World Higher Education IndexGlobal university & programme rankings

Country ranking — 2026 edition

Best Universities in France

France runs two parallel systems: highly selective grandes écoles and large public universities. Both appear here, with the selectivity indicator capturing the concours entry route.

PSL University is ranked first in the 2026 best universities in france, with an overall score of 87.6 out of 100. Institut Polytechnique de Paris is second and Sorbonne University third. 99 institutions are ranked in this edition.

Published

Outcomes 30%Salary 20%Faculty 15%Selectivity 15%Employers 10%Network 10%
  1. 1

    PSL University

    Paris

    Outcomes87
    Salary84
    Faculty92
    Selectivity92
    Employers87
    Network84
    87.6
    Score
  2. 2

    Institut Polytechnique de Paris

    Palaiseau

    Outcomes88
    Salary87
    Faculty88
    Selectivity93
    Employers85
    Network80
    86.0
    Score
  3. 3

    Sorbonne University

    Paris

    Outcomes81
    Salary78
    Faculty89
    Selectivity83
    Employers84
    Network82
    84.8
    Score
  4. 4

    Université Paris-Saclay

    Saclay

    Outcomes84
    Salary81
    Faculty91
    Selectivity86
    Employers85
    Network82
    83.6
    Score
  5. 5

    HEC Paris

    Jouy-en-Josas

    Outcomes88
    Salary92
    Faculty74
    Selectivity90
    Employers88
    Network84
    81.7
    Score
  6. 6

    ENS Lyon

    Lyon

    Outcomes78
    Salary74
    Faculty86
    Selectivity88
    Employers77
    Network70
    78.3
    Score
  7. 7

    Université Grenoble Alpes

    Grenoble

    Outcomes75
    Salary72
    Faculty82
    Selectivity73
    Employers75
    Network73
    74.9
    Score
  8. 8

    Aix-Marseille University

    Marseille

    Outcomes73
    Salary70
    Faculty79
    Selectivity70
    Employers73
    Network72
    72.6
    Score
  9. 9

    Université Paris Cité

    Paris

    Outcomes71
    Salary76
    Faculty74
    Selectivity75
    Employers69
    Network68
    72.0
    Score
  10. 10

    École Polytechnique

    Palaiseau

    Outcomes74
    Salary75
    Faculty72
    Selectivity75
    Employers67
    Network69
    71.6
    Score
  11. 11

    CentraleSupélec

    Gif-sur-Yvette

    Outcomes71
    Salary72
    Faculty67
    Selectivity73
    Employers68
    Network75
    71.3
    Score
  12. 12

    Mines Paris – PSL

    Paris

    Outcomes70
    Salary70
    Faculty75
    Selectivity74
    Employers72
    Network68
    71.0
    Score
  13. 13

    ESSEC Business School

    Cergy

    Outcomes71
    Salary67
    Faculty68
    Selectivity72
    Employers69
    Network69
    70.3
    Score
  14. 14

    ESCP Business School

    Paris

    Outcomes73
    Salary73
    Faculty69
    Selectivity66
    Employers68
    Network71
    69.6
    Score
  15. 15

    EMLyon Business School

    Lyon

    Outcomes68
    Salary69
    Faculty73
    Selectivity67
    Employers70
    Network70
    68.8
    Score
  16. 16

    Sciences Po

    Paris

    Outcomes69
    Salary68
    Faculty69
    Selectivity65
    Employers71
    Network65
    68.4
    Score
  17. 17

    ENS Paris-Saclay

    Gif-sur-Yvette

    Outcomes65
    Salary69
    Faculty69
    Selectivity68
    Employers64
    Network70
    68.1
    Score
  18. 18

    Université de Strasbourg

    Strasbourg

    Outcomes69
    Salary64
    Faculty71
    Selectivity63
    Employers69
    Network66
    67.5
    Score
  19. 19

    Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

    Lyon

    Outcomes67
    Salary69
    Faculty69
    Selectivity65
    Employers69
    Network68
    66.9
    Score
  20. 20

    Université de Lille

    Lille

    Outcomes71
    Salary70
    Faculty69
    Selectivity63
    Employers63
    Network69
    66.2
    Score
  21. 21

    Université de Bordeaux

    Bordeaux

    Outcomes68
    Salary65
    Faculty69
    Selectivity69
    Employers67
    Network63
    65.8
    Score
  22. 22

    Université de Montpellier

    Montpellier

    Outcomes65
    Salary66
    Faculty65
    Selectivity67
    Employers68
    Network66
    65.4
    Score
  23. 23

    Université de Toulouse

    Toulouse

    Outcomes66
    Salary61
    Faculty62
    Selectivity69
    Employers63
    Network66
    64.8
    Score
  24. 24

