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 University, Princeton 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.
