February 26, 2025 | Jesse Singer

Ranking The Top 50 Universities In The World From Worst To Best—According To Data


Best In The World

There are many opinions as to what are the best universities in the world. But what does the data say? Well, the British magazine Times Higher Education looked at all the data and ranked over 2,800 universities around the world—we will look at the top 50....

Is your alma mater on the list? Do you agree with the ranking?

Top Universities World L

Methodology

Before we jump in, here is a quick look at the methodology used to come up with the rankings—which includes a scoring system based on five main areas (each with a weighted value). Those areas being:

Teaching (the learning environment): 29.5%

Teaching reputation: 15%, Staff-to-student ratio: 4.5%, Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio: 2%, Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio: 5.5%, Institutional income: 2.5%

Research environment: 29%

Research reputation: 18%, Research income: 5.5%, Research productivity: 5.5%

Research quality: 30%

Citation impact: 15%, Research strength: 5%, Research excellence: 5%, Research influence: 5%

International outlook: 7.5%

Proportion of international students: 2.5%, Proportion of international staff: 2.5%, International collaboration: 2.5%

Industry: 4%

Industry income: 2%, Patents: 2%

Okay, here are the top 50...

An empty classroom in universityPixabay, Pexels

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50 (Tie): University Of Texas At Austin

Location: Austin, United States

Overall: 75.9

Teaching: 66.1

Research Environment: 76.3

Research Quality: 91.3

Industry: 82.6

International Outlook: 47.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 38 (2020)

Architecture Library at UT Austin, inside Battle HallJr1038, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

50 (Tie): London School Of Economics And Political Science

Location: London, United Kingdom

Overall: 75.9

Teaching: 60.0

Research Environment: 72.0

Research Quality: 94.7

Industry: 45.1

International Outlook: 94.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 23 (2016)

London School of Economics Old BuildingWilliam Barton, Shutterstock

49: Karolinska Institute

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Overall: 76.1

Teaching: 59.9

Research Environment: 67.1

Research Quality: 96.1

Industry: 95.9

International Outlook: 83.8

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 28 (2016, 2017)

The Aula Medica part of Karolinska InstitutetJenny Egnér Lin., CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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48: (Tie): Zhejiang University

Location: Zhejiang, China

Overall: 76.2

Teaching: 70.6

Research Environment: 76.6

Research Quality: 81.8

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 61.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 47 (2025)

Zijingang Campus, the main campus of ZJUUnravel17, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

48 (Tie): Universität Heidelberg

Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Overall: 76.2

Teaching: 65.6

Research Environment: 63.4

Research Quality: 95.2

Industry: 99.3

International Outlook: 78.5

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 37 (2016)

Auditorium of the Old University (Heidelberg)Oliver Fink, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

46: University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign

Location: Urbana, United States

Overall: 76.5              

Teaching: 66.4

Research Environment: 81.0

Research Quality: 84.1

Industry: 86.7

International Outlook: 63.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 36 (2016, 2017)

University of Illinois Research Park Aerial View 2017University of Illinois Research Park, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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45: McGill University

Location: Montreal, Canada

Overall: 76.7

Teaching: 66.2

Research Environment: 70.9

Research Quality: 88.6

Industry: 78.0

International Outlook: 91.6

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 38 (2016)

McGill University downtown campus, MontrealJeangagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

44: The Chinese University Of Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong SAR China

Overall: 76.8

Teaching: 60.8

Research Environment: 64.3

Research Quality: 97.8

Industry: 94.2

International Outlook: 94.6

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 44 (2025)

A building of the Chinese University of Hong KongMemes, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

43: KU Leuven

Location: Leuven, Belgium

Overall: 77.0

Teaching: 59.5

Research Environment: 74.9

Research Quality: 92.4

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 80.6

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 35 (2016)

University of Leuven Central library, reading roomWentao Jiang, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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42: Paris Sciences Et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris

Location: Paris, France

Overall: 77.7

Teaching: 74.4

Research Environment: 72.8

Research Quality: 82.0

Industry: 99.4

International Outlook: 80.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 40 (2022, 2024)