    Université de Nantes

    Nantes

    Outcomes69
    Salary62
    Faculty63
    Selectivity67
    Employers68
    Network68
    64.5
    Score
  25. 25

    Université de Rennes

    Rennes

    Outcomes65
    Salary61
    Faculty68
    Selectivity67
    Employers67
    Network63
    64.0
    Score
  26. 26

    Université Côte d'Azur

    Nice

    Outcomes62
    Salary61
    Faculty62
    Selectivity65
    Employers65
    Network61
    63.4
    Score
  27. 27

    Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas

    Paris

    Outcomes62
    Salary65
    Faculty62
    Selectivity60
    Employers62
    Network67
    62.8
    Score
  28. 28

    Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

    Paris

    Outcomes65
    Salary60
    Faculty64
    Selectivity59
    Employers59
    Network59
    62.5
    Score
  29. 29

    Université Paris Nanterre

    Nanterre

    Outcomes66
    Salary66
    Faculty60
    Selectivity64
    Employers61
    Network66
    62.2
    Score
  30. 30

    Université Paris 8

    Saint-Denis

    Outcomes61
    Salary65
    Faculty61
    Selectivity60
    Employers58
    Network64
    61.4
    Score
  31. 31

    Université Paris-Est Créteil

    Créteil

    Outcomes59
    Salary60
    Faculty57
    Selectivity63
    Employers63
    Network63
    61.1
    Score
  32. 32

    Université Gustave Eiffel

    Marne-la-Vallée

    Outcomes58
    Salary63
    Faculty62
    Selectivity61
    Employers57
    Network64
    60.6
    Score
  33. 33

    Université de Lorraine

    Nancy

    Outcomes60
    Salary58
    Faculty64
    Selectivity58
    Employers63
    Network64
    60.0
    Score
  34. 34

    Université de Bourgogne

    Dijon

    Outcomes59
    Salary61
    Faculty56
    Selectivity58
    Employers61
    Network57
    59.2
    Score
  35. 35

    Université de Franche-Comté

    Besançon

    Outcomes60
    Salary57
    Faculty61
    Selectivity56
    Employers55
    Network55
    58.7
    Score
  36. 36

    Université de Caen Normandie

    Caen

    Outcomes62
    Salary62
    Faculty56
    Selectivity54
    Employers58
    Network54
    58.0
    Score
  37. 37

    Université de Rouen Normandie

    Rouen

    Outcomes59
    Salary59
    Faculty56
    Selectivity61
    Employers61
    Network61
    57.4
    Score
  38. 38

    Université Clermont Auvergne

    Clermont-Ferrand

    Outcomes52
    Salary57
    Faculty59
    Selectivity56
    Employers53
    Network55
    56.7
    Score
  39. 39

    Université de Poitiers

    Poitiers

    Outcomes58
    Salary54
    Faculty59
    Selectivity54
    Employers59
    Network60
    56.2
    Score
  40. 40

    Université de Limoges

    Limoges

    Outcomes59
    Salary58
    Faculty54
    Selectivity60
    Employers56
    Network56
    55.9
    Score
  41. 41

    Université de Tours

    Tours

    Outcomes59
    Salary55
    Faculty58
    Selectivity52
    Employers55
    Network55
    55.2
    Score
  42. 42

    Université d'Orléans

    Orléans

    Outcomes55
    Salary53
    Faculty51
    Selectivity56
    Employers55
    Network51
    54.8
    Score
  43. 43

    Université d'Angers

    Angers

    Outcomes51
    Salary59
    Faculty57
    Selectivity51
    Employers52
    Network52
    54.3
    Score
  44. 44

    Université du Mans

    Le Mans

    Outcomes58
    Salary50
    Faculty53
    Selectivity57
    Employers57
    Network49
    53.7
    Score
  45. 45

    Université de Bretagne Occidentale

    Brest

    Outcomes50
    Salary54
    Faculty56
    Selectivity50
    Employers50
    Network52
    53.1
    Score
  46. 46

    Université de Bretagne Sud

    Lorient

    Outcomes51
    Salary56
    Faculty57
    Selectivity56
    Employers56
    Network53
    52.8
    Score
  47. 47

    Université de La Rochelle

    La Rochelle

    Outcomes51
    Salary48
    Faculty56
    Selectivity51
    Employers51
    Network50
    52.1
    Score
  48. 48

    Université de Pau

    Pau

    Outcomes55
    Salary50
    Faculty54
    Selectivity53
    Employers53
    Network50
    51.5
    Score
  49. 49

    Université de Perpignan

    Perpignan

    Outcomes52
    Salary54
    Faculty48
    Selectivity48
    Employers55
    Network49
    50.8
    Score
  50. 50

