Arizona grad school programs rank among the best in U.S. News

U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday released some of its annual rankings for graduate schools, putting Arizona State University and University of Arizona in top spots for programs such as public affairs, business and nursing.

Why it matters: Students and families often use U.S. News to make decisions about where to get degrees.

• However, the influence and credibility of the longstanding higher-ed ranking system has wavered as the landscape has changed and schools have adjusted to enrollment declines and more diverse applicant pools, Axios’ Erin Doherty writes.

Driving the news: Public affairs is ASU's highest-ranked program at 10th overall, earning the top spot for its homeland security specialty.

• Meanwhile, UofA's Earth sciences program ranked fourth overall nationally, tied with Stanford and Columbia universities, with a top five ranking for its geology specialty. ASU ranked eighth in geology.

The intrigue: U.S. News delayed its rankings for law and medical schools last week after pushback from universities about the accuracy of the data.

• Dozens of elite law schools and medical schools announced last year they would boycott the rankings, saying the list was "unreliable and skewed educational priorities," The New York Times reported. In response, the outlet changed how it ranked law schools.

Yes, but: When the embargoed data was released to schools earlier this month, U.S. News received unprecedented feedback and requests for data submissions from those schools that originally declined to participate, indicating the rankings still have authority in higher education.

By the numbers: ASU earned top 50 rankings for its public affairs (10), education (18), Earth sciences (14), law (30), engineering (41), economics (38), computer science (46) and MBA programs at the W.P. Carey School of Business.

• 35th overall full-time MBA program
• 18% acceptance rate
• $148,110 average starting salary and bonus for full-time MBA graduates
• 3rd overall for supply chain specialty
• 33rd overall part-time MBA program

Though UofA's full-time MBA program at its Eller College of Management ranked 53rd overall, several other programs ranked in the top 50 nationally.

• 10th for rehabilitation counseling
• 30th for veterinary medicine
• 31st for doctor of nursing practice
• 35th for physics
• 39th for public affairs
• 41st for master's of nursing
• 43rd for public health
• 43rd for math
• 50th for computer science

Of note: Northern Arizona University ranked 27th for its physician's assistant program in a tie with several other schools. Arizona School of Health Sciences ranked 40th.