For its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Heller School for Social Policy and Management among the top public affairs graduate schools in two specialty categories: social policy (where Heller has been top-ranked for over a decade) and health policy and management. This year, Heller was recognized as #9 for social policy, ranking in the prestigious top 10 of its category, and #13 for health policy and management.
“Heller brings together trailblazers and problem-solvers—regardless of career background, home country, or course of study, we all share a commitment to building a more equitable society. It’s this diversity of perspectives and experiences, united by our social justice mission, that sets Heller apart,” says Interim Dean Maria Madison. “Our rankings are a testament to the quality and caliber of work being accomplished by our faculty, researchers, and students. We believe in the power of an individual to effect change and the immensity we can accomplish together.”
For over 65 years, the Heller School has been responding to the changing needs of vulnerable populations through rigorous policy research and quality educational programs. The school has expanded since its founding in 1959 from a single doctoral program to include six graduate degree programs spanning global and domestic social policy, training thousands of scholars and researchers to address disparities in well-being and ensure social inclusion for all. Heller is also home to nine research centers and institutes renowned for conducting applied interdisciplinary research and active public engagement.