Which institution is number one in the 2026 united kingdom ranking?

Imperial College London, based in London, ranks first with an overall score of 98.6 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?

100 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.

Country ranking — 2026 edition

Best Universities in the United Kingdom

A whole-institution view of the United Kingdom, weighting graduate outcomes and selectivity alongside research strength.

Imperial College London is ranked first in the 2026 best universities in the united kingdom, with an overall score of 98.6 out of 100. University of Oxford is second and London School of Economics third. 100 institutions are ranked in this edition.

Published 30 September 2025

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

RankInstitution & programmeOverall

1
Imperial College London
London
Outcomes98
Salary96
Faculty98
Selectivity97
Employers98
Network95
98.6
Score
2
University of Oxford
Oxford
Outcomes97
Salary94
Faculty99
Selectivity99
Employers99
Network96
98.3
Score
3
London School of Economics
London
Outcomes94
Salary98
Faculty95
Selectivity96
Employers94
Network93
95.5
Score
4
University of Cambridge
Cambridge
Outcomes97
Salary93
Faculty99
Selectivity99
Employers99
Network95
95.2
Score
5
University College London
London
Outcomes93
Salary90
Faculty96
Selectivity92
Employers95
Network94
94.1
Score
6
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Outcomes88
Salary84
Faculty92
Selectivity88
Employers90
Network91
86.9
Score
7
University of Manchester
Manchester
Outcomes85
Salary81
Faculty88
Selectivity82
Employers87
Network86
84.6
Score
8
King's College London
London
Outcomes84
Salary82
Faculty86
Selectivity82
Employers83
Network84
84.0
Score
9
University of Warwick
Coventry
Outcomes88
Salary85
Faculty87
Selectivity86
Employers86
Network84
82.7
Score
10
University of Bristol
Bristol
Outcomes85
Salary82
Faculty86
Selectivity84
Employers84
Network81
81.9
Score
11
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
Outcomes82
Salary83
Faculty83
Selectivity85
Employers85
Network80
81.2
Score
12
Durham University
Durham
Outcomes85
Salary81
Faculty77
Selectivity78
Employers85
Network83
80.8
Score
13
University of St Andrews
St Andrews
Outcomes82
Salary76
Faculty79
Selectivity81
Employers77
Network79
80.3
Score
14
University of Southampton
Southampton
Outcomes83
Salary81
Faculty84
Selectivity76
Employers84
Network81
79.9
Score
15
University of Bath
Bath
Outcomes84
Salary80
Faculty81
Selectivity83
Employers76
Network76
79.6
Score
16
University of Birmingham
Birmingham
Outcomes80
Salary76
Faculty75
Selectivity81
Employers76
Network79
78.9
Score
17
University of Leeds
Leeds
Outcomes78
Salary74
Faculty78
Selectivity76
Employers78
Network82
78.4
Score
18
University of Sheffield
Sheffield
Outcomes82
Salary82
Faculty80
Selectivity81
Employers75
Network81
78.1
Score
19
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
Outcomes81
Salary75
Faculty78
Selectivity73
Employers81
Network76
77.6
Score
20
University of Exeter
Exeter
Outcomes75
Salary73
Faculty80
Selectivity73
Employers80
Network78
77.2
Score
21
Lancaster University
Lancaster
Outcomes80
Salary78
Faculty77
Selectivity77
Employers75
Network75
76.6
Score
22
University of York
York
Outcomes73
Salary78
Faculty76
Selectivity72
Employers79
Network74
76.1
Score
23
Queen Mary University of London
London
Outcomes78
Salary75
Faculty80
Selectivity78
Employers73
Network72
75.6
Score
24
Cardiff University
Cardiff
Outcomes75
Salary74
Faculty76
Selectivity73
Employers72
Network73
75.0
Score
25
University of Liverpool
Liverpool
Outcomes75
Salary73
Faculty72
Selectivity76
Employers71
Network75
74.5
Score
26
Newcastle University
Newcastle
Outcomes78
Salary73
Faculty73
Selectivity77
Employers75
Network72
74.1
Score
27
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Outcomes74
Salary77
Faculty76
Selectivity71
Employers75
Network75
73.6
Score
28
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Outcomes73
Salary76
Faculty73
Selectivity74
Employers70
Network74
72.9
Score
29
University of Sussex
Brighton
Outcomes75
Salary75
Faculty71
Selectivity75
Employers76
Network72
72.3
Score
30
University of Reading
Reading
Outcomes74
Salary71
Faculty69
Selectivity75
Employers74
Network70
72.0
Score
31
University of Surrey
Guildford
Outcomes68
Salary74
Faculty67
Selectivity68
Employers70
Network69
71.5
Score
32
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow
Outcomes68
Salary74
Faculty69
Selectivity73
Employers70
Network73
70.9
Score
33
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh
Outcomes71
Salary66
Faculty74
Selectivity67
Employers73
Network72
70.1
Score
34
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast
Outcomes73
Salary65
Faculty71
Selectivity66
Employers74
Network66
69.6
Score
35
University of East Anglia
Norwich
Outcomes68
Salary73
Faculty71
Selectivity72
Employers73
Network65
69.2
Score
36
University of Leicester
Leicester
Outcomes71
Salary67
Faculty72
Selectivity73
Employers69
Network67
68.5
Score
37
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham
Outcomes69
Salary69
Faculty69
Selectivity68
Employers65
Network69
67.8
Score
38
SOAS University of London
London
Outcomes69
Salary63
Faculty65
Selectivity72
Employers63
Network68
67.3
Score
39
City St George's, University of London
London
Outcomes65
Salary70
Faculty67
Selectivity71
Employers65
Network68
66.8
Score
40
Birkbeck, University of London
London
Outcomes63
Salary69
Faculty67
Selectivity66
Employers63
Network70
66.5
Score
41
Brunel University of London
Uxbridge
Outcomes66
Salary64
Faculty67
Selectivity65
Employers63
Network62
66.0
Score
42
University of Dundee
Dundee
Outcomes61
Salary62
Faculty69
Selectivity69
Employers67
Network63
65.2
Score
43
Swansea University
Swansea
Outcomes63
Salary62
Faculty63
Selectivity65
Employers64
Network61
64.7
Score
44
University of Kent
Canterbury
Outcomes63
Salary63
Faculty61
Selectivity62
Employers65
Network62
64.2
Score
45
Aston University
Birmingham
Outcomes65
Salary60
Faculty63
Selectivity61
Employers63
Network62
63.6
Score
46
University of Essex
Colchester
Outcomes59
Salary60
Faculty65
Selectivity59
Employers63
Network64
62.9
Score
47
University of Stirling
Stirling
Outcomes63
Salary63
Faculty66
Selectivity63
Employers63
Network61
62.3
Score
48
Ulster University