    Université de Nîmes

    Nîmes

    Outcomes53
    Salary54
    Faculty53
    Selectivity52
    Employers49
    Network54
    50.0
    Score
  51. 51

    Université d'Avignon

    Avignon

    Outcomes48
    Salary51
    Faculty53
    Selectivity47
    Employers46
    Network52
    49.4
    Score
  52. 52

    Université Toulon

    Toulon

    Outcomes46
    Salary50
    Faculty45
    Selectivity51
    Employers46
    Network46
    49.1
    Score
  53. 53

    Université Savoie Mont Blanc

    Chambéry

    Outcomes49
    Salary52
    Faculty44
    Selectivity48
    Employers49
    Network50
    48.4
    Score
  54. 54

    Université Jean Monnet

    Saint-Étienne

    Outcomes47
    Salary47
    Faculty49
    Selectivity48
    Employers49
    Network52
    48.0
    Score
  55. 55

    Université Lumière Lyon 2

    Lyon

    Outcomes47
    Salary48
    Faculty45
    Selectivity47
    Employers51
    Network48
    47.6
    Score
  56. 56

    Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3

    Lyon

    Outcomes49
    Salary46
    Faculty43
    Selectivity46
    Employers51
    Network50
    47.0
    Score
  57. 57

    INSA Lyon

    Lyon

    Outcomes45
    Salary43
    Faculty49
    Selectivity48
    Employers45
    Network48
    46.2
    Score
  58. 58

    INSA Toulouse

    Toulouse

    Outcomes44
    Salary43
    Faculty42
    Selectivity48
    Employers50
    Network45
    45.6
    Score
  59. 59

    IMT Atlantique

    Nantes

    Outcomes43
    Salary45
    Faculty41
    Selectivity48
    Employers47
    Network45
    45.1
    Score
  60. 60

    Télécom Paris

    Palaiseau

    Outcomes46
    Salary43
    Faculty43
    Selectivity43
    Employers45
    Network43
    44.4
    Score
  61. 61

    ENSAE Paris

    Palaiseau

    Outcomes45
    Salary44
    Faculty47
    Selectivity45
    Employers39
    Network44
    43.9
    Score
  62. 62

    Arts et Métiers ParisTech

    Paris

    Outcomes42
    Salary46
    Faculty41
    Selectivity39
    Employers42
    Network43
    43.2
    Score
  63. 63

    AgroParisTech

    Palaiseau

    Outcomes39
    Salary46
    Faculty43
    Selectivity45
    Employers43
    Network40
    42.9
    Score
  64. 64

    École des Ponts ParisTech

    Champs-sur-Marne

    Outcomes45
    Salary40
    Faculty46
    Selectivity45
    Employers45
    Network39
    42.3
    Score
  65. 65

    Chimie ParisTech

    Paris

    Outcomes40
    Salary40
    Faculty43
    Selectivity45
    Employers42
    Network43
    41.6
    Score
  66. 66

    ESPCI Paris

    Paris

    Outcomes41
    Salary45
    Faculty40
    Selectivity39
    Employers38
    Network44
    41.2
    Score
  67. 67

    EDHEC Business School

    Lille

    Outcomes43
    Salary40
    Faculty38
    Selectivity43
    Employers44
    Network42
    41.2
    Score
  68. 68

    Audencia Business School

    Nantes

    Outcomes43
    Salary41
    Faculty44
    Selectivity40
    Employers38
    Network45
    41.2
    Score
  69. 69

    Grenoble Ecole de Management

    Grenoble

    Outcomes43
    Salary41
    Faculty44
    Selectivity43
    Employers44
    Network45
    41.2
    Score
  70. 70

    SKEMA Business School

    Sophia Antipolis

    Outcomes45
    Salary38
    Faculty43
    Selectivity39
    Employers38
    Network42
    41.2
    Score
  71. 71

    NEOMA Business School

    Reims

    Outcomes38
    Salary42
    Faculty43
    Selectivity42
    Employers38
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  72. 72

    KEDGE Business School

    Bordeaux

    Outcomes42
    Salary42
    Faculty42
    Selectivity41
    Employers39
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  73. 73

    Toulouse Business School

    Toulouse

    Outcomes38
    Salary45
    Faculty45
    Selectivity40
    Employers38
    Network41
    41.2
    Score
  74. 74

    Rennes School of Business

    Rennes

    Outcomes38
    Salary40
    Faculty42
    Selectivity45
    Employers39
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  75. 75

    Montpellier Business School

    Montpellier

    Outcomes44
    Salary40
    Faculty42
    Selectivity43
    Employers41
    Network42
    41.2
    Score
  76. 76

    Burgundy School of Business

    Dijon

    Outcomes41
    Salary41
    Faculty45
    Selectivity45
    Employers39
    Network44
    41.2
    Score
  77. 77

