The 2025–26 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate School rankings are out, and Chapman University is marking another strong showing across several of its healthcare-focused programs. The continued recognition reflects the university’s commitment to academic excellence, student success, and growing national reputation. With strong performance across multiple programs, Chapman continues to build on its reputation as a leader in healthcare education, preparing graduates to make meaningful impacts in their fields.

Among the highlights, Chapman’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program saw a notable rise, climbing eight spots to #87 out of 350 programs nationwide. This advancement places DPT firmly within the top 25% of accredited programs in the United States—an achievement that underscores its upward momentum and strengthening profile.

The Physician Assistant (PA) program maintained its impressive standing at #58 out of 322 programs, positioning it in the top 20% nationally. Its consistency reflects sustained excellence in both student outcomes, clinical training and program reputation.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program improved to #104 out of 331 master’s-level speech-language pathology programs, placing it within the top 35% nationwide. This continued ranking highlights the program’s solid foundation and ongoing contributions to the field. 

These rankings are driven in large part by student outcomes and overall program reputation, key indicators of long-term success for graduates entering competitive healthcare professions. All programs have maintained a near perfect 99-100% pass rate on their professional licensing exams.

“I am incredibly proud of the faculty and staff who are dedicated to student success, to the research of our faculty that drives up our reputation scores, and to the department chairs who have worked on continuously improving our programs leading to these impressive rankings,” said Dean Janeen Hill. “The future of Crean College is very bright as we will continue to educate our amazing students to successfully enter the healthcare profession.”