Pitt Education Earns Top Marks in National and State Rankings
Research, academics, offerings, and the student experience result in strong placement
The University of Pittsburgh School of Education is again the No. 1 public institution in Pennsylvania, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Education Schools ranking. The school has held the top spot in the state among public institutions for more than five years in a row.
Pitt Education–whose position was unchanged in the rankings–was also No. 26 nationally among public institutions and 35 nationally among all institutions
Pitt Education also saw its ranking for the educational psychology specialty rise to No. 17, up from No. 23 last year. The school was unranked in the specialty just two years ago.
Graduate offerings within the Applied Developmental and Human Development programs have been expanding, including a new Graduate Certificate in Infant Mental Health introduced in April 2026.
In the 2026 U.S. News education school rankings, Pitt placed in the top 13% nationally out of more than 260 schools. Pitt was tied with Boston University, Indiana University–Bloomington, Texas A&M University, and the University of Connecticut.
“These rankings underscore the excellence of our students, exceptional scholarship of our faculty, the strength of our community partnerships, and the far-reaching impact of our alumni,” said Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher, Renée and Richard Goldman Dean at the School of Education. “We’re proud to be among the nation’s top schools and to remain the top public university in the Commonwealth.”
Founded in 1910 and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pitt Education offers more than 50 graduate programs across teacher education and school leadership; exercise, health, and wellness; education systems and frameworks; and applied psychology and human development.
The school is home to several nationally recognized centers and offices, including the Center for Urban Education, Office of Child Development, and Physical Activity Research Center. In addition, the School of Education is home to several academic organizations, including the Council on the Study of Community Colleges, and the Comparative and International Education Society.
U.S. News & World Report collected data on more than 260 graduate colleges of education for its 2026 rankings. Institutions were evaluated on nine different factors, including quality assessment, faculty resources, research activity, and the student-to-faculty ratio.
2026 Rankings Snapshot
Among all universities:
- #35 among all colleges (public and private) in the United States out of 263 institutions
- Top 13% nationally
- #17 for Educational Psychology in the United States (up from #23)
Among public universities:
- #1 among public colleges in Pennsylvania
- #26 among public colleges in the United States
