McGill University Ranking

McGill University is widely regarded as one of Canada’s top research-intensive institutions and a global leader in higher education. Based in Montreal, Quebec, McGill consistently ranks among the top 50 universities worldwide, attracting over 12,000 international students from 150+ countries including a growing number from India thanks to its academic prestige, innovation, and multicultural environment.

In the QS World University Rankings 2026, McGill holds a stellar global rank of #27, reaffirming its position as Canada’s #1 university and a top destination for globally minded students. The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 also places McGill in the top 50 globally, recognizing its research excellence, international outlook, and teaching reputation.

How is McGill University ranked globally in 2025–26?

McGill University has shown a steady upward trend in the QS World University Rankings, rising from #30 in 2024 to #29 in 2025, and further to #27 in 2026. This consistent climb reflects its growing international reputation, particularly in academic excellence and employer recognition, making it the top-ranked university in Canada in QS 2026. In the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, McGill improved its position from #49 in 2024 to #45 in 2025, highlighting its strengthening performance in research impact, teaching, and global outlook.

Although THE’s 2026 update is yet to be released, the existing upward trajectory is a positive indicator. On the other hand, U.S. News Best Global Universities shows a slight dip, with McGill falling from #56 in 2024 to #62 in 2025/26, possibly reflecting stiffer global competition or metric-specific shifts. Nonetheless, the QS and THE trends signal McGill’s sustained global ascent and academic competitiveness.

Ranking Body	2024	2025	2026
QS World University Rankings	#30	#29	#27
Times Higher Education (THE)	#49	#45	N/A
U.S. News Best Global Universities	#56	#62	#62

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How does McGill University rank in Canada?

McGill University is widely regarded as one of the top three universities in Canada, consistently ranking alongside the University of Toronto (UofT) and the University of British Columbia (UBC). Its strong academic reputation, research output, and international appeal make it a key destination for students both locally and globally.

Is McGill University the top university in Canada in 2025?

McGill continues to be a top 3 university in Canada, though University of Toronto usually claims the #1 spot in most global rankings due to its size, research scale, and international collaborations. UBC often ranks second, while McGill either ties or slightly trails, depending on the ranking methodology.

Top Canadian Universities in Global Rankings (2025–26)

University	QS 2026 Rank	THE 2025 Rank	U.S. News 2025 Rank
McGill University	#27	45	62
University of Toronto (UofT)	#29	21	16
University of British Columbia	#40	41	41
University of Alberta	~#94	116	~136
Université de Montréal	~#168	125	~135

What are the top-ranked subjects at McGill University in 2025?

McGill University excels in several academic courses, most widely acknowledged being courses in engineering, medicine, etc.

The following are the top courses in the past years as ranked by top ranking bodies.

McGill University – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 (Top Subjects)

McGill University shines across a range of academic disciplines in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. It ranks an impressive 3rd in the world for Mineral & Mining Engineering, highlighting its hands-on research and strong industry ties. In Anatomy & Physiology, McGill is ranked 5th globally, thanks to its renowned medical faculty and focus on life sciences. The university’s creative strengths also stand out its Music programs are ranked among the top 20, while Environmental Sciences and Performing Arts both sit comfortably within the top 25 worldwide, reflecting McGill’s commitment to both scientific discovery and the arts.

Subject	QS 2025 Rank
Engineering – Mineral & Mining	#3
Anatomy & Physiology	#5
Music	#14
Environmental Sciences	#21
Performing Arts	#21

 McGill University – THE Subject Rankings 2025

McGill’s performance in THE’s subject rankings showcases a broad spectrum of academic excellence in 2025. Leading disciplines, including Medical & Health (#29) and Education Studies (#38), highlight globally recognized programs that combine strong research output and world-class faculty. Its solid positions in Engineering (#73), Computer Science (#76), and Life Sciences (#40) further reflect McGill’s comprehensive strength across STEM, humanities, and social sciences cementing its place among the world’s top universities in multiple fields.

Subject Area	THE 2025 Global Rank
Medical & Health	#29
Education	#38
Life Sciences	#40
Engineering	#73
Computer Science	#76

McGill University – U.S. News Subject Rankings 2025

McGill University performs strongly across a diverse range of disciplines in the 2025 U.S. News Best Global Universities subject rankings. It ranks #42 in Arts and Humanities and #43 in Biology and Biochemistry, reflecting its academic depth in both creative and scientific domains. Its #45 ranking in Agricultural Sciences highlights strengths in sustainability and life sciences, while Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems sits at a respectable #75, emphasizing McGill's medical research excellence. Though lower in Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology (#231), the university maintains a broad interdisciplinary presence globally.

Subject Area	U.S. News 2025 Rank
Agricultural Sciences	#45
Arts and Humanities	#42
Biology and Biochemistry	#43
Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology (tie)	#231
Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems	#75

H2: How does McGill compare with other top global universities?

McGill University consistently holds its own on the global stage, standing shoulder to shoulder with prestigious institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. Its strong academic reputation, research impact, and international outlook ensure it remains one of the most respected public universities in the world.

McGill University vs University of Toronto vs University of British Columbia: Which is better?

Choosing a university for higher studies is a big decision, and making the right choice often means comparing it with similar institutions. 

To get a clearer picture, let’s compare McGill University with similar universities like University of Toronto and University of British Columbia .  

Parameter	McGill University	University of Toronto	University of British Columbia
QS Ranking (2026)	#27 globally    #1 in Canada	#29 globally    #2 in Canada	#40 globally    #3 in Canada
Type	Public Research University	Public Research University	Public Research University
Tuition Fees (UG, Intl.)	~CAD 35,700/year (approx. ₹22 Lakh)	~CAD 60,000/year (approx. ₹37 Lakh)	CAD 49,600-64,100/year (~₹30-39 Lakh/year)

What is the employability and student satisfaction of McGill graduates?