Headquarters of Paris Sciences et Lettres UniversityDanielE, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

41: University Of British Columbia

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Overall: 77.8

Teaching: 62.3

Research Environment: 76.7

Research Quality: 89.7

Industry: 79.8

International Outlook: 94.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 34 (2016, 2020, 2021)

Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at University of British ColumbiaXicotencatl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

40: Georgia Institute Of Technology

Location: Atlanta, United States

Overall: 78.3

Teaching: 60.0

Research Environment: 77.7

Research Quality: 92.9

Industry: 99.2

International Outlook: 83.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 33 (2017, 2018)

Georgia Tech's Tech Tower during a snow dayJonathan14605, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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39: University Of Melbourne

Location: Parkville, Australia

Overall: 78.4

Teaching: 64.2

Research Environment: 75.3

Research Quality: 89.1

Industry: 99.3

International Outlook: 92.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 31 (2021)

Old Arts Building in Parkville Campus of University of MelbournePolly clip, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

38: LMU Munich

Location: Munich, Germany

Overall: 78.7

Teaching: 65.2

Research Environment: 76.5

Research Quality: 91.7

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 76.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 29 (2016)

Entrance To LMU Munich Main BuildingSeeott, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

37: (Tie): King’s College London

Location: London, UK

Overall: 78.8

Teaching: 60.1

Research Environment: 74.3

Research Quality: 97.2

Industry: 76.2

International Outlook: 97.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 27 (2016)

The sign at the King College LondonWilliam Barton, Shutterstock

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37: (Tie): Fudan University

Location: Shanghai, China

Overall: 78.8

Teaching: 78.2

Research Environment: 76.2

Research Quality: 85.4

Industry: 99.4

International Outlook: 53.8

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 36 (2025)

Fudan University building with two skyscrapersBehrooz Rezvani, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

35: University Of Hong Kong

Location: Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR China

Overall: 79.6

Teaching: 65.0

Research Environment: 70.5

Research Quality: 96.1

Industry: 96.3

International Outlook: 97.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 30 (2022)

Main Building of the University of Hong KongAdon3465, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

34: University Of California, San Diego

Location: La Jolla, United States

Overall: 79.9

Teaching: 64.9

Research Environment: 75.8

Research Quality: 97.4

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 73.9

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 30 (2019)

Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San DiegoRightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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33: New York University

Location: New York, United States

Overall: 80.3

Teaching: 72.0

Research Environment: 76.8

Research Quality: 94.3

Industry: 71.7

International Outlook: 75.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 24 (2023)

New York University campus flagsEQRoy, Shutterstock

32: École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne

Location: Lausanne, Switzerland

Overall: 80.4

Teaching: 73.6

Research Environment: 72.4

Research Quality: 88.5

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 95.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 30 (2017)

Aerial view of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneMediacom EPFL, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

31: Northwestern University

Location: Evanston, United States

Overall: 81.4

Teaching: 71.8

Research Environment: 75.8

Research Quality: 97.8

Industry: 92.3

International Outlook: 69.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 20 (2017, 2018)

Northwestern University from above Lake MichiganJoshua Sukoff, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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30: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Location: Singapore

Overall: 81.8

Teaching: 65.8

Research Environment: 79.3

Research Quality: 94.5

Industry: 99.9

International Outlook: 94.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 30 (2025)

The Hive Learning Hub at Nanyang Technological UniversityENIAC78, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

29: University Of Edinburgh

Location: Edinburgh, UK

Overall: 82.5

Teaching: 72.2

Research Environment: 77.1

Research Quality: 95.7

Industry: 72.2

International Outlook: 96.6

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 24 (2016)

New College Quad at University of EdinburghJesús Quiles, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

28: The University Of Tokyo

Location: 13, Japan

Overall: 83.3

Teaching: 94.1

Research Environment: 94.2

Research Quality: 68.3

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 50.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 28 (2025)

