UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In its second year of the U.S. News & World Report “Best Graduate Schools” rankings, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing climbed to No. 35 nationally, up 29 spots from its debut. Among public universities, the program ranks No. 22.
“Our DNP program is grounded in an innovative curriculum, robust clinical partnerships, and a commitment to improving care delivery,” said Vinciya Pandian, associate dean for graduate education. “That it climbed nearly 30 spots in just one year, one of the largest jumps in the 2026 Nursing DNP rankings, recognizes the continued excellence of our program and its upward trajectory.”
The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing’s DNP program equips advanced practice nurses with expertise across in-demand specializations, from patient care to organizational leadership to education. The DNP-Leadership option prepares students for leadership roles in community settings, governmental agencies, and healthcare institutions.
The DNP-Nurse Practitioner option includes four specialty tracks to prepare advanced practice nurses to provide the highest level of care: Acute Care Adult-Gerontology, Primary Care Adult-Gerontology, Family/Individual Across the Lifespan and Psychiatric-Mental Health.
The recently launched DNP-Nurse Educator option prepares nurses to design, implement and evaluate curriculum, apply evidence-based teaching strategies and mentor the next generation of nurses.
The college is also advancing plans to introduce a DNP-Nurse Anesthesia program. The proposed program will be a full-time, in-person, 36-month program based at the college’s Hershey campus, including 94 credits and 2,700 clinical hours to prepare graduates to deliver high-quality care in anesthesia practice.
“The development of the nurse anesthesia program builds on the strength and momentum of our DNP offerings,” Pandian said. “With the successful launch of the nurse educator option and continued growth across our programs, we are expanding opportunities for nurses to advance their practice and meet critical workforce needs.”
Prospective students can see how the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Penn State’s Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing compares to other programs and review the ranking methodology on USNews.com.
The rankings are based on a weighted average of 14 indicators that reflect faculty resources, research activity, program size, selectivity and peer assessment of program quality by nursing school deans.
"The 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings are designed to provide those pursuing an advanced degree with a wealth of data to inform their academic choices and to help them as they evaluate their post-college choices,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "Achieving a top rank signifies a program demonstrates strong performance across key metrics — from faculty resources and research activity to graduate employment and student selectivity — which ultimately serves those seeking the best possible graduate education."
About the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
The Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing offers one of the broadest ranges of degree programs among U.S. public universities, ensuring that the next generation of nurses has a variety of pathways to practice. More than 1,700 undergraduate and 250 graduate students are currently enrolled.
The college is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing, a reflection of the college’s investment in its nurse educators and their professional growth. The college also enjoys the distinction of being the only named nursing school in the Big 10. Fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education with programmatic approval from the State Board of Nursing, the Nese College of Nursing is a premier educator for nurses across the commonwealth.