University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus schools, colleges and programs again ranked among the best in the country in the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) annual ranking of higher education programs. Here are the highlights:

CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy Moves Up Five Places to 15th in the Nation

The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is ranked No. 15 out of the 141 ranked programs comprising the “2024 Best Pharmacy Schools.” This recognition secures CU Pharmacy’s position in the top 10% of all such schools in the nation. 

“This national recognition speaks to the outstanding efforts of our faculty clinicians and pharmaceutical researchers, staff and lab professionals,” said Ralph Altiere, PhD, dean of the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy. “I think you would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated community of educators, scientists and healthcare specialists anywhere in the country.” 

USNWR updates its pharmacy school rankings every four years. CU Pharmacy moved up five places, from a previous ranking of 20th in the nation in 2020. 

According to the USNWR website, the ranking methodology is based on survey responses of academics at peer institutions, with respondents rating "the academic quality of programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding)." For the newly released results, the publication surveyed programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education in fall 2023 and early 2024. 

Colorado School of Public Health Keeps Moving Up the Ranks

The Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) is ranked No. 16 for graduate programs in public health. The rankings were announced publicly on April 9. Previously, ColoradoSPH had been ranked No. 17.

As a newer school of public health, founded in 2008, ColoradoSPH has risen steadily through the ranks from No. 35 to No. 16 in just 15 years. The rankings of more than 200 schools and programs of public health are based on expert opinions about program excellence and other statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, research and students.

“I am extraordinarily proud of the students, faculty and staff at the Colorado School of Public Health,” said Dean Cathy Bradley, PhD. “Excellence in education, innovation, collaboration and partnership transcend our campus, and today our school community has been recognized for its steady progress and success.”

This improved ranking comes on the heels of ColoradoSPH passing the preliminary portion of its Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) reaccreditation. ColoradoSPH met all 43 CEPH categories, which is the best possible outcome.

CU Nursing Ranks No. 3 in Nursing Midwifery, Top 20 in Online Master’s in Nursing

The University of Colorado College of Nursing at CU Anschutz is ranked among the 2024 Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs in Colorado and the country. USNWR ranks schools according to a variety of objective factors, including research activity, faculty resources, student excellence and qualitative ratings from experts.

The CU College of Nursing’s online Master’s in Nursing program tied for No. 14 with three other schools among 186 total programs. The college’s online MSN Administration and Leadership (iLEAD) program tied for No. 8 in the country with two other schools. The program moved up three spots from last year’s rankings. CU Nursing remains the No. 1 nursing program in Colorado.

Additionally, the college’s Midwifery program was ranked No. 3 among 37 programs.

“The newest U.S. News & World Report rankings reflect CU Nursing’s commitment to providing a quality education for our students,” said CU Nursing Dean Elias Provencio-Vasquez, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP. “Our high rankings are a testament to our outstanding faculty, staff and administration who constantly work to improve our curriculum and give our students the tools to succeed. We are very proud of our Master’s in Nursing and MSN Administration and Leadership (iLEAD) programs, and we will continue providing top nursing education in Colorado and the U.S.”

In its 12th year, the USNWR's Best Online Programs ranking is designed for individuals looking to complete or further their education. This year's edition evaluated more than 1,600 online bachelor's and master's degree programs using metrics specific to online learning. The rankings only include degree-granting programs offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions.

Physical Therapy Jumps Two Spots to be No. 11 in the Country

On the list of best physical therapy programs, CU Physical Therapy moved up two spaces since last ranked to No. 11 out of 245 programs. 

Michael Harris-Love, PT, MPT, DSc, professor and associate dean of the CU Physical Therapy Program, thanked his faculty and staff for their commitment to “scholarship, program development, clinical education, holistic application reviews, and service to our profession and community.” He added, “We don't do these things because of rankings; we strive to excel because that's who we are.”

Communicators from the Colorado School of Public Health, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, CU College of Nursing and the Physical Therapy Program contributed to this article.