QS World University Rankings
The QS World University Rankings are published by the British education organization Quacquarelli
Symonds, which focuses on providing higher education and graduate recruitment information, offering a platform for information exchange among undergraduates, graduate students, MBA and working students, as well as employers worldwide. The first list was released in 2004.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject cover 48 different academic fields across five broad subject areas – Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences & Management, Natural Sciences, Engineering & Technology, and Life Sciences & Medicine – with over 11,000 positions, making it the largest and most complex university ranking to date.
Ranking Indicators
Academic Reputation: 40%
Citations per Faculty: 20%
Faculty/Student Ratio: 20%
Employer Reputation: 10%
International Student Ratio: 5%
International Faculty Ratio: 5%
Ranking Types
QS World University Rankings
QS Asian University Rankings
QS Latin America University Rankings
QS BRICS University Rankings
QS World University Rankings by Subject
QS Top 50 Under 50 University Rankings
Influence (Recognition)
The QS ranking is the second oldest global university ranking, and it is the only international university ranking to be certified by the “International Rankings Expert Group” to date.
Pros and Cons Analysis
These school lists are very important references for students who aspire to study abroad and truly want to learn professional skills. However, because subjective factors such as “academic peer review + employer reputation” account for 50%, and some top university professors are too busy to fill out these survey questionnaires, it has been criticized as “not objective enough.” But overall it still basically reflects the actual situation, and its comprehensive subject rankings fill the gaps left by other lists, which is significant.
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities
The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) was first published in 2003 by the Center for World-Class Universities at the Graduate School of Education (formerly the Institute of Higher Education) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and has been released annually since then.
Ranking Indicators
Alumni winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (referred to as Alumni)
Staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (referred to as Award)
Highly cited researchers in various subject fields (referred to as HiCi)
Papers published in Nature and Science (referred to as N&LS)
Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index (referred to as SCI)
Ranking Types
Academic Ranking of World Universities;
Ranking of Top Universities in Greater China;
Influence (Recognition)
The ARWU ranking is the earliest comprehensive university ranking in the world, focusing on measuring the research strength of universities. It is one of the most influential university rankings globally and is a national research project in China. Its influence, however, is mainly limited to the academic circle and has not extended to the industry.
Pros and Cons Analysis
Some people, for no apparent reason, tend to look down on rankings made in China. But in fact, the ARWU ranking has always been based on academics, very rational, and highly valuable for science and engineering students as a reference.
However, there are pros and cons. As a ranking that focuses on scientific research output everywhere, ARWU has been criticized for overemphasizing the fields of science and engineering. European and American academic circles also criticize it for placing excessive weight on the number of Nobel Prize-winning alumni while ignoring important indicators such as the overall campus atmosphere and student quality.
Moreover, because this ranking mainly adopts well-known American journals and publication platforms as data benchmarks, American universities perform significantly better in this ranking than those from other countries.
Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE)
The THE World University Rankings are an annual publication of world university rankings by the British magazine Times Higher Education, independently produced using data from the Thomson Reuters database.
In the THE evaluation methodology, a high proportion of 90% is weighted toward traditional academic ability, which, like the British education system, is very old school. This makes it suitable for international students who aspire to pursue academic careers and have outstanding research abilities.
In the “2017-2018 World University Rankings” released by THE last September, for the first time, the top two spots were both held by UK institutions (Oxford first, Cambridge second); US universities still accounted for more than half of the list; the proportion of Asian universities on the list increased, with two mainland Chinese universities entering the top 30 (of course, Tsinghua and Peking University), and Chinese universities overall moved up in the rankings.
Ranking Indicators
Citations (research influence): 30%
Research (volume, income and reputation): 30%
Teaching (the learning environment): 30%
International outlook (staff, students, research): 7.5%
Industry income (knowledge transfer): 2.5%
Ranking Types
World University Rankings
World Reputation Rankings
150 Under 50 Rankings
BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings
Asia University Rankings
Influence (Recognition)
The THE World University Rankings are one of the three most influential university rankings globally and have been hailed as one of the “most watched university rankings in the world.”
Pros and Cons Analysis
The THE ranking uses relatively objective criteria with a transparent survey format, and its ranking methodology has been optimized and adjusted on the basis of the QS ranking. It expands the original six QS indicators into thirteen secondary indicators and adjusts their respective weights.
However, there are too many subjective indicators and a heavily commercial nature, and the citation rate carries too much weight. This is believed to be disadvantageous for universities where English is not the primary language of instruction, as English, being an international language, is more likely to attract attention and thus easier to be cited.
U.S. News World University Rankings
U.S. News & World Report is an American weekly news magazine that merged from U.S. News and World Report in 1948. It provides comprehensive coverage and commentary. Its college rankings have been updated annually since 1985.
