U.S. News & World Report again recognizes Cooper Medical School of Rowan University among 2026 Best Medical Schools
April 7
For the third consecutive year, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report among its 2026 Best Medical Schools, earning strong national ratings for Primary Care and Research.
CMSRU once again received a Tier 2 ranking in Primary Care and a Tier 3 ranking in Research, reaffirming its position as a leader in medical education and its enduring commitment to advancing healthcare through academic excellence, scholarship and service.
“I am incredibly proud to share that CMSRU has once again earned a Tier 2 rating in Primary Care and a Tier 3 rating in Research in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Medical Schools rankings,” said Annette C. Reboli, MD, dean of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. “This continued recognition reflects the outstanding dedication of our faculty, students, and staff, and underscores our mission to educate compassionate physicians who will fulfill the critical need for primary care doctors in New Jersey and across the nation.”
CMSRU’s continued recognition places it in elite company. The school is the only medical school in New Jersey ranked in Tier 1 or Tier 2 for Primary Care, and one of just two institutions in the Philadelphia region—alongside Thomas Jefferson University—to earn that distinction. As the only public medical school in the Philadelphia region ranked Tier 1 or Tier 2, CMSRU continues to lead in physician workforce development.
In addition to its leadership in primary care education, CMSRU continues to build a robust and influential research enterprise. “Our Tier 3 research ranking reflects the remarkable growth of CMSRU’s scholarly enterprise in the sixteen short years since our inception and the impact our faculty investigators are making across the biomedical and clinical sciences,” said Reboli. “Their research strengthens our academic mission and improves the health of the communities we serve.”
The 2026 rankings mark the third year that U.S. News & World Report has used its tiered rating system for medical schools. Institutions ranked in Tier 1 or Tier 2 are eligible to display the prestigious Best Medical Schools award badge, a distinction reserved for programs demonstrating exceptional performance and impact.
Designed to support prospective medical students, the Best Medical Schools rankings provide key insights into primary care and research programs nationwide. Through the annual collection of graduate education data, U.S. News evaluates factors such as faculty resources, research activity, and student outcomes, offering meaningful indicators of academic quality to help applicants make informed decisions.
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