Vanderbilt University School of Nursing continues to be ranked as one of the nation’s top schools by U.S. News & World Report in its Best Graduate Schools Rankings. Vanderbilt’s master of science in nursing program was ranked No. 8 and its doctor of nursing science was ranked No. 7 in the 2023 rankings released today.
The school’s Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty was named the No. 1 AGACNP program in the country. Other VUSN individual specialty programs were ranked highly, taking the No. 2 or No. 3 spot as best in their areas of specialization.
“It’s quite an honor to be in the Top 10,” said Pamela Jeffries, VUSN dean and Valere Potter Distinguished Professor of Nursing. “It speaks volumes that despite a worldwide pandemic, challenges in health care and changes in our profession, Vanderbilt School of Nursing consistently delivers high-quality nursing education, preparing the next generation to transition to practice, teach and advance knowledge.”
Individual specialty rankings were:
| Program | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | No. 1 |
| Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | No. 2 |
| Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | No. 2 |
| Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | No. 2 |
| Administration (DNP) | No. 2 |
| Leadership (DNP) | No. 2 |
| Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (DNP) | No. 3 |
The remainder of VUSN’s MSN advanced practice specialties were not ranked by U.S. News this year.
“The rankings reflect the hard work and commitment to improving and maintaining excellence in each of the school’s specialties over the past decade,” Jeffries said. “Our faculty and staff take that commitment very seriously here at Vanderbilt. These impressive results reflect what I see each and every day.”
U.S. News & World Report bases best graduate schools rankings on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. The surveys and assessments were conducted from late summer 2021 to early 2022.