Ranking Indicators
Global research reputation: 12.5%
Regional research reputation: 12.5%
Publications: 10%
Books: 2.5%
Conferences: 2.5%
Normalized citation impact: 10%
Total citations: 7.5%
Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited: 12.5%
Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited: 10%
International collaboration: 5%
Percentage of total publications with international collaboration: 5%
Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective fields: 5%
Percentage of total publications that are among the top 1% most highly cited papers: 5%
Ranking Types
Best Colleges (undergraduate)
Best Graduate Schools
Best Global Universities
Additionally, there are subject-specific rankings, such as for business-related majors, science and engineering majors, etc.
Influence (Recognition)
U.S. News is one of the most well-known American university rankings, and its influence within the United States is second to none. It is the most recognized global university ranking and the preferred choice for students planning to study in the U.S.
Pros and Cons Analysis
The U.S. News world university rankings place academics in an important position, giving more consideration to the research level of schools, especially the quantity and frequency of citations, which can filter out institutions with truly leading research capabilities. At the same time, it incorporates soft factors such as academic reputation and international exchange. If the current THE ranking combines the characteristics of ARWU and QS, then the USNEWS ranking represents a further development based on THE and ARWU rankings.
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US News and CheersYou（清柚教育） Reach Strategic Cooperation: Is the Next Step for University Rankings a Ranking of Study-Abroad Agencies?
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Overall, the above are currently the world’s most well-known “Big Four Rankings.”
Each ranking inevitably has its own strengths and limitations, but it is believed that they have all done their best to provide the “fairest” rankings.
In situations where information channels are limited, various overseas university rankings can serve as a certain guide, but do not overly rely on them. When choosing a school, don’t just stare at the school’s ranking; authoritative as they are, reference them in moderation.
Subject Rankings Are More Important than Overall Rankings
Overall rankings better reflect a school’s comprehensive strength, while subject rankings evaluate the strength of a specific program at a particular school. On the surface, overall rankings involve teaching quality, research level, facilities, and many other aspects, capable of showing a school’s overall strength comprehensively. However, not every indicator is relevant to Chinese students, and it is also too macro-level.
In contrast, subject rankings reflect the teaching and research strength of a school in a specific field, graduate employment rates, research funding, etc., which are more practically significant for Chinese students.
Specific Data Is More Important than Ranking Position
Only looking at the ranking position is not advisable, but the specific data within the rankings can provide students with more information.
For example, the total ranking score is the basis for the ranking; the higher the score, the better the education quality of the school. Market reputation includes evaluations of the school by applicants and employers; improvement in students’ personal ability before enrollment and after graduation—the higher the score, the more effective the school’s teaching methods.
In addition, student-faculty ratio, graduate employment rate, and school funding are also important reference indicators.
The Best Fit Is More Important than the Best Ranked
When faced with various ranking lists, one must keep a clear mind, not just focus on who is ahead or behind, but learn to sift through the various data in the rankings, find useful reference information, and use it to compare schools and choose the one that suits you best.
These four rankings all score schools based on their overall performance, but a school’s comprehensive ranking may not perfectly align with your choice. If you want to study Financial Engineering, Financial Mathematics, or similar programs, specialized rankings like Quantnet will be more valuable references. And if you plan to develop in academia, then subject rankings become more important than overall rankings. After all, no matter how high your school’s overall ranking is, if its subject ranking is poor, insiders in the field will know clearly.
Moreover, for students in computer science or business, the geographic location of the school may also determine whether you can find a decent internship or job, which greatly helps in a student’s academic and future career development. So don’t just stare at a school’s ranking. When studying abroad, especially in the United States, choosing a school that suits you will yield much more than going to a higher-ranked but unsuitable school.
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Beyond these four major rankings, here are some other rankings to explore!
1. LinkedIn Employment Outlook Ranking
This ranking is based on the employment outcomes of graduates in eight professional fields, which are:
1. Accounting Professionals
2. Software Developers at Startups
3. Media Professionals
4. Marketing Professionals
5. Investment Bankers
6. Designers
7. Software Developers
8. Financial Professionals
2. Acceptance Rate / Selectivity Ranking
Acceptance rate refers to the percentage of admitted students out of the total number of applicants.
The lower the percentage, the lower the acceptance rate of the university, and the harder it is to get into that university. It is important to note that for Chinese students, acceptance rate is one indicator of application difficulty; other factors such as international student proportion, enrollment numbers, geographic location, and yield rate also contribute significantly to application difficulty.
3. Admissions Yield
Admissions yield refers to the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. A higher yield rate indicates that the university is more attractive to students, and it is an important reflection of a university’s reputation.
