April 7, 2026 – U.S. News & World report ranked the USC Price School of Public Policy No. 5 among the nation’s best public affairs schools for the 2026-2027 period, marking the 10th straight year that the school has been placed in the top 5.
The USC Price School ranked No. 5 among 266 schools for its graduate programs in public affairs and administration. USC Price tied for No. 5 with programs at the University of Georgia, University of Michigan, and University of Washington.
USC Price has been ranked among the top 5 public affairs schools since 2016 and among the top 10 since 2008.
“We are honored that our peers continue to recognize the USC Price School as one of the nation’s best public affairs schools,” said Christoper Boone, Dean and C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Chair of the USC Price School. “We will continue to combine world-class education, evidence-based research and deep engagement with community leaders to solve major challenges.”
The USC Price School also received top-10 placements in several specialty programs:
- Urban Policy #4
- Health Policy #5
- Homeland Security #8
The rankings are based on assessments by deans, directors and department chairs and peer institutions. See the full list of USNWR rankings here.
Award-Winning Faculty Research
The continued recognition of the USC Price School comes as faculty and students produce cutting-edge research that informs policymakers at every level of government – and around the world.
Earlier this year, Associate Professor Geoff Boeing won a prestigious Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) award for helping cities around the world measure their progress toward becoming healthier and more sustainable. His winning project provided local policymakers with open access tools that measure a city’s walkability, access to healthy food, public transportation, and urban heat vulnerability, among other factors.
“It’s thrilling to win this award because it amplifies our message of how evidence-informed planning can make our cities healthier, happier, more sustainable places to live,” Boeing said.
Student Impact
Students got the chance to make an impact, too.
At the USC Price School, faculty focus on experiential learning, providing opportunities for graduate students to complete capstone projects or policy analysis practicums that tackle real-life policy challenges.
For example, four Master of Public Policy (MPP) students provided Congress with new insights into how Americans plan for retirement. Their findings are expected to help Congress track nationwide trends on private-sector pensions, which could help lawmakers create and evaluate policies.
Meanwhile, three Master of Public Administration (MPA) students got to work with a foundation launched by iconic rock band Metallica, quantifying the return on investment for its program supporting trades education.
For graduate students, the projects are a chance to apply knowledge and skills from the classroom by answering research questions, delivering a final work product, and managing a relationship with a client.
“For this project, the real challenge for the first few months was finding questions that were truly useful for Congress, that could be done in this time span, and could be done with our analytical skills,” said graduate Drishti Baid. “So, in some sense, the rubber met the road.”
A Living Laboratory in Los Angeles
Based in Los Angeles, a dynamic and diverse city, the USC Price School uses its location as a living laboratory to address local-to-global challenges. With a campus in Washington, D.C., the school offers students the chance to study at the center of governance for the United States, too.
This year, the USC Price School expanded access to its top-tier graduate programs, launching a $20 million scholarship program covering up to 100% of tuition for graduate students focused on improving the quality of life of people in underserved communities in Southern California. The scholarship will open doors for more brilliant and passionate students who want to make a positive difference.
