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U.S. News Ranking 2025-2026: Best Global University Revealed

The U.S. News ranking published the 2025-2026 Best Global Universities rankings on June 17, 2025. This report, which covers more than 2,250 colleges and universities from 104 countries.

Exploring the World’s Top Universities with U.S. News & World Report Ranking will lead you to the forefront of education. We analyze and evaluate the performance of universities worldwide in terms of teaching quality, research impact, internationalization and resource investment.

The aim is to help students fully understand each university’s unique appeal and competitive advantages. Whether you are a student or a career planner, our blog will provide in-depth insights and valuable information on the latest developments and trends in the U.S. News World University Ranking.

What is U.S. News Ranking?

U.S. News & World Report Rankings: Published annually by U.S. News & World Report, these rankings assess universities and academic disciplines globally and are highly regarded.

Impact: The U.S. News World Ranking 2025 significantly influences students, educators, and institutions, helping them understand the strengths and weaknesses of universities.

Ranking Categories:

  • Undergraduate Rankings: Evaluate U.S. undergraduate institutions based on factors like academic reputation, student retention, faculty, resources, and graduation rates.
  • Graduate School Rankings: Assess graduate programs in areas such as business, law, medicine, and engineering.
  • Global University Rankings: Analyze universities worldwide, focusing on research output, academic reputation, and international collaboration.

Ranking Process: The process of U.S. News University Rankings is transparent, relying on data provided by universities and verified third-party statistics, rigorously reviewed by U.S. News to ensure accuracy.

What are the indicators of U.S. News Rankings 2025-2026?

The 11th annual Best Global Universities rankings from U.S. News & World Report give students a more useful way to compare schools worldwide, especially as studying abroad becomes more common. The U.S. News World University ranking focuses squarely on overall academic research and global reputation. The ranking also reveals how U.S. universities—ranked by U.S. News domestically for almost 40 years—stack up internationally. But it’s not just for students: universities themselves can see how they measure against peers at home and nearby, boost their profile with international educators, and spot leading schools overseas for potential partnerships.

Ranking Indicator Proportion weight
Global research reputation 12.50%
Regional research reputation 12.50%
Publications 10%
Books 2.50%
Conferences 2.50%
Normalized citation impact 10%
Total citations 7.50%
Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited 12.50%
Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited 10%
International collaboration – relative to Country 5%
International collaboration 5%
Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective field 5%
Percentage of total publications that are among the top 1% most highly cited papers 5%

