Best Grad Schools in the US

While some claim earning an undergrad degree doesn't take much more than "hanging out on a college campus" for four years, getting into and succeeding at graduate school is a bit tougher—especially if you gain entry to one of the top schools in the nation. US News & World Report has issued its annual ranking of the best post-undergrad institutions in the US, with USA Today noting an advanced degree can lead to a climb up the career ladder and a higher paycheck to go with it. Here, the schools that took the top three spots in each category:

• Business: Harvard, University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School (tied for first); University of Chicago-Booth School
• Engineering: MIT, Stanford, University of California-Berkeley
• Law: Yale, Stanford, Harvard
• Education: Harvard, Stanford, UCLA (tied for third with University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Nursing (Master's): Duke, Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania
• Nursing (Doctor of Nursing Practice): Duke, Johns Hopkins, University of Washington
• Medical (Research): Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins
• Medical (Primary Care): University of Washington, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of California-San Francisco

See what other grad schools made the cut here. (Looking for a different college experience? Here, the top party schools in the nation.)