Best universities in the US for education studies 2026
Discover the ฿ฃ฿ฃสำฦต rankings for the best education degrees in the US 2025. This list of universities reveals the top-ranked 130 institutions for education in the US including education studies, teacher training and academic studies in education offering prospective students insights into the highest-ranking universities in the field.
Universities across the US are evaluated based on teaching, research, and international outlook. ฿ฃ฿ฃสำฦตโs respected rankings use a robust methodology, created by the in-house data team, relied upon by students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide.
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Top universities in the US for education degrees 2026
| US Education Rank 2026 | Global Education Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 1 | Stanford University | 96 | 97.4 | 100 | 97.2 | 100 | 69.1 |
| 2 | 2 | University of California, Berkeley | 94.1 | 94.9 | 99.2 | 94.5 | 93.5 | 70.1 |
| 3 | 6 | Harvard University | 89.8 | 92.3 | 100 | 81.2 | 77.7 | 77.5 |
| 4 | 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 83.6 | 86.1 | 93.8 | 77.6 | 89.1 | 52.6 |
| 5 | 12 | University of Pennsylvania | 82.1 | 79.7 | 90.3 | 76.7 | 90.8 | 76 |
| 6 | 14 | University of California, Los Angeles | 81.2 | 80.1 | 90.8 | 82.9 | 69.4 | 49.4 |
| 7 | 15 | Michigan State University | 80.5 | 83.8 | 87.1 | 79.1 | 64.2 | 54.8 |
| 8 | 17 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 79.8 | 82.2 | 88.9 | 70.9 | 97.9 | 56.9 |
| 9 | 22 | University of Texas at Austin | 73.3 | 75.7 | 72.1 | 78.4 | 85.6 | 42.5 |
| 10 | =23 | New York University | 73.1 | 74.6 | 62 | 82.7 | 86 | 67.7 |
| 11 | 27 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 72.2 | 67.5 | 77.6 | 80.8 | 73.8 | 39.8 |
| 12 | 28 | Johns Hopkins University | 70.4 | 63.8 | 77.9 | 69.9 | 94.3 | 58.8 |
| 13 | 30 | Vanderbilt University | 69.9 | 67 | 80.6 | 71 | 49.2 | 48.3 |
| 14 | 32 | University of Washington | 69.3 | 65.1 | 70.9 | 76.5 | 67.8 | 55.8 |
| 15 | 35 | Penn State (Main campus) | 68.2 | 68 | 72.8 | 69.9 | 70.8 | 44 |
| 16 | 40 | Ohio State University (Main campus) | 65.9 | 63.5 | 67.2 | 71.7 | 68.1 | 48.6 |
| 17 | 44 | Boston College | 64.7 | 64.2 | 63.5 | 76.5 | 23.7 | 50 |
| 18 | 45 | University of Massachusetts | 64.6 | 65.3 | 54.9 | 72.9 | 85.6 | 56.8 |
| 19 | =47 | Florida State University | 64.1 | 57.9 | 56 | 81.7 | 67 | 55.7 |
| 20 | =50 | Indiana University | 63.2 | 61.3 | 57.6 | 73.7 | 75.9 | 46.9 |
| 21 | 52 | Purdue University West Lafayette | 62.7 | 59.8 | 58 | 71 | 68 | 60.5 |
| 22 | =54 | University of Maryland, College Park | 62.1 | 51 | 61.5 | 82.2 | 66.4 | 35.9 |
| 23 | 58 | University of Southern California | 61.8 | 57.1 | 48.6 | 85.9 | 73.1 | 38.4 |
| 24 | 59 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 61.4 | 53 | 65 | 74.9 | 61.7 | 34.8 |
| 25 | 60 | University of California, Irvine | 61.3 | 41 | 62.7 | 83.3 | 67.8 | 58.9 |
| 26 | 62 | Northwestern University | 61 | 48.3 | 63.9 | 72.3 | 70.2 | 58.7 |
| 27 | 64 | University of Minnesota | 60.8 | 59.9 | 60.7 | 65 | 89.8 | 33.7 |
| 28 | 66 | University of Florida | 60.1 | 54.9 | 56.9 | 73.3 | 66.3 | 42.9 |
| =29 | =71 | University of Georgia (USA) | 58.1 | 50.9 | 56.3 | 73.5 | 58 | 39.8 |
| =29 | =71 | University of Virginia (Main campus) | 58.1 | 45.5 | 53.2 | 79.2 | 91.8 | 35.9 |
| 31 | =84 | Arizona State University (Tempe) | 57.1 | 43.7 | 56.4 | 73.2 | 88.8 | 41.5 |
| 32 | 87 | University of California, San Diego | 57 | 47.7 | 31.9 | 90 | 99.3 | 50.1 |
| 33 | 88 | University of California, Santa Barbara | 56.9 | 43.2 | 37.8 | 85.7 | 83.5 | 69.5 |
| 34 | 95 | University of California, Davis | 56 | 51.9 | 45.8 | 72 | 81.1 | 41 |
| 35 | =96 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus | 55.9 | 50.5 | 41.4 | 75.7 | 92.4 | 42.9 |
| =36 | 101โ125 | Boston University | 51.8โ54.7 | 53 | 43.5 | 68.7 | 37 | 53.8 |
| =36 | 101โ125 | Texas A&M University | 51.8โ54.7 | 51.8 | 50.3 | 65.3 | 62 | 36.8 |
| =36 | 101โ125 | University of Colorado Boulder | 51.8โ54.7 | 41.9 | 51.8 | 71.3 | 73.9 | 29.9 |
