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Emory School of Nursing master’s programs tops in nation for second straight year
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Melanie Kieve
Senior Director of Communications and Marketing
Photo of three School of Nursing students in school lobby with balloons

Master’s degree programs at the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing are once again the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2024-2025 ranking of graduate schools.

The school’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master of Nursing (MN) programs claimed the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year, and its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program retained its No. 6 standing from 2023. Last September, U.S. News ranked the school’s undergraduate programs No. 3 nationwide.

“It takes a team to achieve this level of excellence in consecutive years, and I’m grateful to our school community for the work that has brought us to this place,” says Dean Linda McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN. “While the rankings are gratifying, what they represent in terms of student preparation, research excellence, and clinical expertise is the most rewarding. We intend to keep raising the bar for our students, the nursing profession, and the patients and communities who benefit from our efforts.”

Multiple graduate specialties at the School of Nursing were also ranked nationally, including: 

  • DNP Gerontology-Primary Care – No. 3
  • MSN Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner – No. 3
  • DNP Gerontology-Acute Care – No. 4
  • MSN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – No. 4
  • MSN Family Nurse Practitioner – No. 4
  • DNP Family Nurse Practitioner – No. 5

All specialties rose or maintained their ranking from last year, with the DNP gerontology-primary care program rising to No. 3 from No. 6.

The school’s rankings reflect tremendous growth, with enrollment increasing by 38% and total research funding growing from $12.8 million to $32.3 million over the past five years. The school has been in the top five among all nursing schools in National Institutes of Health grant funding for nine consecutive years and has amassed more than $8.6 million in Health Resources and Services Administration community partnership grants.

U.S. News assesses both nursing master’s programs and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs on their research activity, faculty resources, student excellence, and qualitative ratings from experts. Information on their ranking methodology can be found here



About the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing  

As one of the nation's top nursing schools, the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is committed to educating visionary nurse leaders and scholars. Home to the No. 1 master's, No. 3 BSN and No. 6 DNP programs nationwide, the school has been recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League of Nursing. The school offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and non-degree programs, bringing together cutting-edge resources, distinguished faculty, top clinical experiences and access to leading health care partners to shape the future of nursing and impact health and well-being. Learn more here.


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