2025-2026 U.S.News College Ranking Top 200 List

Ranking Institution Country
1 Harvard University United States
2 Massachusetts Institutes of Technology(MIT) United States
3 Stanford University United States
4 University of Oxford United Kingdom
5 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
6 University of California Berkeley United Kingdom
7 University College London United Kingdom
8 University of Washington Seattle United States
9 Yale University United States
10 Columbia University United States
11 Imperial College London United Kingdom
11 Tsinghua University China
13 University of California Los Angeles United States
14 John Hopkins University United States
15 University of Pennsylvania United States
16 Cornell University United States
16 Princeton University United States
16 University of California San Francisco United States
16 University of Toronto Canada
20 National University of Singapore Singapore
21 University of California San Diego United States
21 University of Michigan United States
23 California Institute of Technology United States
24 Northwestern University United States
25 Peking University China
26 University of Chicago United States
27 Duke University United States
28 Nanayng Technolgical University Singapore
29 University of Sydney Australia
30 University of Melbourne Australia
31 Washington University(WUSTL) United States
32 New York University United States
33 University of Amsterdam Netherlands
34 University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
35 ETH Zurich Switzerland
36 King’s College London United Kingdom
37 Chinese University of Hong Kong HongKong, China
38 Monash University Australia
39 University of Edingburgh United Kingdom
40 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai United States
41 University of British Columbia Canada
42 University of Copenhagen Denmark
43 University of Queensland Australia
44 University of Hong Kong HongKong, China
45 Zhejiang University China
46 Shanghai Jiao Tong University China
47 Humboldt University of Berlin Germany
47 University Paris Cite France
49 Utrecht University Netherlands
50 KU Leuven Belgium
51 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill United States
52 Karolinska Institutet Sweden
52 University of Pittsburgh United States
54 City University of Hong Kong HongKong, China
54 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS China
56 Leiden University Netherlands
57 University of Munich Germany
58 Hong Kong Polytechnic University HongKong, China
59 Free University of Berlin Germany
59 Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg Germany
59 University of Zurich Switzerland
62 McGill University Canada
62 Sorbonne Universite France
62 University of Glasgow United Kingdom
65 University of Texas Austin United States
66 Ohio State University United States
66 Vanderbilt University United States
68 University of Manchester United Kingdom
69 Emory University United States
70 Fudan University China
71 University of Science&Technolgy of China, CAS China
72 University of Maryland College Park United States
72 University of Minnesota Twin Cities United States
72 University of Wisconsin Madison United States
75 University of Groningen Netherlands
76 Eramus University Rotterdam Netherlands
77 University of Southern California Spain
78 Universite Paris Saclay France
79 Georgia Institute of Technology United States
79 Technical University of Munich Germany
79 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands
82 University of Barcelona Spain
83 University of Technology Sydney Austrlia
84 University of Tokyo Japan
85 Sun Yat Sen University China
86 Australian National University Australia
86 Boston University United States
86 Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Switzerland
86 Nanjing University China
90 Wuhan University China
91 Huazhong University of Science&Technology China
91 Pennsylvania State University United States
92 University of California Santa Barbara United States
94 Queen Mary University London United Kingdom
94 University of Birmingham United Kingdom
96 University of California Davis United States
96 University of California Irvine United States
98 University of Western Australia Australia
99 University of Adelaide Australia
100 University of Oslo Norway
Ranking Institution Country
101 Hong Kong University of Science&Technology HongKong, China
102 King Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia
103 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas United States
104 Rockefeller University United States
105 Universite PSL France
106 University of Bristol United Kingdom
107 Ghent University Belgium
107 University of Colorado Boulder United States
108 Hunan University China
109 University of Florida United States
109 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign United States
112 King Abdullah University of Science & Technology Saudi Arabia
113 University of Helsinki Finland
114 University of Bern Switzerland
115 University of Arizona United States
115 Wageningen University&Research Netherlands
117 Aarhus University Denmark
118 London School of Hygenie&Tropical Medicine United Kingdom
118 University of Southampton United Kingdom
120 University of Geneva Switzerland
121 Lund University Sweden
122 Radbound University Nijmegen Netherlands
123 Southern University of Science&Technology China
124 Tongji University China
124 University of Cape Town South Africa
126 Carnegie Mellon University United States
127 University of Exeter United Kingdom
128 Harbin Institute of Technology China
128 University of Auckland New Zealand
130 Autonomous University of Barcelona Spanish
131 Baylor College of Medicine United States
131 Weizmann Institute of Science Israel
133 Michigan State University United States
133 Seoul National University(SNU) Korea
133 University of California Santa Cruz United States
133 University of Leeds United Kingdom
137 University of Electronic Science&Technology China China
137 University of Liverpool United Kingdom
137 University of Padua Italy
137 University of Virginia United States
141 University of Bologna Italy
141 University of Hamburg Germany
141 University of Utah United States
141 Uppsala University Sweden
141 Xi’an Jiaotong University China
146 Central South University China
146 King Saud University Saudi Arabia
146 McMaster University Canada
146 Universidade de Sao Paulo Brazil
150 Brown University United States
150 University of Milan Italy
152 Curtin University Australia
153 University of Lausanne Switzerland
153 University of Nottingham United Kingdom
155 Southeast University-China China
156 Beijing Insitute of Technology China
156 Rutgers University New Brunswick United States
156 Shenzhen University China
156 Stockholm University Sweden
156 University of Alberta Canada
161 Sapienza University Rome Italy
162 University of Massachusetts Amherst United States
163 Indiana University Bloomington United States
164 University of Bonn Germany
164 University of Gothenburg Sweden
166 Nankai University China
166 South China University of Technology China
166 University of Leicester United Kingdom
166 University of Sheffield United Kingdom
170 Newcastle University-UK United Kingdom
170 University of Alabama Birmingham United States
172 University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus United States
173 Beijing Normal University China
173 Deakin University Australia
173 Purdue University United States
176 Case Western Reserve University United States
176 Maastricht University Netherlands
178 Macquarie University Australia
178 Technical University of Denmark Denmark
180 University of Basel Sweden
180 Yonsei University South Korea
182 Queensland University of Technology(QUT) Austrlia
182 Sichuan University China
182 Tianjin University China
182 University of Gottingen Germany
182 University of Warwick United Kingdom
187 Kyoto University Japan
187 Texas A&M University College Station United States
189 Medical University of Vienna Austria
189 Xiamen University China
191 Delft University of Technology Netherlands
192 Arizona State University-Tempe United States
192 Cardiff University United Kingdom
192 University de Montreal Canada
192 University of Naples Federico II Italy
196 Oregon Health&Science University United States
197 University of Waterloo Canada
198 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology(RMIT) Australia
199 Tel Aviv University Israel
200 Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen Germany