| =36 | 101โ125 | University of Hawaiโi at Mฤnoa | 51.8โ54.7 | 51.8 | 48.7 | 61.6 | 40.7 | 59.5 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | Brown University | 49.6โ51.7 | 41.4 | 32.4 | 78.9 | 58.9 | 50.7 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | North Carolina State University | 49.6โ51.7 | 47.1 | 37.4 | 71.7 | 85.4 | 33.8 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | University of Arizona | 49.6โ51.7 | 42.6 | 40.2 | 69.3 | 69.3 | 34.1 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | University of Illinois Chicago | 49.6โ51.7 | 41.8 | 46.9 | 68 | 65.5 | 33.1 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | University of Kansas | 49.6โ51.7 | 42.7 | 39.5 | 67.5 | 84.6 | 42.3 |
| =40 | 126โ150 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 49.6โ51.7 | 47 | 35.6 | 69.5 | 67.2 | 44.4 |
| =46 | 151โ175 | University of California, Santa Cruz | 47.6โ49.2 | 32.3 | 28.9 | 86.9 | 99.3 | 34.5 |
| =46 | 151โ175 | University of Connecticut | 47.6โ49.2 | 31.9 | 46.4 | 70.8 | 47.3 | 54.6 |
| =46 | 151โ175 | University of Iowa | 47.6โ49.2 | 43 | 40.8 | 66.6 | 44.8 | 38.2 |
| =46 | 151โ175 | University of Rochester | 47.6โ49.2 | 38.6 | 28.1 | 80.2 | 45.3 | 55.8 |
| 50 | 176โ200 | University of Delaware | 46.7โ47.5 | 31.6 | 30.2 | 76.4 | 99.2 | 40.4 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | George Washington University | 43.1โ46.6 | 41.8 | 26.3 | 62.6 | 22 | 60.9 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | Georgia State University | 43.1โ46.6 | 38.4 | 30.1 | 74.3 | 39 | 41.3 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | Iowa State University | 43.1โ46.6 | 30.7 | 36.6 | 68 | 76.3 | 30.6 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | Temple University | 43.1โ46.6 | 32.9 | 26.4 | 82 | 55.6 | 32 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | University at Buffalo | 43.1โ46.6 | 35.2 | 32.6 | 66.1 | 67.5 | 64.4 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | University of Houston | 43.1โ46.6 | 32.1 | 27.9 | 69.2 | 62.2 | 51.5 |
| =51 | 201โ250 | University of Utah | 43.1โ46.6 | 36.7 | 35 | 65.6 | 59.2 | 27.4 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | Florida International University | 40.6โ43.0 | 27.8 | 27.3 | 71.6 | 58.3 | 33 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | Mizzou - University of Missouri | 40.6โ43.0 | 34.8 | 26.9 | 68 | 67 | 35.7 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | Portland State University | 40.6โ43.0 | 29.3 | 24.7 | 75.5 | 27.8 | 35.1 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | Syracuse University | 40.6โ43.0 | 32 | 30.2 | 59.9 | 28.7 | 60.9 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | Tufts University | 40.6โ43.0 | 27.2 | 29.5 | 63.3 | 65.3 | 51.3 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | University of Central Florida | 40.6โ43.0 | 31.2 | 29.5 | 67 | 75.2 | 30.8 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | University of Denver | 40.6โ43.0 | 34.4 | 26.6 | 68 | 43.8 | 46.5 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | University of Miami | 40.6โ43.0 | 33.6 | 20.2 | 70.7 | 28 | 45.9 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | University of Notre Dame | 40.6โ43.0 | 19.6 | 31.3 | 73.8 | 63.2 | 43.4 |
| =58 | 251โ300 | University of South Florida | 40.6โ43.0 | 30.6 | 32.5 | 64.1 | 43.9 | 50.9 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Auburn University | 36.3โ40.5 | 33 | 22.2 | 55.4 | 46.6 | 31.9 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Colorado State University, Fort Collins | 36.3โ40.5 | 27.7 | 20.7 | 60.1 | 63 | 32.9 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Drexel University | 36.3โ40.5 | 31.1 | 19.8 | 51.5 | 80.8 | 42.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | George Mason University | 36.3โ40.5 | 31 | 22.6 | 64 | 34.4 | 36 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | SUNY University at Albany | 36.3โ40.5 | 33.4 | 19.9 | 66.1 | 49.9 | 45.