Arizona Master’s in Library and Information Science Surges to No. 4 in Global Research Rankings, Maintains No. 24 U.S. News Ranking

In a field that underpins how societies organize, preserve and access knowledge, the University of Arizona’s Master of Arts in Library and Information Science (MLIS) continues to demonstrate both durability and momentum. The latest rankings offer a nuanced picture: a program with a stable national reputation and a rapidly rising global research profile.

In the 2026 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Library and Information Studies Programs, the MLIS offered by the College of Information Science holds steady at No. 24 overall. The ranking is derived from peer assessment scores, with deans and senior faculty at more than 50 American Library Association-accredited programs evaluating one another on a five-point scale. The result is less a measure of recent change than of sustained professional regard.

That steadiness is notable. Peer-based rankings tend to shift gradually, reflecting long-term perceptions of academic quality. In the previous rankings, released in 2024, the program was also ranked No. 13 in Information Systems and No. 18 in Archives and Preservation, specialties that underscore depth across key areas of the discipline, though U.S. News did not update specialty rankings this year.

If the domestic view suggests continuity, the global picture points to acceleration. In ShanghaiRanking’s 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, the University of Arizona climbs from No. 10 to No. 4 in Library and Information Science. Unlike U.S. News, ShanghaiRanking relies on a set of objective indicators, including research output, citation impact, international collaboration and measures of scholarly distinction such as highly cited researchers and editorial leadership.

Arizona stands out in one category in particular, World-Class Output, ranking No. 1 globally among library and information science programs. This distinction reflects the volume and influence of top-tier journal publications and major academic awards produced by faculty, an indicator not just of productivity but of intellectual leadership within the field.

The contrast between the two ranking systems is instructive: one asks how a program is perceived by its academic peers while the other evaluates what its research contributes to the global scholarly ecosystem. The U of A MLIS performs strongly on both fronts, suggesting a program that is both respected and increasingly influential.

“The consistency we see in peer rankings, alongside the significant rise in global research measures, reflects the breadth of what our faculty and students are accomplishing,” says Catherine Brooks, interim dean of the College of Information Science. “We are preparing graduates to lead across libraries, archives and emerging information environments, while also contributing scholarship that shapes the future of the field worldwide.”

That dual emphasis on professional preparation and research impact has long defined the MLIS. The only program in the state of Arizona accredited by the American Library Association, the degree can be completed online or on campus in Tucson in as few as two years. Its curriculum spans an array of library and information courses, culminating in a capstone internship and ePortfolio. The design reflects the evolving nature of information work, where traditional roles intersect with new demands shaped by technology, data and access.

Students can tailor their studies through focused specialties in Academic Librarianship, Archives and Special Collections, Digital Curation, Law Librarianship and Legal Information, and Public Librarianship, pathways that align with a wide range of careers across libraries, museums, government and industry.

The program’s adaptability is also evident in its online offering, which was recently ranked No. 2 among the best online master’s programs in library science. The recognition highlights how the MLIS serves students and working professionals near and far.

When read together, these rankings create a coherent picture. The University of Arizona Master of Arts in Library and Information Science is a program with a stable reputation among its peers and a rising profile in the global research ecosystem. It’s a combination that suggests not just staying power—the program has graduated leaders in library and information science for more than 50 years, after all—but a widening sphere of influence in a discipline that sits at the heart of how knowledge is organized, preserved, used and secured.
  

Learn more about the Master of Arts in Library and Information Science, or explore the many research areas of College of Information Science faculty.