Skip to content
Best College Rankings

Published by Quacquarelli Symonds since 2004

QS World University Rankings

A global research and reputation ranking — useful for graduate school and international standing, close to useless for undergraduate fit.

QS rankings in our dataset

The 166 institutions we track that appear on a QS list, in that publisher's order, with the underlying data alongside.

Rank on listCollegeAverage net price
#1Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · 4,535 undergrads$20,111
#3Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · 7,554 undergrads$13,807
#5Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · 7,601 undergrads$19,066
#10California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA · 987 undergrads$16,075
#13University of ChicagoChicago, IL · 7,569 undergrads$14,860
#15University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA · 10,650 undergrads$28,699
#16Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · 15,995 undergrads$28,690
#18University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · 33,068 undergrads$13,481
#21Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT · 6,758 undergrads$23,777
#24Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · 5,693 undergrads$18,809
#25Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · 5,709 undergrads$6,128
#38Columbia UniversityNew York, NY · 8,973 undergrads$21,590
#42Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · 9,201 undergrads$29,167
#45University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · 34,177 undergrads$13,138
#46University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · 33,475 undergrads$12,548
#52Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA · 7,304 undergrads$31,944
#55New York UniversityNew York, NY · 28,663 undergrads$37,050
#62Duke UniversityDurham, NC · 6,442 undergrads$29,612
#68University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX · 42,855 undergrads$19,857
#69Brown UniversityProvidence, RI · 7,226 undergrads$25,184
#70University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL · 36,258 undergrads$14,355
#81University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · 31,942 undergrads$14,091
#83Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PA · 42,284 undergrads$32,875
#88Boston UniversityBoston, MA · 18,248 undergrads$24,402
#111University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI · 36,902 undergrads$17,354
#115University of California, DavisDavis, CA · 32,253 undergrads$14,741
#123Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta, GA · 18,785 undergrads$12,116
#142University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · 20,752 undergrads$11,655
#144Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX · 59,615 undergrads$21,315
#146University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · 20,443 undergrads$32,740
#161Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI · 40,922 undergrads$19,680
#167Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO · 7,857 undergrads$21,786
#179University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · 23,113 undergrads$16,109
#182Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · 7,298 undergrads$22,585
#190Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OH · 45,638 undergrads$17,339
#209University of MarylandCollege Park, MD · 30,760 undergrads$15,678
#210University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN · 31,855 undergrads$16,778
#213University of FloridaGainesville, FL · 35,629 undergrads$6,541
#236University of RochesterRochester, NY · 6,331 undergrads$29,278
#248Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH · 4,541 undergrads$29,519
#249University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · 23,671 undergrads$22,383
#250Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · 7,208 undergrads$15,846
#273North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC · 27,371 undergrads$17,303
#275University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA · 17,597 undergrads$21,565
#281University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · 20,370 undergrads$30,434
#285Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · 7,569 undergrads$40,815
#289University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · 42,537 undergrads$16,674
#293University of California, IrvineIrvine, CA · 30,197 undergrads$14,251
#294Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH · 6,437 undergrads$41,190
#296University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN · 8,818 undergrads$26,780
#299University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO · 31,939 undergrads$25,346
#307Indiana University BloomingtonBloomington, IN · 37,806 undergrads$16,264
#328Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, NJ · 37,751 undergrads$24,406
#336Tufts UniversityMedford, MA · 7,061 undergrads$39,998
#338University of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL · 22,170 undergrads$10,974
#358George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · 11,182 undergrads$36,586
#361Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA · 30,923 undergrads$24,953
#384Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · 17,326 undergrads$30,915
#413University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · 20,112 undergrads$20,995
#426Washington State UniversityPullman, WA · 21,099 undergrads$14,971
#444University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA · 22,593 undergrads$14,304
#449Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA · 25,367 undergrads$18,589
#454Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY · 18,101 undergrads$18,784
#458Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO · 25,538 undergrads$21,279
#460University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA · 17,940 undergrads$17,890
#468University of KansasLawrence, KS · 21,217 undergrads$18,059
#526University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · 32,137 undergrads$13,936
#527Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · 10,085 undergrads$41,704
#533University of IowaIowa City, IA · 22,264 undergrads$22,531
#535University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT · 19,835 undergrads$25,097
#542University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT · 27,264 undergrads$16,200
#548University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI · 15,029 undergrads$15,664
#550Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL · 32,212 undergrads$11,297
#555University of DelawareNewark, DE · 19,071 undergrads$17,799
#558University of HoustonHouston, TX · 38,380 undergrads$14,276
#583Florida International UniversityMiami, FL · 39,508 undergrads$9,288
#588American UniversityWashington, DC · 7,266 undergrads$41,943
#594Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL · 2,833 undergrads$18,425
#602Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA · 7,767 undergrads$39,949
#604University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX · 21,751 undergrads$18,267
#608University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN · 30,418 undergrads$18,976
#626Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR · 30,743 undergrads$19,604
#628Yeshiva UniversityNew York, NY · 2,852 undergrads$49,965
#631Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO · 5,521 undergrads$16,298
#659University of South FloridaTampa, FL · 37,207 undergrads$9,812
#672Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA · 5,898 undergrads$36,931
#675Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken, NJ · 4,222 undergrads$41,346
#696Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY · 5,714 undergrads$36,228
#705University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MO · 23,929 undergrads$20,268