Belfast
Outcomes63
Salary58
Faculty59
Selectivity61
Employers66
Network58
62.0
Score
49
Bangor University
Bangor
Outcomes61
Salary62
Faculty64
Selectivity62
Employers59
Network61
61.6
Score
50
Aberystwyth University
Aberystwyth
Outcomes59
Salary59
Faculty57
Selectivity61
Employers62
Network57
60.8
Score
51
Keele University
Keele
Outcomes59
Salary63
Faculty64
Selectivity64
Employers60
Network57
60.2
Score
52
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford
Outcomes61
Salary56
Faculty56
Selectivity56
Employers59
Network57
59.5
Score
53
University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Outcomes59
Salary59
Faculty64
Selectivity59
Employers58
Network57
59.2
Score
54
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham
Outcomes57
Salary56
Faculty59
Selectivity61
Employers57
Network55
58.9
Score
55
Coventry University
Coventry
Outcomes55
Salary58
Faculty59
Selectivity59
Employers57
Network63
58.2
Score
56
University of Plymouth
Plymouth
Outcomes54
Salary62
Faculty60
Selectivity56
Employers55
Network56
57.8
Score
57
Northumbria University
Newcastle
Outcomes54
Salary57
Faculty56
Selectivity56
Employers59
Network60
57.0
Score
58
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester
Outcomes54
Salary60
Faculty60
Selectivity58
Employers57
Network56
56.3
Score
59
University of Lincoln
Lincoln
Outcomes56
Salary57
Faculty53
Selectivity59
Employers58
Network54
55.9
Score
60
University of Hull
Hull
Outcomes55
Salary58
Faculty58
Selectivity53
Employers56
Network59
55.6
Score
61
University of Bradford
Bradford
Outcomes52
Salary55
Faculty54
Selectivity58
Employers51
Network54
55.3
Score
62
University of Salford
Salford
Outcomes55
Salary56
Faculty53
Selectivity52
Employers57
Network56
54.6
Score
63
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield
Outcomes58
Salary56
Faculty56
Selectivity50
Employers57
Network57
54.1
Score
64
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool
Outcomes50
Salary50
Faculty58
Selectivity54
Employers56
Network50
53.7
Score
65
De Montfort University
Leicester
Outcomes55
Salary51
Faculty56
Selectivity54
Employers53
Network57
53.1
Score
66
University of Hertfordshire
Hatfield
Outcomes57
Salary52
Faculty49
Selectivity49
Employers50
Network57
52.6
Score
67
University of Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Outcomes55
Salary55
Faculty56
Selectivity50
Employers51
Network48
52.1
Score
68
Robert Gordon University
Aberdeen
Outcomes56
Salary50
Faculty51
Selectivity49
Employers55
Network50
51.6
Score
69
Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh
Outcomes55
Salary47
Faculty47
Selectivity51
Employers50
Network49
51.0
Score
70
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow
Outcomes47
Salary50
Faculty52
Selectivity48
Employers48
Network48
50.4
Score
71
University of the West of England
Bristol
Outcomes47
Salary49
Faculty53
Selectivity52
Employers50
Network48
49.9
Score
72
Bournemouth University
Poole
Outcomes49
Salary46
Faculty53
Selectivity47
Employers53
Network47
49.6
Score
73
University of Brighton
Brighton
Outcomes45
Salary47
Faculty46
Selectivity51
Employers48
Network53
49.0
Score
74
Kingston University
Kingston upon Thames
Outcomes48
Salary46
Faculty48
Selectivity48
Employers52
Network50
48.3
Score
75
Middlesex University
London
Outcomes44
Salary50
Faculty52
Selectivity49
Employers47
Network44
47.8
Score
76
University of Westminster
London
Outcomes48
Salary50
Faculty46
Selectivity43
Employers44
Network46
47.2
Score
77
City University of Leeds Beckett
Leeds
Outcomes48
Salary51
Faculty45
Selectivity48
Employers43
Network49
46.8
Score
78
University of Greenwich
London
Outcomes44
Salary44
Faculty50
Selectivity50
Employers48
Network46
46.2
Score
79
Goldsmiths, University of London
London
Outcomes46
Salary49
Faculty43
Selectivity44
Employers49
Network42
45.5
Score
80
St George's, University of London
London
Outcomes47
Salary43
Faculty46
Selectivity43
Employers44
Network44
45.1
Score
81
Cranfield University
Cranfield
Outcomes48
Salary42
Faculty41
Selectivity47
Employers42
Network41
44.8
Score
82
University of Chester
Chester
Outcomes45
Salary45
Faculty43
Selectivity47
Employers41
Network46
44.4
Score
83
Edge Hill University
Ormskirk
Outcomes44
Salary42
Faculty40
Selectivity48
Employers41
Network42
44.1
Score
84
University of Derby
Derby
Outcomes44
Salary47
Faculty41
Selectivity42
Employers44
Network47
43.5
Score
85
Teesside University
Middlesbrough
Outcomes45
Salary41
Faculty40
Selectivity44
Employers42
Network47
42.9
Score
86
University of Sunderland
Sunderland
Outcomes40
Salary44
Faculty45
Selectivity45
Employers41
Network45
42.1
Score
87
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
Outcomes44
Salary39
Faculty39
Selectivity39
Employers46
Network43
41.5
Score
88
Canterbury Christ Church University
Canterbury
Outcomes40
Salary41
Faculty38
Selectivity42
Employers46
Network38
41.2
Score
89
University of Roehampton
London
Outcomes43
Salary43
Faculty42
Selectivity39
Employers45
Network42
41.2
Score
90
London South Bank University
London
Outcomes44
Salary43
Faculty38
Selectivity38
Employers40
Network39
41.2
Score
91
Anglia Ruskin University
Cambridge
Outcomes38
Salary42
Faculty45
Selectivity41
Employers44
Network42
41.2
Score
92
University of Bedfordshire
Luton
Outcomes42
Salary42
Faculty41
Selectivity41
Employers38
Network41
41.2
Score
93
Staffordshire University
Stoke-on-Trent
Outcomes40
Salary38
Faculty39
Selectivity40
Employers42
Network42
41.2
Score
94
University of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Outcomes41
Salary40
Faculty43
Selectivity41
Employers43
Network38
41.2
Score
95
Birmingham City University
Birmingham
Outcomes38
Salary40
Faculty38
Selectivity40
Employers42
Network38
41.2
Score
96
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Cardiff
Outcomes41
Salary44
Faculty40
Selectivity45
Employers38
Network41
41.2
Score
97
University of South Wales
Pontypridd
Outcomes38
Salary41
Faculty39
Selectivity43
Employers38
Network38
41.2
Score
98
Abertay University
Dundee
Outcomes38
Salary39
Faculty38
Selectivity38
Employers39
Network38
41.2
Score
99
University of the West of Scotland
Paisley
Outcomes38
Salary39
Faculty38
Selectivity39
Employers44
Network43
41.2
Score
100
Queen Margaret University
Edinburgh
Outcomes38
Salary45
Faculty38
Selectivity38
Employers38
Network43
41.2
Score

