Once again, UCLA Luskin’s overall ranking remains among the top public affairs graduate schools in the nation based on the latest U.S. News & World Report ratings released this week, tying for the #16 spot.

The 2025 ranking also places UCLA Luskin among the top three public affairs schools in California. Rankings are derived from assessments of each program’s academic quality by top school officials across the United States. In fall 2024 and early 2025, U.S. News surveyed deans, directors and department chairs representing 268 master’s programs in public affairs and administration.

The Luskin School — with graduate departments in Public Policy, Social Welfare and Urban Planning, and a Public Affairs undergraduate program — also maintained the previous high rankings for subcategories that include urban policy (No. 7), social policy (No. 6) and public policy analysis (No. 14).

See the full list of the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. Read more about the public affairs ranking methodology.