Prestigious academic ranking names the top 10 universities in Canada

The top 10 universities in Canada have been revealed in the latest academic ranking, highlighting the best in higher learning.

ShanghaiRanking Consultancy released its latest 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), which analyzes 2,500 universities worldwide. This year, three universities in Canada were in the top 100 globally.

But what about the top universities in Canada — which claim a spot among the country’s best?

Learning institutions nationwide are analyzed through several rigorous criteria, such as the number of staff and alumni who’ve won Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, and the number of highly cited researchers. It also takes into account the number of papers published in Nature and Science, and papers indexed in the Science Citation Index-Expanded and the Social Science Citation Index. Another factor is the institution’s per capita academic performance.

“For each indicator, the highest scoring institution is assigned a score of 100, and other institutions are calculated as a percentage of the top score,” reads the report.

So, which university is at the top this year?

The University of Toronto earned the coveted number-one spot with 23.9 staff and 16.1 alumni who’ve won Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals. The university also boasts 38.9 highly cited researchers and 36.2 papers published in Nature and Science in the past four years.

Read on to learn more about why these top 10 universities in Canada are some of the best across the country.

1. University of Toronto

Toronto, Ont.

National ranking: First

World ranking: 25

World ranking in 2024: 26

Total score: 41.5

Best-ranked subject: Sociology

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 16.1

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 23.9

Highly cited researchers: 38.9

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 36.2

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 79.1

Per capita academic performance: 30

2. University of British Columbia

Vancouver, B.C.

National ranking: Second

World ranking: 53

World ranking in 2024: 47

Total score: 32.3

Best-ranked subject: Geography

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 13.5

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 16.9

Highly cited researchers: 30.9

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 29.1

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 61.9

Per capita academic performance: 22.8

3. McGill University

Montreal, Que.

National ranking: Third

World ranking: 76

World ranking in 2024: 74

Total score: 28.6

Best-ranked subject: Library and information science

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 28.8

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Highly cited researchers: 25.5

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 28.8

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 57.2

Per capita academic performance: 26

4. McMaster University

Hamilton, Ont.

National ranking: Fourth to fifth

World ranking: 101 to 150

World ranking in 2024: 101 to 150

Best-ranked subject: Public health

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 17.7

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 16.9

Highly cited researchers: 27.1

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 11.7

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 43.9

Per capita academic performance: 29.2

5. University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alta.

National ranking: Fourth to fifth

World ranking: 101 to 150

World ranking in 2024: 101 to 150

Best-ranked subject: Agricultural sciences

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 10.2

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 15.6

Highly cited researchers: 20.8

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 18.2

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science  Citation Index: 53.4

Per capita academic performance: 26.3

6. The University of Calgary

Calgary, Alta.

National ranking: Sixth to eighth

World ranking: 151 to 200

World ranking in 2024: 151 to 200

Best-ranked subject: Veterinary sciences

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Highly cited researchers: 24.6

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 15.3

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 46.1

Per capita academic performance: 20.8

7. University of Montreal

Montreal, Que.

National ranking: Sixth to eighth

World ranking: 151 to 200

World ranking in 2024: 151 to 200

Best-ranked subject: Computer science and engineering

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 10.2

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Highly cited researchers: 16.1

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 21.6

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 50.1

Per capita academic performance: 24

8. University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ont.

National ranking: Sixth to eighth

World ranking: 151 to 200

World ranking in 2024: 151 to 200

Best-ranked subject: Hospitality and tourism management

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 13.5

Highly cited researchers: 23.7

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 10.8

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 41

Per capita academic performance: 21.8

9. Queen’s University

Kingston, Ont.

National ranking: Ninth to 10th

World ranking: 201 to 300

World ranking in 2024: 201 to 300

Best-ranked subject: Education

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 12.5

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: 19.1

Highly cited researchers: 11.4

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 9.3

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 33.4

Per capita academic performance: 23.2

10. University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ont.

National ranking: Ninth to 10th

World ranking: 201 to 300

World ranking in 2024: 201 to 300

Best-ranked subject: Public health

Alums who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Staff who won Nobel Prizes and Field Medals: Zero

Highly cited researchers: 20.8

Papers published in Nature and Science (2020 to 2024): 11.8

Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index: 44

Per capita academic performance: 21.5