2025-2026 U.S.News University Ranking Top 10

U.S. News Ranking Institution Country
1 Harvard University United States
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) United States
3 Standford University United States
4 University of Oxford United Kingdom
5 University of Cambridge United Kingdom
6 University of California Berkeley United States
7 University College London United Kingdom
8 University of Washington Seattle United States
9 Yale University United States
10 Columbia University United States

Harvard University holds firm at #1 worldwide. Its pull remains incredibly strong, especially for arts applicants. The majors like Economics, Political Science, Computer Science, Biology, Law, Medicine, and Business continue to draw massive crowds globally. Right behind, MIT and Stanford keep their spots at #2 and #3.

UC Berkeley absolutely shines as America’s top public school, landing solidly in the global Top 5. Students get a crazy variety of powerhouse programs there – think Computer Science-Engineering, Economics-Business, Environmental Science, plus core sciences like Chemistry, Physics, and Biology.

The University of Washington (Seattle) makes a major mark on the global list. That strong industry network means UW grads get snapped up fast. Seriously impressive employment stats make it a prime pick for students targeting Silicon Valley careers.

Yale nails the #9 spot globally. Classics like Political Science, History, Economics, English, and Psychology there draw fierce competition among applicants year after year. No surprise there. 

Rounding out the Top 10 is Columbia University. Being one of the well-known Ivy League schools, it keeps its popularity high, and it’s particularly famous for absolutely crushing it in creative fields: Drama/Theatre Arts, Film and Media Studies, Music, and Visual Arts.

2025 U.S. News Ranking USA University Rankings

Ranking in the US Institution U.S.News Ranking
1 Harvard University 1
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2
3 Stanford University 3
4 University of California, Berkeley 6
5 University of Washington, Seattle 8
6 Yale University 9
7 Columbia University 10
8 University of California, Los Angeles 13
9 Johns Hopkins University 14
10 University of Pennsylvania 15
11 Cornell University 16
12 Princeton University 16
13 University of California San Francisco 16
14 University of California San Diego 21
15 University of Michigan 21
16 California Institute of Technology 23
17 Northwestern University 24
18 University of Chicago 26
19 Duke University 27
20 Washington University 31

Do you know the best universities in the USA? Firstly, Ivy League schools like Harvard UniversityPrinceton University, and Yale University are still at the forefront of the 2025-2026 U.S. News US University Ranking. These universities are regarded as top universities in the world because of their outstanding academic resources, strong faculty teams, and profound alumni network. There are also some remarkable changes in the ranking this year. For example, Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have narrowed the gap to Ivy League schools due to the rapid development in the technology field.