#712University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL · 59,146 undergrads$10,411
#723University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE · 19,178 undergrads$17,747
#729Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · 20,970 undergrads$28,198
#731University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · 29,882 undergrads$25,648
#740Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX · 32,394 undergrads$19,070
#746Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA · 3,618 undergrads$35,736
#750Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY · 15,477 undergrads$38,793
#759University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM · 17,244 undergrads$15,489
#760University of OregonEugene, OR · 20,497 undergrads$22,182
#771New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ · 9,019 undergrads$16,504
#795University of KentuckyLexington, KY · 24,763 undergrads$18,851
#798Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI · 15,587 undergrads$12,766
#806Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC · 5,485 undergrads$28,719
#826New SchoolNew York, NY · 6,563 undergrads$58,741
#843University of Maryland BaltimoreBaltimore, MD · 958 undergradsNot reported
#844University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD · 10,701 undergrads$16,467
#858Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL · 26,816 undergrads$24,323
#882Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK · 21,773 undergrads$17,447
#917Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS · 15,142 undergrads$19,406
#924Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · 5,955 undergrads$14,182
#933University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · 33,227 undergrads$22,420
#942University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK · 4,207 undergrads$10,892
#945University of North TexasDenton, TX · 34,341 undergrads$15,649
#952Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA · 20,753 undergrads$23,433
#960Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY · 2,196 undergrads$30,305
#961Clemson UniversityClemson, SC · 23,300 undergrads$22,253
#964George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · 27,752 undergrads$17,915
#1002University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, MA · 11,512 undergrads$17,707
#1018Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · 14,785 undergrads$41,104
#1023Brigham Young UniversityProvo, UT · 32,952 undergrads$15,564
#1025CUNY City CollegeNew York, NY · 12,505 undergrads$3,776
#1028Clark UniversityWorcester, MA · 2,214 undergrads$28,714
#1036Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL · 23,757 undergrads$8,752
#1037Fordham UniversityBronx, NY · 10,512 undergrads$44,338
#1046Howard UniversityWashington, DC · 10,108 undergrads$50,539
#1048Indiana University-IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · 13,830 undergrads$11,668
#1053Kent State University at KentKent, OH · 19,320 undergrads$20,787
#1061Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL · 11,737 undergrads$36,079
#1076Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ · 22,903 undergrads$14,158
#1080Ohio UniversityAthens, OH · 19,633 undergrads$21,637
#1092San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA · 35,377 undergrads$15,364
#1100Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX · 7,277 undergrads$40,892
#1110University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX · 32,294 undergrads$13,951
#1145University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL · 11,635 undergrads$18,749
#1147University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · 28,677 undergrads$18,209
#1151University of DenverDenver, CO · 6,025 undergrads$36,131
#1156University of IdahoMoscow, ID · 7,747 undergrads$14,831
#1161University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY · 14,727 undergrads$17,988
#1163University of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · 6,817 undergrads$13,310
#1167University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV · 15,599 undergrads$15,927
#1169University of New HampshireDurham, NH · 11,261 undergrads$23,805
#1170University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC · 24,453 undergrads$15,435
#1173University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · 13,381 undergrads$21,440
#1176University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX · 30,580 undergrads$10,836
#1177University of ToledoToledo, OH · 9,770 undergrads$17,249
#1178University of TulsaTulsa, OK · 2,813 undergrads$15,000
#1179University of VermontBurlington, VT · 11,743 undergrads$19,343
#1182University of WyomingLaramie, WY · 7,944 undergrads$13,599
#1193Utah State UniversityLogan, UT · 20,272 undergrads$14,936
#1197West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV · 17,385 undergrads$15,634
#1263Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI · 7,660 undergrads$31,487
#1272New Mexico State UniversityLas Cruces, NM · 11,946 undergrads$8,889
#1281Portland State UniversityPortland, OR · 13,182 undergrads$9,552
#1291Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA · 4,062 undergrads$34,662
#1372University of MemphisMemphis, TN · 12,701 undergrads$12,397
#1375University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC · 14,062 undergrads$10,965
#1385University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · 5,671 undergrads$30,365
#1386University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA · 5,287 undergrads$41,431
#1389University of South AlabamaMobile, AL · 8,879 undergrads$17,648
#1391University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX · 21,005 undergrads$9,403
#1393University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI · 16,758 undergrads$15,014
#1405Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI · 12,568 undergrads$15,273
#1419Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · 10,035 undergrads$17,597
#1422Cleveland State UniversityCleveland, OH · 8,969 undergrads$14,764
#1451San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA · 18,639 undergrads$12,278
#1492University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI · 2,160 undergrads$11,856
#1499University of the PacificStockton, CA · 3,204 undergrads$25,447

Rank positions are the editorial property of Quacquarelli Symonds and are reproduced with attribution for comparison and commentary. This table is not a reproduction of the publisher's full list — see Quacquarelli Symonds for that.

Compare against the other sources

The short answer

Academic and employer reputation surveys, citations per faculty, faculty-student ratio, and international mix.

Best used for: International applicants and students planning research careers or graduate study abroad.

Published weighting

The factors and percentages the publisher states, normalised where the publisher expresses them differently.

  • Academic reputation survey30%
  • Employer reputation survey15%
  • Citations per faculty20%
  • Faculty-student ratio10%
  • International faculty & student ratios10%
  • International research network5%
  • Employment outcomes5%
  • Sustainability5%

Where it helps and where it misleads

Strengths

  • The reference point for comparing U.S. schools against international peers.
  • Subject-level rankings are more meaningful than the overall list.
  • Employer reputation survey has real signal for globally mobile careers.

Limitations

  • 45% of the score is reputation survey response, which is self-reinforcing.
  • Measures research intensity, so excellent teaching-focused colleges are invisible.
  • Liberal arts colleges are effectively excluded from the frame entirely.
high year-over-year stabilityUses institution-reported data