McGill University boasts high graduate employability and strong student satisfaction. It ranks 31st globally in the Times Higher Education Employability Rankings 2025 and is consistently praised for employer reputation and alumni outcomes. Student surveys highlight a positive campus environment and high academic quality across programs.

What is McGill’s score in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2025?

• McGill ranks 31st globally and 2nd in Canada in the THE Global Employability Rankings 2025, based on a survey of more than 10,000 employers.
• In the QS 2026 rankings, McGill performs strongly in employability indicators:
  • Employment Outcomes: 24th globally
  • Employer Reputation: 54th globally
  • International Research Network: 94th globally

Key Takeaway: McGill graduates are highly regarded globally, with strong employment outcomes and high employer reputation.

How satisfied are students and faculty at McGill?

• Maclean’s 2025 ranks McGill #1 among Medical‑Doctoral universities in Canada for student satisfaction, faculty quality, and research funding.

Campus Experience:

• Positive perspectives highlight McGill’s scenic campus, vibrant student life, and global community.
• Some critiques mention variability in teaching effectiveness and challenges with academic advising.

Overall Summary: McGill offers a compelling student experience backed by academic prestige and international appeal though experiences vary across faculties.

What is McGill’s QS World University Ranking 2026?

McGill University secured a global rank of #27 in the QS World University Rankings 2026, overtaking the University of Toronto to claim the top spot in Canada. This rise is due to strong scores in academic reputation, citations, international faculty and student ratios, employment outcomes, and sustainability metrics.

Ranking Trend: QS 2024–2026

Year	Global Rank
2024	30
2025	29
2026	27

Note: The university steadily improved from positions 29 to 27 in the 2026 update

QS Methodology Highlights: The QS World University Rankings emphasize a balance between academic and employer reputation, faculty research impact, and international student engagement. QS introduced new indicators like Employment Outcomes and Sustainability to better reflect real-world success.

Focus Area	Indicators	Weightage
Research & Discovery	Academic Reputation	30%
	Citations per Faculty	20%
Employability	Employer Reputation	15%
	Employment Outcomes	5%
Global Engagement	International Faculty Ratio	5%
	International Research Network	5%
	International Student Ratio	5%
	International Student Diversity	0%
Learning Experience	Faculty/Student Ratio	10%
Sustainability	Sustainability Score	5%

What is McGill’s Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking 2025?

In the THE World University Rankings 2025, McGill is placed at #45 globally and ranked 3rd in Canada, behind University of Toronto (#21) and University of British Columbia (#41).

Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings Trend (2024–2026)

Year	Global Rank
2024	~49
2025	~45
2026	To be announced

THE places McGill at #45 globally in 2025, marking an improvement from previous years and ranking it third in Canada behind UofT and UBC.

THE Methodology Highlights: THE World University Rankings 2025 uses an updated methodology that evaluates universities across five key pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, International Outlook, and Industry. The 2025 model places a stronger emphasis on research quality, now accounting for 30% of the total score, highlighting research excellence, influence, and impact more holistically.

Focus Area	Indicators	Weightage
Teaching (29.5%)	Teaching Reputation	15.0%
	Student-Staff Ratio	4.5%
	Doctorate-to-Bachelor’s Ratio	2.0%
	Doctorates Awarded to Academic Staff	5.5%
	Institutional Income	2.5%
Research Environment (29%)	Research Reputation	18.0%
	Research Income	5.5%
	Research Productivity	5.5%
Research Quality (30%)	Citation Impact	15.0%
	Research Strength	5.0%
	Research Excellence	5.0%
	Research Influence	5.0%
International Outlook (7.5%)	International Students	2.5%
	International Staff	2.5%
	International Collaboration	2.5%
Industry (4%)	Industry Income	2.0%
	Patents	2.0%

Where does McGill stand in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025?

McGill University is ranked at #62 globally in the 2025–26 U.S. News Best Global Universities rankings, placing it as the 3rd highest-ranked Canadian university after the University of Toronto (#16) and UBC (#41).

U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings Trend (2024–2026)

Year	Global Rank
2024	56
2025	62
2026	62

U.S. News Methodology Highlights: The U.S. News Rankings use metrics that focus on student success and institutional resources. This includes graduation and retention rates, financial aid availability, and how well colleges serve low-income students. It's particularly valuable for students considering U.S.-based universities.

Focus Area	Indicators	Weightage
Student Outcomes	Graduation Rates	16%
	First-Year Retention	5%
	Graduation Rate Performance	10%
	Pell Grant Graduation Rate	5.5%
	Pell Grant Graduation Performance	5.5%
Post-Graduation Success	College Grads Earning More Than HS Grads	5%
	Borrower Debt	5%
Academic Reputation	Peer Assessment	20%
Financial Resources	Faculty Salaries	8%
	Financial Resources per Student	8%
Faculty Excellence	Full-Time Faculty Ratio	3%
	Student-Faculty Ratio	4%
Standardized Tests	SAT/ACT (optional but still considered)	5%

Conclusion

McGill University continues to be one of the world’s top institutions in 2025–26, offering globally respected programs, high employability, and strong student satisfaction. Ranked #1 in Canada by QS World University Rankings 2026 and consistently in the top 50 globally, McGill excels in research, teaching, and graduate outcomes. Whether you're aiming for a career in medicine, law, engineering, or the sciences, McGill’s academic excellence and vibrant student life make it a top destination for international students.