4. Business Insider Rankings
Business Insider’s rankings are highly practical. Besides comprehensive rankings, it offers over a dozen different rankings, each providing data sources and indicator weights. Due to space limitations, interested readers can search on their own. Below are the types of American university rankings it offers:
1. Most Fun Colleges
2. Most Vibrant Colleges
3. Most Lucrative Colleges
4. Colleges with the Worst Safety Record
5. Colleges with the Smartest Students
6. Safest College Campuses
7. Best College Campuses
8. Best College Dorms
9. Best College Food
10. Best College Locations
11. Colleges with the Best Greek Life
12. Best Colleges for Internships
13. Most Competitive Colleges
5. Council for Aid to Education (CAE) Rankings
The CAE university rankings are based on each institution’s annual fundraising results. A university’s fundraising ability reflects the recognition of its teaching quality by alumni and external donors, as well as its capacity to hire top professors and purchase advanced equipment.
6. The Daily Beast’s Best Colleges Guide
The Daily Beast’s Best Colleges guide uses nine criteria, with academics, future earnings, and affordability carrying the most weight.
Also included are graduation rate, diversity, nightlife, activities, and campus quality.
Its data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics. Salary data is sourced from private companies like PayScale, and student opinion data comes from Niche.
7. The Economist Magazine’s List of America’s Best Colleges
The Economist’s college rankings focus on comparative economic advantage, i.e., the economic value of a school equals the difference between the income of its graduates and the income they would have earned if they had attended a different school.
This ranking is calculated based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, projected earnings, and various other statistics.
8. ETC College Rankings Index
The ETC College Rankings Index is published online by “Educate To Career,” a non-profit organization based in California.
Using data on educational outcomes and employment, it provides free online college and career planning tools. The ETC rankings are based on the improvement in income and employability that graduates experience after attending a particular university.
9. Forbes College Rankings
Forbes has been publishing its America’s Top Colleges ranking since 2008.
Factors considered include student satisfaction, postgraduate success, student debt, graduation rate, and academic achievement. This ranking does not consider institutional prestige.
10. Money’s “Best Colleges”
Money’s college rankings use 21 indicators to measure educational quality, affordability, and alumni earnings.
11. Niche Rankings
Niche ranks and evaluates American universities, focusing on academics, diversity, affordability, and student satisfaction.
In their latest ranking, the top schools are Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Yale, and Rice. Niche also provides a wide variety of practical rankings.
12. The Princeton Review Dream Colleges
The Princeton Review surveys students and parents each year, asking which college they would attend if cost and admissions were not factors.
This year, without considering admission chances and tuition, over 9,000 applicants and 1,600 parents answered this survey to name their dream colleges.
13. Revealed Preference Rankings
Avery et al. first used choice modeling to rank universities. They analyzed the decisions of 3,240 college applicants in 1999.
Since 2009, MyChances.net has been using a similar research method. They study the choices made by students admitted to multiple schools.
They label the school they choose to attend as the “winner” and the others as “losers.” Using an Elo rating system, different points are assigned based on wins and losses, and universities are evaluated according to their Elo points. Elo points can be used to estimate which of two universities a student admitted to both would choose.
14. Social Mobility Index (SMI) Rankings
The Social Mobility Index is jointly published by CollegeNET and PayScale.
The ranking aims to measure the degree of economic advancement a university provides to economically disadvantaged students. It was created in response to findings published in scientific journals that the United States offers its citizens the least economic opportunity and mobility among developed countries.
15. The Top American Research Universities
The Center for Measuring University Performance has been ranking American research universities since 2000.
The methodology is based on data from research publications, citations, recognitions, funding, and undergraduate quality indicators such as SAT scores. All information used comes from public sources, reducing the possibility of manipulation.
16. TrendTopper MediaBuzz College Guide
This guide is an “Internet brand equity” based on Internet and global media resources. It ranks the top 300 U.S. universities and colleges. The guide also includes specialized and for-profit schools, such as those for arts, business, design, music, and online programs.
17. University Entrepreneur Report
The University Entrepreneur Report ranks the top six U.S. universities based on the venture capital raised by their alumni.
According to a CB Insights study of deals from 2007 to 2011, Stanford alumni secured 203 venture capital or angel investments totaling $4.1 billion, more than any other university. Harvard was second with 112 deals totaling $3.8 billion. Excluding the Facebook deal, Harvard alumni secured $1.8 billion in funding, less than half the amount raised by Stanford alumni. UC Berkeley, NYU, UPenn, and MIT each exceeded $1 billion.
18. Washington Monthly National Universities Rankings
The Washington Monthly’s national university rankings began in 2005 and have been published since September 2006. They focus more on research, service, and social mobility.
That is, a school’s research capacity, how many doctoral degrees it produces, the amount of research funding; whether the university contributes to public service, and the level of student engagement in social activities; the school’s admission and graduation rates, return on investment; and also the quality of its faculty.
