Best universities for education studies in the US

By Joy.Hunter@tim…, 9 September, 2025

Top universities in the US for education degrees 2025

US Education Rank 2025	Global Education Rank 2025	University	Overall	Teaching	Research Environment	Research Quality	Industry	International Outlook
1	1	Stanford University	95.9	96.9	99.9	97.4	100	68.6
2	2	University of California, Berkeley	95.1	95.8	99.3	95	98.9	73.7
3	5	Harvard University	90.6	92	99.8	84.7	83.3	74.7
4	12	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	83.6	85.5	95.5	81	69.2	46.5
5	13	University of California, Los Angeles	82.4	82.7	91.9	82.6	67.6	51
6	14	University of Wisconsin-Madison	82	85.4	90.6	73.3	97.1	58
7	15	Michigan State University	81.9	84.9	87	83.4	58.5	56.6
8	=16	University of Pennsylvania	81.7	77.2	91.4	76.9	93.8	74.2
9	=21	University of Texas at Austin	75.2	75.2	77.7	80.3	86.4	40.7
10	23	New York University	75	71.2	67.3	87.4	80.4	73.3
11	28	Vanderbilt University	73	69.6	82.5	77.3	44	50.1
12	29	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	72.6	67	78.2	81.2	79.9	39.7
13	30	Johns Hopkins University	71.5	62.3	78.6	74.8	95.3	58.9
14	31	Penn State (Main campus)	71	72.2	73	75	69.8	43.7
15	32	University of Washington	70.4	65.5	68.4	81.9	67.6	58.5
16	33	Boston College	69.7	72.6	67.6	79.2	23.3	54.5
17	36	Ohio State University (Main campus)	68.6	66.6	72.9	72.5	61.2	50.2
18	37	University of Massachusetts	68.2	72.3	61.6	72	77.6	57.1
19	=44	University of California, Irvine	66.1	50.5	59.9	89.2	80.8	64.9
20	47	Purdue University West Lafayette	65.9	62.6	63.3	71.4	74.5	64.7
21	48	University of Maryland, College Park	65.6	56.9	64.1	85.1	64.7	36.8
22	49	Indiana University	65.2	65.9	58.2	75	75.2	48.2
23	51	Northwestern University	64.7	57.1	62.5	78.7	67.2	52.2
=24	=56	University of California, San Diego	62.6	48.6	49.8	91.4	99.9	46.1
=24	=56	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	62.6	57	64.8	74.9	61.6	32.9
26	64	University of Southern California	60.5	53.8	48.4	84.4	73.1	40.9
27	66	Florida State University	60.3	53.3	49.2	79.4	72.5	55.6
28	68	University of Florida	59.9	52.3	51.2	81	62.2	47.4
29	69	University of Virginia (Main campus)	59.8	49.4	50	84.1	90	36.4
30	=70	University of Minnesota	59.5	54.2	58.3	68.8	93.2	34.7
31	74	University of Georgia (USA)	59.3	55.1	58.2	71.1	57.9	38.6
32	=76	Arizona State University (Tempe)	58.9	47.3	57.3	76.1	71	45.3
33	=80	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus	58.2	58.6	41.4	75.7	87.6	40.8
34	87	Texas A&M University	57.4	58.4	50.2	68.3	60.6	39.2
35	95	University of Colorado Boulder	56.4	46.4	53.1	76.3	75.7	29.2
36	99	University of California, Santa Barbara	55.6	40.8	33.9	88.3	79.3	70.1
=37	101–125	Boston University	52.3–54.8	52.1	40.6	73.7	44.4	52.6
=37	101–125	Brown University	52.3–54.8	44.6	35	82.2	59	48.6
	101–125	University of California, Davis	52.3–54.8	46.3	39.5	71.6	84.4	42.1
=37	101–125	University of Illinois Chicago	52.3–54.8	48.6	47.9	71.1	66.8	33.6
=37	101–125	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	52.3–54.8	49.6	34.8	71.6	66.3	52.8
=41	126–150	North Carolina State University	50.1–52.2	45.4	32.8	77.3	82.9	35.8
=41	126–150	University at Buffalo	50.1–52.2	47.2	32.4	71.9	85.1	55.2
=41	126–150	University of Hawai’i at Mānoa	50.1–52.2	44.5	40.7	66.8	42.6	69.6
=41	126–150	University of Iowa	50.1–52.2	44.9	46.3	66.2	47.1	37.6
=41	126–150	University of Kansas	50.1–52.2	43	38.7	67.7	83.1	44.8
=41	126–150	University of Rochester	50.1–52.2	44.3	28.6	80.9	46.6	58.1
=47	151–175	University of Arizona	48.0–49.8	43.1	37.6	72	51.5	36
=47	151–175	University of California, Santa Cruz	48.0–49.8	33.1	26.5	86.6	98	37.8
=47	151–175	University of Central Florida	48.0–49.8	41.9	35	70.6	65.6	31