In addition, this U.S. News & World Report Rankings this year emphasize the indicator of diversity and innovations of students and make some public universities have significant progress, including the University of California Los Angeles and the University of California Berkeley. Their powerful research ability and extensive courses make more students apply to these universities.

2025 U.S. News & World Report Rankings- Top 20 UK University

Ranking in the UK Institution U.S. News Ranking
1 University of Oxford 4
2 University of Cambridge 5
3 University College London 7
4 Imperial College London 11
5 King’s College London 36
6 University of Edinburgh 39
7 University of Glasgow 62
8 University of Manchester 68
9 Queen Mary University London 94
9 University of Birmingham 94
11 University of Bristol 105
12 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine 118
12 University of Southampton 118
14 University of Exeter 127
15 University of Leeds 133
16 University of Liverpool 137
17 University of Nottingham 153
18 University of Leicester 166
18 University of Sheffield 166
20 Newcastle University-UK 170

Among the U.S. News College Ranking global Top 10, there are 3 UK Colleges on the list, which are the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and University College London.

University College London, as the most grounded G5 institution, is ranked as high as No. 3 in the 2025 QS Global ranking in the UK field. It is also well-known for its Architecture, while Film, Pure Arts and Interaction are also very impressive.

Imperial College London is ranked 11th in the world, a ranking that is not as impressive as the 2nd place it achieved in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. The last G5 institution, King’s College London, is ranked in the top 36.

The University of Edinburgh, the legendary G6 choice, is ranked Top 39 in U.S. News World Ranking, and it offers a range of top majors in the UK, including Informatics, Business and Management, Medicine and Life Sciences, Law, and Social Sciences.

2025 U.S. News College Ranking-Australia Top 20

Ranking in Australia Institution U.S. News Ranking
1 University of Sydney 29
2 University of Melbourne 30
3 University of New South Wales Sydney 34
4 Monash University 38
5 University of Queensland 43
6 University of Technology Sydney 83
7 Australian National University 86
8 University of Western Australia 98
9 University of Adelaide 99
10 Curtin University 152
11 Deakin University 173
12 Macquarie University 178
13 Queensland University of Technology(QUT) 182
14 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology 198
15 University of Wollongong 212
16 Griffith University 238
17 University of Newcastle 244
18 Western Sydney University 265
19 La Trobe University 278
19 University of Southern Queensland 278

The performance of Australian universities in the 2025-2026 U.S. News Global University Rankings is notable. Overall, Australian universities have improved their U.S. News University ranking significantly across several subject areas, demonstrating the growing international competitiveness of Australian higher education. Australia’s top universities, represented by The University of Sydney and The University of Melbourne, continue to maintain their leading position in the world university rankings.

The University of Sydney has steadily risen a few places thanks to its outstanding performance in the disciplines of medicine, life sciences and engineering. The University of Melbourne, on the other hand, made significant progress in the social sciences and humanities, further cementing its international reputation.

In addition, The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Queensland also performed well in U.S. News Rankings 2024. ANU’s research achievements in natural sciences and computer science have attracted more international students and researchers. The University of Queensland performed well in the areas of environmental and agricultural sciences, reflecting its research strength and influence in these fields.

