Australian National University Rankings (ANU) 2025-2026: Global Position, Subject Rankings, and Comparison Analysis

The Australian National University (ANU) was established as Australia's only national research university almost 80 years ago in 1946, and it has also become one of the best universities in the world. The evidence is clear: there is no ambiguity - according to QS World University Rankings 2026 rankings results as published on their website, ANU is 4th in Australia, and 32nd in the world. 

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 tell the same story of ANU being the 73rd best in the world, and 4th nationally. For students and families, these high rankings deliver world class education, and great research opportunities, as well as degrees recognised in every country in the world. 

If you want to study at a top-ranked, award-winning university like ANU, book a 1:1 counselling session today and start your journey. 

How has ANU's ranking changed over the years? 

In terms of performance from 2024 to 2026, the Australian National University rankings were mixed. They continued to have strong representation as a leading institution in the world. The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings indicated a slight decline from 67th in 2024 to 73rd in 2025, still indicating strong representation as a global top 100 rank. The QS World University Rankings appeared to tell a more positive picture of trajectory of the ANU.  

ANU progressed from 34th in 2024, to 30th in 2025, to 32nd in 2026. Overall, ANU ranked better on the upward trend of rankings which reflects the higher recognition of the institution at an international level on the university's academic reputation. ANU was also ranked 86th in 2025 on the U.S. News Best Global Universities which further accounts for its growth on a global scale. 

How does ANU compare to other Australian universities in global rankings? 

Australian National University (ANU) is one of Australia's top-ranked universities with its 32nd position in QS World University Rankings 2026; 73rd in THE World University Rankings 2025; and 86th in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-26. 

The University of Melbourne was ranked highest in Australia ranked 19th in QS and 39th in THE; U.S. News rated University of Melbourne 30th in the world. The University of Sydney achieved 25th in QS and 61st in THE; and was rated 29th by U.S. News. UNSW Sydney claimed 20th in QS, 83rd in THE and was ranked 34th by U.S. News. 

ANU ranks 4th in rankings of Australian universities or institutions and ranks well in all of the major rankings. ANU does not rank as highly as Melbourne, Sydney or UNSW, but still demonstrates good academic quality and good research performance consistently, and it does particularly well in some specialisation areas and ANU is the only Australian member of the World's top 100 universities. 

What are the rankings for ANU in specific subjects?

ANU’s 2025 subject rankings show clear global strength in humanities, law, and technology. Arts & Humanities stands out, ranking 65th (THE), 39th (QS), and 31st (U.S. News), while Law secures 31st (THE) and 30th (QS), placing it among the top 50 worldwide. Business & Economics performs consistently, with rankings around the 70–80 range across bodies. Computer Science remains competitive at 81st (THE) and 67th (U.S. News). Psychology and Medicine/Health hold mid-tier positions, suggesting room for growth. Overall, ANU demonstrates strong academic leadership in key disciplines, reinforcing its global reputation and competitive edge in both research and teaching excellence. 

What is ANU's ranking in the QS World University Rankings 2026? 

In the QS World University Rankings for 2026, the Australian National University (ANU) was rated during academic success to be 32nd globally reflecting high level academic reputation, strong research activity and wide international collaboration.  

QS uses a weighted composite of indicators to measure higher education institutions. The institutions are evaluated using an assortment of indicators including their academic reputation, research impact, employer reputation and international outlook. ANU's results from each of these areas is outlined below. 

What is ANU's ranking in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025? 

The 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings places Australian National University at position 73 in their world university rankings. THE ranks universities on five key indicators designed to assess teaching quality and learning environment, research environment, research quality, industry income, and international outlook. Each indicator evaluates different aspects of university performance including learning environment (TEACHING), research environment and output (RESEARCH), research impact and quality (QUALITY), knowledge transfer and industry collaboration (INDUSTRY), and internationalization (OUTLOOK). 

The following table outlines the metrics for Australian National University across each performance indicator and overall score: 

What is the graduate employability ranking of Australian National University? 

Nine Australian universities feature in the Global University Employability Ranking 2025, conducted by HR consultancy Emerging and published exclusively by Times Higher Education. The ranking showcases the universities that international top employers believe prepare its students best for the workplace.  

The Australian National University ranked #1 in Australia for graduate employability, ahead of the second, University of Melbourne, and the third ranked, University of Sydney, and the Australian National University leads nationally across 12 academic disciplines.