=50	176–200	Florida International University	46.5–47.9	35.4	31.9	77.3	63.1	29.1
=50	176–200	Georgia State University	46.5–47.9	39.9	30.8	76.7	39	43.2
=50	176–200	Syracuse University	46.5–47.9	41.8	34.2	65.5	33.2	52.9
=50	176–200	Temple University	46.5–47.9	34.4	24.9	87.7	57.5	31.7
=50	176–200	University of Connecticut	46.5–47.9	32.5	39.3	74.5	51.2	45.2
=50	176–200	University of Delaware	46.5–47.9	29.5	27.1	79.8	99	43.5
=56	201–250	George Washington University	43.1–46.4	42.9	26.8	66.6	21.8	61.4
=56	201–250	Iowa State University	43.1–46.4	31.3	31.5	71.3	76.6	35.6
=56	201–250	Tufts University	43.1–46.4	34.9	33.7	68.7	66.9	35.8
=56	201–250	University of Denver	43.1–46.4	34.9	24.3	72.9	38.9	47.8
=56	201–250	University of Miami	43.1–46.4	39.5	23.2	70.1	36.6	54.8
=56	201–250	University of Notre Dame	43.1–46.4	26.6	43.5	67.4	90.6	32
=56	201–250	University of South Florida	43.1–46.4	32.9	29.7	69.2	73.4	56.1
=56	201–250	University of Utah	43.1–46.4	38.3	30.8	73.7	60.1	26.4
=64	251–300	Mizzou - University of Missouri	39.8–42.9	31.5	22.6	73.5	66.1	45.4
=64	251–300	Portland State University	39.8–42.9	32	23	75.3	27.3	33.9
=64	251–300	SUNY University at Albany	39.8–42.9	29	27.9	64.3	47.2	47.4
=64	251–300	University of Arkansas	39.8–42.9	32.3	32.9	66	17.6	25.5
=64	251–300	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	39.8–42.9	27.4	31.3	65.7	44.5	28.9
=64	251–300	University of Houston	39.8–42.9	29.8	22.4	68.4	60	51.8
=64	251–300	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	39.8–42.9	34.7	27.5	63.2	42.8	40.7
=64	251–300	University of South Carolina-Columbia	39.8–42.9	34.4	20.8	73.4	31.9	44
=72	301–400	Auburn University	35.6–39.7	35.3	19.1	53.7	50.8	32.5
=72	301–400	Baylor University	35.6–39.7	37.2	19.7	56.2	22.9	26.2
=72	301–400	Colorado State University, Fort Collins	35.6–39.7	28.6	19.1	61.2	61.3	34.9
=72	301–400	Drexel University	35.6–39.7	33.5	17.9	53.5	75.2	44
=72	301–400	George Mason University	35.6–39.7	27.2	19.9	66.3	32.1	36
=72	301–400	Louisiana State University	35.6–39.7	25.3	21.6	65	52.6	33.7
=72	301–400	San Diego State University	35.6–39.7	30.2	15.7	65.3	25	31.5
=72	301–400	SUNY Binghamton University	35.6–39.7	32.2	23.6	58.7	47.3	31.2
=72	301–400	Texas Tech University	35.6–39.7	28.1	18	63.2	36.8	43.3
=72	301–400	University of Alabama	35.6–39.7	31.1	29.4	58.7	25.4	33.7
=72	301–400	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	35.6–39.7	26.1	30.2	61.4	53	27.5
=72	301–400	The University of Texas at San Antonio	35.6–39.7	32.7	15.4	71.9	31.1	33.2
=72	301–400	University of California, Riverside	35.6–39.7	25.8	22.6	71.1	32.4	40
=72	301–400	University of Kentucky	35.6–39.7	25.2	25.8	68.9	52.5	38.7
=72	301–400	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	35.6–39.7	32.9	26.6	52.5	62.1	32.7
=72	301–400	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	35.6–39.7	24.7	20.4	66.5	40.9	27
=72	301–400	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	35.6–39.7	26.7	19	71.3	49.1	27.4
=72	301–400	University of Oregon	35.6–39.7	27.5	27.7	60.2	34.4	31.7
=72	301–400	Virginia Commonwealth University	35.6–39.7	32.5	20.7	68.2	61.4	27.9
=72	301–400	Washington State University	35.6–39.7	22.2	20	69	74.5	49.6
=72	301–400	Western Michigan University	35.6–39.7	29.4	24.5	54.1	27.8	41.2
=93	401–500	Florida Atlantic University	31.2–35.5	24.1	17.2	60	68.5	33.5
=93	401–500	Kansas State University	31.2–35.5	30.8	20.8	46.9	29.1	32.3
=93	401–500	Lehigh University	31.2–35.5	31.4	16.4	48.3	62.9	52.4
=93	401–500	Northern Illinois University	31.2–35.5	31.6	14.9	56.6	33.9	49.8
=93	401–500	Ohio University (Main campus)	31.2–35.5	33	20.7	52.6	35.5	35.7
