2026 Best Graduate Schools in Delaware
With all of the graduate school options in Delaware, narrowing things down is no easy task. This list ranks 13 schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed graduate schools on more than 20 objective measures such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Custom Rankings
The best graduate school for you depends on what you want to study. Narrow your list by location and field of study, or explore other rankings below. Start by picking a degree level:
Ready to build your own comparison? Try our tool College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter most to you.
Top 13 Graduate Schools in Delaware
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
Leading the list is University Of Delaware, our #1 graduate school in Delaware. Located in Newark, DE, University Of Delaware is a public institution. Roughly 82% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $16,810 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,155 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $24,861.
Wilmington University came in at #2 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Delaware. Set in New Castle, DE, Wilmington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Wilmington University posts a six-year graduation rate of 22%. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,630. Wilmington University graduates report median early-career earnings of $57,142. Students borrow a median of $26,054 to complete a degree here.
You'll be in good company at Goldey Beacom College, which ranked #3 this year. Goldey Beacom College is a private not-for-profit school based in Wilmington, DE. Roughly 57% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,940. Median early-career earnings reach $57,634. Students borrow a median of $20,743 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Delaware Technical Community College Terry one of the top graduate schools in Delaware. Located in Dover, DE, Delaware Technical Community College Terry is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $2,332, while out-of-state students pay about $5,763. Early-career graduates earn a median of $43,322. Graduates carry a median of $11,154 in student loans.
You'll be in good company at Delaware State University, which ranked #5 this year. Located in Dover, DE, Delaware State University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 39%. In-state tuition and fees run about $10,670, compared with $20,634 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $41,572. Typical student debt is $26,333.
Strayer University Delaware placed #6 among the best graduate schools in Delaware. Based in Wilmington, DE, Strayer University Delaware is a private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $13,920. Graduates go on to earn a median of $58,506 early in their careers. The median student debt is $47,631.
Margaret H Rollins School Of Nursing At Beebe Medical Center came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Margaret H Rollins School Of Nursing At Beebe Medical Center is a private not-for-profit school based in Lewes, DE. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,000. Margaret H Rollins School Of Nursing At Beebe Medical Center students take on a median of $12,783 in debt.
Polytech Adult Education placed #8 among the best graduate schools in Delaware. Polytech Adult Education is a public school based in Woodside, DE. Early-career graduates earn a median of $49,418. The median student debt is $10,599.
Academy Of Massage And Bodywork came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Bear, DE, Academy Of Massage And Bodywork is a private for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $17,763. Typical student debt is $6,672.
Paul Mitchell The School Delaware ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Located in Newark, DE, Paul Mitchell The School Delaware is a private for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $19,975. Paul Mitchell The School Delaware students take on a median of $15,374 in debt.
Delaware Learning Institute Of Cosmetology came in at #11 in this year's ranking. This private for-profit school is set in Dagsboro, DE.
Dawn Career Institute Llc came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Dawn Career Institute Llc is a private for-profit school based in Newark, DE. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $23,822. Typical student debt is $9,453.
Schilling Douglas School Of Hair Design Llc landed the #13 spot in Delaware this year. Based in Newark, DE, Schilling Douglas School Of Hair Design Llc is a private for-profit institution.
All Majors and Fields of Study >
More Rankings >
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Graduate schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.