Four Jackson School Graduate Programs Rank in Top Five Nationally

April 7, 2026

The University of Texas at Austin Jackson School of Geosciences improved to No. 4 in the country in overall Earth Sciences in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report ranking of graduate school programs. The new rankings give the Jackson School four programs ranked in the top five and one just outside the top 10:

• 2 Geology
• 3 Paleontology
• 4 Earth Sciences
• 5 Geophysics and Seismology
• 13 in Geochemistry

“This really demonstrates the remarkable depth and breadth of the world-class expertise that we have assembled at the school and the impact of the research of our faculty, scientists and students,” said Interim Dean Danny Stockli. “Having four, top-five programs is the mark of true and consistent excellence across the board. We’re one of the very rare places in the world that excel at them all.”

The Jackson School is the largest geosciences school in the nation with a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment of more than 600 students. It is comprised of three world-class education and research units – the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics and the Bureau of Economic Geology. Combined, they offer a depth and breadth of expertise and educational opportunity unmatched by any other geosciences institution.

U.S. News and World Report updates its academic rankings on a staggered basis. Today’s release included new rankings for Earth Sciences, but not for the other specialties for which the Jackson School is ranked.

Overall, The University of Texas at Austin had four programs ranked No. 1 and 13 programs ranked in the top five.