=93	401–500	Oklahoma State University	31.2–35.5	23.8	14.2	60.8	45.3	35.6
=93	401–500	Old Dominion University	31.2–35.5	24.5	12.7	69.4	44.3	28.3
=93	401–500	Saint Louis University	31.2–35.5	31.2	20.7	51.2	54.6	37.3
=93	401–500	Texas State University	31.2–35.5	23.3	21.6	53.6	28.9	29.4
=93	401–500	University of Memphis	31.2–35.5	24.5	19.5	55.1	62	27.8
=93	401–500	University of Rhode Island	31.2–35.5	25.5	14.8	54.3	23.9	39.8
=93	401–500	University of Texas at Arlington	31.2–35.5	23.5	18.8	53.4	48.5	27
=93	401–500	University of Texas at Dallas	31.2–35.5	25.7	20.4	44.6	44.3	41.4
=93	401–500	University of Toledo	31.2–35.5	31.2	18	42.2	40.4	37
=93	401–500	Wayne State University	31.2–35.5	24	11.8	62.7	44	35.6
=93	401–500	William & Mary	31.2–35.5	38.7	19.5	48.9	22.8	30.5
=109	501–600	Adelphi University	27.6–31.0	24.3	12.3	57.4	17.6	33.1
=109	501–600	American University	27.6–31.0	27.9	14.5	42.6	36.7	30.7
=109	501–600	Central Michigan University	27.6–31.0	30.6	17.6	46.6	38.4	23.5
=109	501–600	Grand Valley State University	27.6–31.0	22.6	11.8	50.1	17.6	39.2
=109	501–600	Mississippi State University	27.6–31.0	23.2	13.2	50.8	56.1	37.9
=109	501–600	Montana State University	27.6–31.0	26.5	19.2	44.9	37	36
=109	501–600	New Mexico State University (Main campus)	27.6–31.0	27.1	15.3	49	37.5	28.7
=109	501–600	Oakland University	27.6–31.0	24.1	11.2	56.4	32.7	28.8
=109	501–600	Rowan University	27.6–31.0	21.4	11.1	56.1	24.6	34
=109	501–600	Southern Illinois University Carbondale	27.6–31.0	25.4	17.5	48.8	43.4	32.3
=109	501–600	University of Texas at El Paso	27.6–31.0	22.4	21.9	46.1	17.6	26.1
=109	501–600	University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	27.6–31.0	30.1	8.6	50.7	17.6	32.3
=109	501–600	University of Wyoming	27.6–31.0	23.8	14	52.5	36.4	33
=109	501–600	Wake Forest University	27.6–31.0	26.8	12.2	49.3	37.5	26
=123	601+	Bowling Green State University	14.4–27.5	27	11.7	45.7	21.3	26.4
=123	601+	College of Charleston	14.4–27.5	16.1	10.9	47.8	23.9	28
=123	601+	Georgia Southern University	14.4–27.5	18.8	12.1	50.3	26.2	25.9
=123	601+	Morgan State University	14.4–27.5	25.6	20.5	28.2	17.6	46.9
=123	601+	Nova Southeastern University	14.4–27.5	25.3	9.8	37.4	52.3	23.4
=123	601+	Pace University-New York	14.4–27.5	21.1	4.5	30.4	23.1	40.5
=123	601+	University of Nebraska Omaha	14.4–27.5	16.5	11.4	54.4	22.2	29.8

Key insights into the top universities for education degrees in the US 2025

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

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 – focuses on research reputation and productivity

· Teaching quality – the student learning experience and faculty strength.

· Research quality – influence and innovation in the engineering field.

· Industry collaboration – how institutions work with businesses and apply practical knowledge.

· International outlook – 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.

Thumbnail image

Section

Best universities

Subjects

Education

Standfirst

Discover the Times Higher Education rankings for the best education degrees in the US 2025. This list of universities reveals the top-ranked 130 institutions for education in the UK 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. Times Higher Education’s respected rankings use a robust methodology, created by the in-house data team, relied upon by students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide.

Student logo

Display TAP Popcard?

Best universities in the US for education studies 2025

Top universities in the US for education degrees 2025

Key insights into the top universities for education degrees in the US 2025

Choosing the right university for education in the US

Comments