Yasuda Auditorium, University of Tokyo in 2024Kakidai, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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27: Duke University

Location: Durham, United States

Overall: 83.4

Teaching: 77.7

Research Environment: 75.6

Research Quality: 96.2

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 75.5

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 17 (2018)

The Gothic Reading Room at Duke Universityself, Wikimedia Commons

26: Technical University Of Munich

Location: Munich, Germany

Overall: 83.5

Teaching: 70.4

Research Environment: 86.0

Research Quality: 91.7

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 83.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 26 (2025)

Technical University of Munich, main entrance on the streetGras-Ober, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

25: University Of Washington

Location: Seattle, United States

Overall: 83.8

Teaching: 74.6

Research Environment: 81.3

Research Quality: 98.0

Industry: 84.7

International Outlook: 72.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 25 (2017, 2018, 2024, 2025)

University of Washington quad in SpringPunctured Bicycle, Wikimedia Commons

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24: Carnegie Mellon University

Location: Pittsburgh, United States

Overall: 85.7

Teaching: 73.1

Research Environment: 85.1

Research Quality: 99.0

Industry: 85.4

International Outlook: 84.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 22 (2016)

The main campus of Carnegie Mellon University in PittsburghDllu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

23 (Tie): University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Location: Ann Arbor, United States

Overall: 87.7

Teaching: 84.3

Research Environment: 88.8

Research Quality: 95.4

Industry: 82.5

International Outlook: 68.2

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 20 (2019)

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Law Quadranglejeffwilcox, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

23 (Tie): UCL

Location: London, UK

Overall: 87.7

Teaching: 77.6

Research Environment: 86.2

Research Quality: 98.4

Industry: 74.9

International Outlook: 97.7

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 14 (2016, 2019)

The Wilkins Building, University College London with studentsDAVID ILIFF, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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21: University Of Toronto

Location: Toronto, Canada

Overall: 88.3

Teaching: 76.2

Research Environment: 93.5

Research Quality: 93.4

Industry: 94.9

International Outlook: 91.8

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 18 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

University of Toronto from a streetSam Chan, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

20: Cornell University

Location: Ithaca, United States

Overall: 89.2

Teaching: 83.2

Research Environment: 91.1

Research Quality: 96.8

Industry: 69.5

International Outlook: 85.5

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 18 (2016)

Arts Quad at Cornell University, with McGraw Tower in backgroundEustress, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

19: (Tie): University Of California, Los Angeles

Location: Los Angeles, United States

Overall: 89.8

Teaching: 84.9

Research Environment: 92.1

Research Quality: 96.6

Industry: 89.0

International Outlook: 73.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 14 (2017)

Royce Hall on Dickson Court on the Westwood campusBeyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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19: (Tie): Columbia University

Location: New York, United States

Overall: 89.8

Teaching: 86.4

Research Environment: 88.8

Research Quality: 96.9

Industry: 75.9

International Outlook: 85.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 11 (2022, 2023)

Columbia University Campus with Butler LibraryMomos, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

17: National University Of Singapore

Location: Singapore, Singapore

Overall: 89.9

Teaching: 78.4

Research Environment: 93.6

Research Quality: 95.7

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 91.9

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 17 (2025)

University Hall at the National University of Singaporealex.ch., CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

16: Johns Hopkins University

Location: Baltimore, United States

Overall: 90.7

Teaching: 83.7

Research Environment: 91.3

Research Quality: 97.3

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 83.6

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 11 (2016)

The George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland, USAMatthew Petroff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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15: (Tie): University Of Pennsylvania

Location: Philadelphia, United States

Overall: 90.9

Teaching: 87.1

Research Environment: 90.7

Research Quality: 96.9

Industry: 98.3

International Outlook: 79.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 10 (2018)

The campus of the University of PennsylvaniaJay Yuan, Shutterstock

15: (Tie): The University Of Chicago

Location: Chicago, United States

Overall: 90.9

Teaching: 88.4

Research Environment: 90.0

Research Quality: 97.4

Industry: 86.2

International Outlook: 81.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 9 (2018, 2020)