    ISC Paris

    Paris

    Outcomes38
    Salary41
    Faculty39
    Selectivity40
    Employers42
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  78. 78

    IÉSEG School of Management

    Lille

    Outcomes41
    Salary43
    Faculty42
    Selectivity39
    Employers42
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  79. 79

    Université de Reims

    Reims

    Outcomes39
    Salary40
    Faculty46
    Selectivity43
    Employers38
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  80. 80

    Université de Picardie Jules Verne

    Amiens

    Outcomes41
    Salary40
    Faculty39
    Selectivity44
    Employers39
    Network42
    41.2
    Score
  81. 81

    Université d'Artois

    Arras

    Outcomes44
    Salary43
    Faculty40
    Selectivity43
    Employers41
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  82. 82

    Université du Littoral

    Dunkerque

    Outcomes44
    Salary38
    Faculty41
    Selectivity39
    Employers44
    Network46
    41.2
    Score
  83. 83

    Université de Valenciennes

    Valenciennes

    Outcomes43
    Salary38
    Faculty45
    Selectivity38
    Employers45
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  84. 84

    Université de Corse

    Corte

    Outcomes42
    Salary38
    Faculty45
    Selectivity40
    Employers39
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  85. 85

    Université des Antilles

    Pointe-à-Pitre

    Outcomes44
    Salary39
    Faculty40
    Selectivity38
    Employers41
    Network41
    41.2
    Score
  86. 86

    Université de La Réunion

    Saint-Denis

    Outcomes45
    Salary44
    Faculty42
    Selectivity45
    Employers38
    Network42
    41.2
    Score
  87. 87

    Université de la Polynésie française

    Papeete

    Outcomes38
    Salary45
    Faculty40
    Selectivity42
    Employers41
    Network39
    41.2
    Score
  88. 88

    Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie

    Nouméa

    Outcomes38
    Salary42
    Faculty44
    Selectivity40
    Employers40
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  89. 89

    Université de Guyane

    Cayenne

    Outcomes40
    Salary40
    Faculty40
    Selectivity38
    Employers38
    Network43
    41.2
    Score
  90. 90

    Université Paris-Est Marne

    Marne-la-Vallée

    Outcomes43
    Salary42
    Faculty38
    Selectivity41
    Employers40
    Network39
    41.2
    Score
  91. 91

    Université Sorbonne Paris Nord

    Villetaneuse

    Outcomes45
    Salary44
    Faculty46
    Selectivity45
    Employers44
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  92. 92

    Université d'Évry

    Évry

    Outcomes38
    Salary45
    Faculty44
    Selectivity42
    Employers38
    Network44
    41.2
    Score
  93. 93

    CY Cergy Paris Université

    Cergy

    Outcomes42
    Salary43
    Faculty39
    Selectivity42
    Employers38
    Network43
    41.2
    Score
  94. 94

    Université de Versailles

    Versailles

    Outcomes42
    Salary38
    Faculty42
    Selectivity40
    Employers39
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  95. 95

    Université Grenoble INP

    Grenoble

    Outcomes40
    Salary38
    Faculty40
    Selectivity39
    Employers42
    Network43
    41.2
    Score
  96. 96

    Université Toulouse Capitole

    Toulouse

    Outcomes45
    Salary44
    Faculty41
    Selectivity44
    Employers44
    Network45
    41.2
    Score
  97. 97

    Université Toulouse-Jean Jaurès

    Toulouse

    Outcomes39
    Salary40
    Faculty43
    Selectivity41
    Employers39
    Network40
    41.2
    Score
  98. 98

    Université Bordeaux Montaigne

    Bordeaux

    Outcomes38
    Salary40
    Faculty43
    Selectivity40
    Employers40
    Network38
    41.2
    Score
  99. 99

    Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier

    Montpellier

    Outcomes38
    Salary40
    Faculty39
    Selectivity41
    Employers44
    Network45
    41.2
    Score

France 2026: frequently asked questions

Which institution is number one in the 2026 france ranking?
PSL University, based in Paris, ranks first with an overall score of 87.6 out of 100.
How is this ranking calculated?
Every entry is scored on the same six weighted indicators — Graduate outcomes (30%), Salary uplift (20%), Faculty & research strength (15%), Selectivity (15%), Employer reputation (10%), Cohort & network reach (10%) — each normalised across the table and combined into an overall score out of 100. Nothing is reweighted table by table.
How many institutions are ranked, and how often is the table updated?
99 institutions appear in the 2026 edition. A new edition is published every year on 30 September, with all six indicators re-collected for that edition.
Can an institution pay to appear or move up?
No. No institution pays to be assessed, to appear in a table, or to change its position, and no score is shown to an institution before publication.

Related rankings

Scored on the composite set out in our methodology. See also all rankings.