Maxwell again named No. 1 graduate school of public affairs

The Maxwell School of Syracuse University ranks first among graduate schools of public affairs, according to a U.S. News & World Report survey released on Tuesday, March 13. Maxwell has held the No. 1 spot since this rankings category was created in 1995.

Maxwell also ranked No. 1 in the public affairs specialties of public management administration, and public finance and budgeting, and in the top 10 in nonprofit management, information technology management, environmental policy and management, public-policy analysis, and city management and urban policy.

At the core of Maxwell’s reputation in public affairs is its master of public administration degree program, which was created nearly 90 years ago—the nation’s first such professional program. Maxwell is the only graduate school whose professional programs in public administration and international relations are integrated with its highly regarded social science departments (political science, economics, history, anthropology, sociology and geography).

“This connection between academic and professional programs is at the heart of what sets Maxwell apart from other schools of public affairs,” according to Dean James Steinberg. “Maxwell offers students a unique opportunity to integrate theory, policy and practice.”

The U.S. News public affairs program rankings are based on a survey of deans, directors and department chairs representing 266 master of public affairs and public administration programs nationwide. Respondents were asked to rate the academic quality of the master’s programs.