University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management. Courtesy photo

UT-Dallas Jumps Eight Spots to No. 23

The University of Texas at Dallas’ Naveen Jindal School of Management made one of the ranking’s biggest moves this year, climbing eight places to No. 23. That is a striking jump for any program, but especially for one that had been sitting outside the top 25 and, not long ago, well outside the top 30.

The move suggests more than simple volatility. Jindal was No. 38 two years ago, then No. 31, and now No. 23. That kind of rise usually points to a school that is improving in the precise areas U.S. News now values most.

And those areas are increasingly clear. Career outcomes now account for half the methodology, and UT Dallas appears to have gained ground where it counts most – employment and salary. For a school without the brand power of the M7, strong performance there can make a big difference.

A RANKING BUILT FOR RESULTS

What makes Jindal interesting is that its rise appears to be driven more by hard outcomes than by prestige. The school does not carry the same peer reputation as the programs it now ranks beside, but that matters less when employment and compensation carry so much weight.

That opens the door for schools that place graduates well and deliver solid value. UT Dallas has spent years building its standing in business education, helped by its research reputation, its location in a major business market, and a growing record of career success for graduates.

The school’s jump also reflects where it sits in the ranking. The 20s and 30s are among the most unstable zones in U.S. News, with schools packed closely together and separated by relatively small differences in score. A particularly strong year in outcomes can produce a move that looks dramatic, even if the underlying distance between schools is not enormous.

MORE THAN A ONE-YEAR BLIP

Still, this rise feels more substantive than random. Jindal has been building momentum across multiple rankings and has become a more visible program nationally. The research profile has long been strong. Now the career numbers appear to be catching up.

That does not mean UT Dallas has suddenly become a peer of the elite private programs that dominate the top of the ranking every year. It looks more like a school winning on employer traction, regional strength, and ROI than on pure brand cache.

Which is exactly why this climb matters. In a U.S. News methodology increasingly shaped by measurable results, UT Dallas looks like the kind of program that can keep gaining ground. The latest jump may be the loudest sign yet that Jindal is becoming harder to dismiss as merely a regional player.

TOP 10 (ACTUALLY 12) GAINERS IN THE U.S. NEWS BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS RANKING, 2025-2026

School	2026 Rank	2025 Rank	Change
University of Kansas	51	72	21
University of South Carolina (Moore)	53	71	18
Chapman University (Argyros)	53	66	13
American University (Kogod)	46	58	12
University of Miami (Herbert)	39	50	11
University of Oregon (Lundquist)	77	88	11
West Texas A&M University	93	104	11
University of Maryland (Smith)	43	52	9
Duquesne University (Palumbo-Donahue)	98	107	9
University of Kentucky (Gatton)	53	61	8
The University of Texas at Dallas (Jindal)	23	31	8
Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge (Ourso)	77	85	8

Source: U.S. News

University of Miami’s Herbert Shool

Miami Herbert Leaps From No. 50 To No. 39

The University of Miami Herbert Business School made one of the ranking’s most eye-catching moves this year, jumping from No. 50 to No. 39. That follows a rise from No. 62 the year before and No. 75 the year before that, giving Miami one of the clearest upward trajectories in the ranking.

The pattern matters more than the single-year jump. Plenty of schools bounce around in the U.S. News ranking. Miami Herbert has been moving steadily in one direction. Three years ago it was buried in the lower reaches of the list. Now it sits in the top 40.

That kind of climb usually points to real gains in the metrics the ranking rewards. In U.S. News’ current methodology, that almost always starts with career outcomes. A school that places graduates quickly and posts improving salary numbers can move much faster than one relying mainly on reputation.

A SCHOOL ON THE MOVE

Miami appears to fit that profile. The school has drawn attention for strong placement numbers and has been making a broader case that its MBA is gaining traction with both students and employers. In a formula built around jobs and pay, that can have an outsized effect.

There are other reasons the rise makes sense. Miami’s location gives it access to industries and employers that matter in MBA hiring, from finance and consulting to real estate and international business. As the city’s business profile has grown, the school has had an opportunity to ride that momentum.

The admissions side may also be improving. A stronger incoming class, combined with better employment results and growing visibility, is exactly the mix that tends to lift a program in the middle tier of the ranking. Miami does not need to become Stanford to keep rising. It just needs to keep improving in the categories U.S. News rewards.

CAN MIAMI HOLD THE GAIN?

That said, the move comes in one of the ranking’s most volatile bands. The 30s and 40s are crowded, and schools in that range are often separated by very little. A strong year can produce a big leap. A softer year can erase much of it.

Miami Herbert is exactly the kind of school worth watching in this regard. Programs do not move from No. 75 to No. 39 in three cycles without doing something right. Can they keep it up? In a methodology increasingly driven by career outcomes, Miami looks like a school that has found momentum – and, for now, knows how to use it.

Next Page: The Next Big Schools

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