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | San Diego State University | 36.3โ40.5 | 39 | 24 | 64.3 | 28.5 | 28.7 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Stony Brook University | 36.3โ40.5 | 19.1 | 22.9 | 73.6 | 44.6 | 41.2 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Texas Tech University | 36.3โ40.5 | 30.8 | 19.8 | 61.4 | 58.9 | 40.8 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | The University of Alabama | 36.3โ40.5 | 32.2 | 26.9 | 60.3 | 25.2 | 32.9 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 36.3โ40.5 | 33.7 | 19.4 | 69.4 | 35.8 | 30 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Arkansas | 36.3โ40.5 | 30.8 | 32.1 | 62 | 27 | 26.8 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 36.3โ40.5 | 25.1 | 33.7 | 62.9 | 53.1 | 28.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Kentucky | 36.3โ40.5 | 28.8 | 26.9 | 67.1 | 53.3 | 39.1 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | 36.3โ40.5 | 30.9 | 29.3 | 51.9 | 60.9 | 34.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 36.3โ40.5 | 29.6 | 29 | 61 | 34.8 | 41.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 36.3โ40.5 | 29.6 | 26.2 | 64.9 | 49.9 | 29.3 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of Oregon | 36.3โ40.5 | 30.5 | 30.3 | 54.7 | 35.1 | 31.1 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 36.3โ40.5 | 33.3 | 19.6 | 67.9 | 33.9 | 47.6 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 36.3โ40.5 | 34.2 | 18.4 | 64.8 | 63.5 | 28.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Washington State University | 36.3โ40.5 | 22 | 19.9 | 71 | 74 | 46.5 |
| =68 | 301โ400 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 36.3โ40.5 | 34.9 | 10.4 | 64.2 | 67.4 | 56.3 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Baylor University | 32.7โ36.2 | 35.2 | 16.2 | 52.2 | 17.8 | 27.7 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Central Michigan University | 32.7โ36.2 | 31.8 | 20.5 | 50.5 | 39.6 | 25.2 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Kansas State University | 32.7โ36.2 | 35.7 | 21.1 | 44.8 | 33.8 | 35.5 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Lehigh University | 32.7โ36.2 | 30.6 | 17.2 | 49.5 | 61.9 | 59.3 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Ohio University (Main campus) | 32.7โ36.2 | 32.8 | 15.2 | 51.6 | 38.8 | 36.1 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Oklahoma State University | 32.7โ36.2 | 28.9 | 14.6 | 57.3 | 45.8 | 34.5 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Old Dominion University | 32.7โ36.2 | 25 | 16.4 | 72.2 | 20.1 | 27.5 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | SUNY Binghamton University | 32.7โ36.2 | 28 | 26 | 55.1 | 41.6 | 30.4 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Saint Louis University | 32.7โ36.2 | 30.6 | 22 | 53.1 | 49.9 | 35.8 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32.7โ36.2 | 17.6 | 24.2 | 59.7 | 46.9 | 32.3 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | University of California, Riverside | 32.7โ36.2 | 26.4 | 16.7 | 67.3 | 23.4 | 41.3 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | University of Memphis | 32.7โ36.2 | 26.6 | 15.2 | 59.8 | 55.9 | 29.5 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | 32.7โ36.2 | 29.7 | 15.3 | 55 | 46 | 28.1 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | 32.7โ36.2 | 18.7 | 18 | 66 | 37.5 | 28 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | University of Texas at Dallas | 32.7โ36.2 | 28.3 | 24.1 | 54.1 | 46.7 | 37.6 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | Wayne State University | 32.7โ36.2 | 29.6 | 12.6 | 62.4 | 42.7 | 33.3 |
| =89 | 401โ500 | William & Mary | 32.7โ36.2 | 36 | 22.5 | 48.6 | 22.8 | 31.7 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Adelphi University | 29.0โ32.6 | 23.4 | 11.9 | 53.7 | 17.8 | 35.3 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | American University | 29.0โ32.6 | 29.1 | 14.9 | 47.3 | 34.2 | 29.4 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Florida Atlantic University | 29.0โ32.6 | 24.2 | 17.3 | 51.1 | 70.5 | 32 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Louisiana State University | 29.0โ32.6 | 21.7 | 16.9 | 57.9 | 51 | 36.8 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Mississippi State University | 29.0โ32.6 | 23.5 | 12.6 | 59.7 | 56.7 | 36.4 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | New Mexico State University (Main campus) | 29.0โ32.6 | 26.3 | 16 | 48.5 | 37.6 | 28.4 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Northern Illinois