KENT, Ohio – Kent State University has earned national recognition for 20 of its graduate programs in the newly released U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings.
Seven of the university’s programs placed in the top 100 in their respective fields.
Among the university’s top performers in the new rankings for 2026, Kent State holds steady at No. 18 on the Best Rehabilitation Counseling Programs list, making it the top-ranked program of its kind in Ohio, public or private. The Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium, jointly administered by Kent State, earned the No. 36 spot on the Best Audiology Programs list, making it the highest-ranked audiology program in northern Ohio. The university climbed 16 spots to No. 45 on the Best Nursing Schools: Master’s list, once again making it the highest-ranked public institution in northern Ohio for that program.
The university also broke into the top 100 with a No. 46 placement on the Best International Business Master’s Programs list and No. 54 on the Best Fine Arts Programs list, making Kent State the highest-ranked institution – public or private – in northern Ohio on both lists.
Kent State placed No. 77 on the Best Clinical Psychology Doctorate Programs list, making it the highest-ranked public institution in northern Ohio, and No. 78 on the Best Speech-Language Pathology Programs list, which moved up 14 spots from its previous ranking, making it the highest-ranked public institution in northeastern Ohio.
An additional 13 Kent State programs earned national recognition in this year’s rankings:
- No. 101 on the Best Information Systems Master’s Programs list.
- No. 117 on the Best Education Schools list.
- No. 121 on the Best Business Schools list.
- No. 122 on the Best Public Health Schools list.
- No. 125 on the Best Mathematics Programs list.
- No. 140 on the Best Business Analytics Master’s Programs list.
- No. 143 on the Best Earth Sciences Programs list.
- No. 148 on the Best Physics Schools list.
- No. 157 on the Best Public Affairs Programs list.
- No. 162 on the Best Accounting Programs list.
- No. 169 on the Best Computer Science Schools list.
- No. 170 on the Best Finance Master’s Programs list.
- No. 171 on the Best Chemistry Programs list.
U.S. News collects graduate school data annually to present the most current figures on enrollment, job attainment, faculty and other critical quality indicators that help prospective students compare institutions as they weigh their options and ultimately decide which school best fits their needs.
Pictured at top: A student walks across the Kent State University campus. (Photo by Bob Christy)