Gated entrance to the University of ChicagoRdsmith4, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

13: Peking University

Location: Haidian District, China

Overall: 92.0

Teaching: 94.9

Research Environment: 97.7

Research Quality: 88.2

Industry: 99.9

International Outlook: 70.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 13 (2025)

An entrance to the Peking Universitygalaygobi, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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12: Tsinghua University

Location: Beijing, China

Overall: 92.5

Teaching: 95.4

Research Environment: 98.4

Research Quality: 93.5

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 49.8

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 12 (2024, 2025)

The Tsinghua University campus in Beijing, Chinadenn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

11: ETH Zurich

Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Overall: 93.0

Teaching: 87.3

Research Environment: 97.2

Research Quality: 95.1

Industry: 84.0

International Outlook: 95.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 9 (2016, 2017)

The ETH Zurich main buildingTiankongguangzi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

10: Yale University

Location: New Haven, United States

Overall: 94.1

Teaching: 93.7

Research Environment: 95.0

Research Quality: 97.8

Industry: 86.5

International Outlook: 82.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 8 (2019, 2020, 2021)

The Old Campus Courtyard of Yale UniversityAd Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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9: Imperial College London

Location: London, UK

Overall: 94.4

Teaching: 89.3

Research Environment: 94.9

Research Quality: 98.5

Industry: 90.8

International Outlook: 98.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 8 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2024)

The main entrance of Imperial College LondonShadowssettle, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

8: University Of California, Berkeley

Location: Berkeley, United States

Overall: 94.5

Teaching: 87.2

Research Environment: 98.9

Research Quality: 99.0

Industry: 99.5

International Outlook: 86.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 7 (2021)

Overview of the University of California, Berkeley campusIntrovert, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

7: California Institute Of Technology

Location: Pasadena, United States

Overall: 96.3

Teaching: 95.2

Research Environment: 97.5

Research Quality: 97.3

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 89.7

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 1 (2016)

Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library At CaltechCanon.vs.nikon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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6: Stanford University

Location: Stanford, United States

Overall: 97.2

Teaching: 97.5

Research Environment: 97.3

Research Quality: 99.6

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 85.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 2 (2021, 2024)

Stanford University Main Quad During DaytimeKing of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

5: University Of Cambridge

Location: Cambridge, UK

Overall: 97.4

Teaching: 95.9

Research Environment: 99.9

Research Quality: 97.6

Industry: 88.4

International Outlook: 97.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 2 (2018, 2019)

Cambridge University Top ViewPoohFotoz, Shutterstock

4: Princeton University

Location: Princeton, United States

Overall: 97.5

Teaching: 98.3

Research Environment: 98.0

Research Quality: 98.9

Industry: 96.9

International Outlook: 87.4

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 4 (2025)

Cannon Green And Nassau Hall, Princeton UniversityKen Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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3: Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, United States

Overall: 97.7

Teaching: 97.3

Research Environment: 99.9

Research Quality: 99.3

Industry: 85.7

International Outlook: 90.1

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 2 (2022, 2023)

View of the architecture of the famous Harvard University in CambridgeMarcio Jose Bastos Silva, Shutterstock

2: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology

Location: Cambridge, United States

Overall: 98.1

Teaching: 99.2

Research Environment: 96.0

Research Quality: 99.7

Industry: 100.0

International Outlook: 93.8

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 2 (2025)

Great Dome, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Aug 2019Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

1: University Of Oxford

Location: Oxford, UK

Overall: 98.5

Teaching: 96.8

Research Environment: 100.0

Research Quality: 98.8

Industry: 99.6

International Outlook: 97.3

Highest Ranking On The List Since 2016: 1 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

You might also like:

The 50 Best Countries In The World—Ranked According to Data

Ranking The Top 50 Universities In America From Worst To Best—According To Data

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Oxford University Gothic Architecture and PedestriansAnton_Ivanov, Shutterstock

Sources: 1

 


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