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EDUCATION

What are the best universities in the world? Countries with the top higher education institutions

Getting a degree from a university with high reputation can bring benefits above and beyond the simple attainment of a higher education diploma.

The best universities in the world

Attaining a university degree can bring with it great rewards by opening doors that provide one with a higher earning potential. But all things being equal, receiving a degree from a more prestigious institution can amplify the benefits that your degree may give you.

The United States has long been known for fostering higher education and the majority of the top academic institutions are located there. But there are opportunities to attend top tier universities in other countries in Europe and Asia. Here’s a look at the universities that have the best reputation in the world.

Best Universities in the world

US News and World Report has ranked 2,000 institutions globally spread across 95 countries based on their academic research and reputation. Their Best Global Universities ranking is different than the outlet’s ranking specifically of just US universities. The United States is home to the most top ranked universities where 15 of the top twenty are located.

China comes in second place for overall number but only has eight universities in the top 100, split evenly between the mainland and Hong Kong. Australia also has eight universities considered to be in the 100 top of class. Throughout Europe there are 35 higher education institutions that rank among the top 100 global universities, with the United Kingdom containing the most at eleven.

The top 25 global universities

RankingUniversityCountry
1Harvard UniversityUSA
2Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)USA
3Stanford UniversityUSA
4University of California BerkeleyUSA
5University of OxfordUK
6University of Washington SeattleUSA
7Columbia UniversityUSA
8University of CambridgeUK
9California Institute of TechnologyUSA
10Johns Hopkins UniversityUSA
11Yale UniversityUSA
12University College LondonUK
13Imperial College LondonUK
14University of California Los AngelesUSA
15University of PennsylvaniaUSA
16Princeton UniversityUSA
17University of California San FranciscoUSA
18University of TorontoCanada
19University of MichiganUSA
20University of California San DiegoUSA
21Cornell UniversityUSA
22University of ChicagoUSA
23Tsinghua UniversityChina
24Northwestern UniversityUSA
25Duke UniversityUSA