University | 29.0โ32.6 | 26.3 | 14.2 | 55.4 | 42 | 38.7 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 29.0โ32.6 | 24.7 | 16.8 | 47.6 | 54 | 34.5 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | Texas State University | 29.0โ32.6 | 22.9 | 20.4 | 52.5 | 35 | 32.4 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | University of Rhode Island | 29.0โ32.6 | 21.1 | 17.6 | 58.5 | 24.4 | 44.5 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | University of Texas at Arlington | 29.0โ32.6 | 17.7 | 20.3 | 54.8 | 49.6 | 26.3 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | University of Texas at El Paso | 29.0โ32.6 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 47.1 | 17.8 | 29.4 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | University of Toledo | 29.0โ32.6 | 28.9 | 19.5 | 47.5 | 40.9 | 36 |
| =106 | 501โ600 | University of Wyoming | 29.0โ32.6 | 24.1 | 12.1 | 54.7 | 38.7 | 34.4 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Georgia Southern University | 20.1โ28.9 | 20.8 | 16.2 | 49.5 | 22.3 | 28 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Grand Valley State University | 20.1โ28.9 | 20 | 11.6 | 41.6 | 17.8 | 32.8 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Montana State University | 20.1โ28.9 | 20.4 | 18.2 | 40.9 | 50.4 | 31.5 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Morgan State University | 20.1โ28.9 | 25.4 | 18.7 | 36.9 | 17.8 | 43.5 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Nova Southeastern University | 20.1โ28.9 | 26.4 | 9.8 | 32.4 | 41.6 | 32.6 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Oakland University | 20.1โ28.9 | 26.8 | 11.2 | 48.6 | 33.4 | 29.9 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Pace University-New York | 20.1โ28.9 | 21.8 | 9.5 | 35.9 | 23.7 | 41.9 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Rowan University | 20.1โ28.9 | 17.8 | 11.2 | 51.1 | 17.8 | 34.4 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | University of Nebraska Omaha | 20.1โ28.9 | 15.3 | 12.1 | 49.2 | 18.3 | 28.9 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 20.1โ28.9 | 30.7 | 8.7 | 44.9 | 17.8 | 32.5 |
| =120 | 601โ800 | Wake Forest University | 20.1โ28.9 | 28.3 | 12.3 | 46.4 | 35.5 | 25.5 |
Key insights into the top universities for education degrees in the US 2026
- The top university for education studies in the US is Stanford University
- There are 130 universities from the US ranked in the education studies ranking
- The education studies table evaluates schools and colleges across three core disciplines: education studies, teacher training and academic studies in education.
- The top features universities from a range of states including California, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Texas and Pennsylvania.
Choosing the right university for education in the US
To become a teacher in the US, you must be licensed by the state in which you want to teach, and most teacher-training courses begin at the postgraduate level. Aspiring teachers will often complete an undergraduate degree in any subject, then enrol in an accredited teacher programme.
However, education can also be studied at many levels beyond teacher training. Education as an academic discipline brings together fields such as sociology, politics, history and psychology to investigate a broad range of education-related problems, from social mobility to international policy. Some universities offer undergraduate education courses as majors or minors.
Choosing where to study education in the US requires considering a range of factors including teaching and research. These rankings provide critical insights based on:
- Research environment โ focuses on research reputation and productivity
- Teaching quality โ the student learning experience and faculty strength.
- Research quality โ influence and innovation in the engineering field.
- Industry collaboration โ how institutions work with businesses and apply practical knowledge.
- International outlook โ global diversity of students and faculty.
The table for the best universities for education in the US was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Education. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.