<p>If I were going to approach this topic systematically, I’d focus on several factors:</p>
<p>Which majors are most popular? (indicators might include the USNWR “Most Popular Majors” listings or the Common Data Set Section J “Degrees Conferred” percentages")</p>
<p>Which majors/departments are highly ranked? (indicators might include the USNWR or NRC graduate program rankings)</p>
<p>Which majors/departments have the strongest outcomes? (indicators might include PhD productivity adjusted for institution or program size)</p>
<p>One also could look at the distribution of star faculty, the number of courses offered, facilities, etc.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, these indicators are problematic. Even if the data were up-to-date, comprehensive, and accessible … and even if we could agree on how to count it … it would be challenging for each of us to systematically identify the “best” programs for even one or a few schools.</p>