2025 U.S. News Ranking- Top 20 China University

Ranking in China Institution U.S. News Ranking
1 Tsinghua University 11
2 Peking University 25
3 Zhejiang University 45
4 Shanghai Jiao Tong University 46
5 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 54
6 Fudan University 70
7 University of Science & Technology of China, CAS 71
8 Sun Yat Sen University 85
9 Nanjing University 86
10 Wuhan University 90
11 Huazhong University of Science & Technology 91
10 Sun Yat Sen University 106
12 Hunan University 109
13 Southern University of Science & Technology 123
14 Tongji University 124
15 Harbin Institute of Technology 128
16 University of Electronic Science & Technology of China 137
17 Xi’an Jiaotong University 141
18 Central South University 146
19 Southeast University – China 155
20 Beijing Institute of Technology 156
20 Shenzhen University 156

2025 U.S. News World Ranking-HongKong, China

Ranking in Hong Kong, China Institution U.S. News Ranking
1 Chinese University of Hong Kong 37
2 University of Hong Kong 44
3 City University of Hong Kong 54
4 Hong Kong Polytechnic University 58
5 Hong Kong University of Science & Technology 101
6 Hong Kong Baptist University 439
7 Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) 633
8 Lingnan University 1009

The 2025 U.S. News rankings show that Chinese universities continue to make significant progress globally. Tsinghua University and Peking University have steadily risen in the rankings, coming in at No. 11 and No. 25, demonstrating the continued improvement in the quality of education and the impact of their research. In addition, Zhejiang University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University also entered the top 50 in U.S. News & World Report Rankings, ranking 46th and 42nd, respectively, implying a significant improvement in the overall standard of China’s higher education and enhanced international recognition.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong ranked 37th and 44th in the U.S. News University Ranking. Students can realise several Hong Kong universities’ overall strengths and international competitiveness in different fields.

Conclusion about U.S. News Ranking

When students make college choices, you can refer to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Rankings, which reflect the diversity and competitiveness of higher education around the world. Stanford University and Harvard University in the U.S. provide students with a quality academic environment based on excellence in teaching and research. The UK’s Oxford, Cambridge and UCL are both traditional and emerging forces to consider. The University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney in Australia excel in research and internationalization and are suitable for students seeking a global perspective. China’s Tsinghua University and Peking University attract international students with their excellence in fields such as engineering and technology. The University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong, China, are highly recognized for their internationalization and quality of education, making them an excellent choice for those seeking a global education experience.

FAQ about U.S.News Ranking

The 2025 QS World University Rankings have MIT at number one. Imperial College London follows closely in second place. Oxford University ranks third, with Harvard University fourth and Cambridge University fifth.

The Princeton Review’s 2025 survey crowned MIT as the top college in the US. Harvard and Princeton followed closely among the highest-ranked schools, with Stanford also securing a top spot. The rankings weigh things like academic strength, how hard it is to get in, and how satisfied students are with their experience.

The U.S. News ranking is widely recognized and influential, particularly in the United States. It assesses universities based on various factors like academic reputation, faculty resources, and student outcomes. Its methodology heavily weights metrics that might not fully capture diverse aspects of university excellence, such as teaching quality or inclusivity. Thus, while valuable for comparative purposes, it’s advisable to complement it with other rankings and qualitative assessments for a more comprehensive view.

As the U.S. News ranking shows, the #1 ranked college in America is often Princeton University. Known for its strong academic programs, selective admissions, and substantial endowment, Princeton consistently ranks highly due to its rigorous academics, renowned faculty, and rich historical legacy in higher education.

The most reliable university rankings include QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and U.S. News & World Report Rankings. These rankings assess universities based on factors like academic reputation, research excellence, faculty quality, and international collaboration, offering diverse perspectives on global academic performance.

Yale University, renowned for its Ivy League status and academic excellence, is known for its liberal arts education, distinguished faculty, and historic campus. It is particularly recognized for strong programs in law, medicine, business, and humanities, emphasizing critical thinking and research. Yale’s alumni include numerous Nobel laureates, world leaders, and influential figures across various fields.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia is often considered the top high school in America. Known for its academic programs focusing on STEM disciplines, it consistently ranks high due to its competitive admissions process and strong academic performance. Also, the school emphasis on advanced coursework and research opportunities contributes to its reputation as a leading institution.

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