A system and method for differentiated services in adaptive streaming are provided. A method for server operations includes: determining an optimization of aggregated quality of experience scores for a set of candidate subscribers served by a server; adjusting a service rate of at least one subscriber based on the determined optimization of aggregated quality of experience scores; and streaming information to the at least one subscriber based on the adjusted service rate. The optimization is based on one or more of: a subscriber level for one or more of the plurality of subscribers; a current service rate; and available service rates.