)
  • #83 in Health Care Law (tie)
  • #151 in Intellectual Property Law (tie)
  • #110 in International Law (tie)
  • #100 in Legal Writing (tie)
  • #95 in Tax Law (tie)
  • #90 in Trial Advocacy (tie)

Law schools rankings evaluate institutions on their successful placement of graduates, their faculty resources, the academic achievements of entering students, and opinions by law schools, lawyers and judges on overall program quality. The rankings measure 193 law schools that are fully accredited by the American Bar Association, or ABA. Changes for the 2022 edition included two new placement indicators on graduate indebtedness and a fully revamped approach to measuring library resources.

Also ranked #102:
CUNY (NY)
Drake University (IA)
Marquette University (WI)
Syracuse University (NY)
Texas Tech University
The Catholic University of America (DC)

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Medical Schools: Research
(Click here for more on Medical School rankings methodology)

#28 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care (tie)

Also ranked #28:
East Carolina University (Brody) (NC)
Ohio State University
University of California--San Diego

#81 in Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)

Also ranked #81:
University at Buffalo–SUNY (Jacobs) (NY)

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Nursing Schools - Master's Programs
(Click here for more on Nursing Schools rankings methodology)

#60 in Best Nursing Schools: Master's (tie)

  • #77 in Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice (tie)

Also ranked #60:
Marquette University (WI)
University of Texas--Arlington

2022 Best Business Schools Rankings – Part-time MBA
click here for Business School rankings methodology)

#89 Anderson School of Management

As part of its Best Business Schools survey, U.S. News collected data on part-time programs, when applicable. This data was not incorporated into the full-time MBA program ranking but was applied toward a distinct 2022 Best Part-Time MBA programs ranking.

Also ranked #89:
Saint Louis University (Chaifetz) (MO)
University of Nevada--Las Vegas
University of Rochester (Simon) (NY)
Virginia Commonwealth University

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Public Affairs Programs
(click here to read more on the Public Affairs Programs ranking methodology)

#95 in Best Public Affairs Programs (tie)

The rankings of public affairs programs, published in 2021, are based solely on peer assessment survey results. In fall 2020 and early 2021, U.S. News surveyed deans, directors and department chairs representing 285 master's programs in public affairs and administration. Two surveys were sent to each school. Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, known as NASPAA, and by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. The rankings of programs in public affairs specialty areas, such as environmental policy and management and public policy analysis, are based solely on ratings by educators at peer schools.

Also ranked #95:
California State University--Los Angeles
College of Charleston (SC)
Mississippi State University
Suffolk University (Sawyer) (MA)
University of Alabama
University of Arkansas (Clinton)
University of California--Riverside
University of Colorado--Colorado Springs
University of Hawaii--Manoa
University of Houston (Hobby) (TX)
University of Miami (FL)
University of Missouri--Kansas City (Bloch)
University of South Carolina
University of Texas--ArlingtonWest Virginia University

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Health Graduate Programs - Public Health
(click here to read more on the Public Health programs ranking methodology)

#90 in Public Health (tie)

The U.S. News Best Health Schools rankings are based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. All schools surveyed in a discipline were sent the same number of surveys. Respondents rated the academic quality of programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding).

Also ranked #90:
New York Medical College
SUNY Downstate Medical Center (NY)
Teachers College, Columbia University
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
University of Cincinnati
University of Missouri
University of North Carolina--Charlotte
University of North Texas Health Science Center
University of Puerto Rico
University of Texas Medical Branch--Galveston
University of Utah
Virginia Tech
West Virginia University

2022 Best Graduate Schools Rankings - Social Sciences and Humanities Doctoral Programs
(click here for Social Sciences and Humanities rankings methodology)
#100 in Economics (tie)
#89 in English (tie)
#48 in History (tie)
#81 in Political Science (tie)
#70 in Sociology (tie)

Scores for each school were determined by computing a trimmed mean – eliminating the two highest and two lowest responses – of the ratings of all respondents who rated that school; average scores were then sorted in descending order.

#100 in Economics (tie)
Also ranked #100:
Colorado School of Mines
Drexel University (PA)
Howard University (DC)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
University of Nebraska—Lincoln

#89 in English (tie)
Also ranked #89:
Case Western Reserve University (OH)
Georgia State University
Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge
Miami University (OH)
Southern Methodist University (TX)
University of Hawaii--Manoa
University of Louisville (KT)
University of Miami (FL)
University of Mississippi

#48 in History (tie)
Also ranked #48:
Howard University (DC)
Stony Brook University--SUNY (NY)
University of Iowa
University of Massachusetts--Amherst
University of Notre Dame (IN)

#81 in Political Science (tie)
Also ranked #81:
Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge
New School (NY)
University at Albany--SUNY (NY)
University at Buffalo--SUNY (NY)
University of Delaware
University of Illinois--Chicago
University of Texas--Dallas

#70 in Sociology (tie)
Also ranked #70:
Arizona State University
Binghamton University--SUNY (NY)
Georgia State University
Howard University (DC)
Iowa State University
Tulane University (LA)
University of California--Santa Cruz
University of Nebraska--Lincoln