United Kingdom 2026: frequently asked questions

Which institution is number one in the 2026 united kingdom ranking?: Imperial College London, based in London, ranks first with an overall score of 98.6 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?: 100 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.

Best Universities in the United Kingdom

Imperial College London

University of Oxford

London School of Economics

University of Cambridge

University College London

University of Edinburgh

University of Manchester

King's College London

University of Warwick

University of Bristol

University of Glasgow

Durham University

University of St Andrews

University of Southampton

University of Bath

University of Birmingham

University of Leeds

University of Sheffield

University of Nottingham

University of Exeter

Lancaster University

University of York

Queen Mary University of London

Cardiff University

University of Liverpool

Newcastle University

University of Aberdeen

Loughborough University

University of Sussex

University of Reading

University of Surrey

University of Strathclyde

Heriot-Watt University

Queen's University Belfast

University of East Anglia

University of Leicester

Royal Holloway, University of London

SOAS University of London

City St George's, University of London

Birkbeck, University of London

Brunel University of London

University of Dundee

Swansea University

University of Kent

Aston University

University of Essex

University of Stirling

Ulster University

Bangor University

Aberystwyth University

Keele University

Oxford Brookes University

University of Portsmouth

Nottingham Trent University

Coventry University

University of Plymouth

Northumbria University

Manchester Metropolitan University

University of Lincoln

University of Hull

University of Bradford

University of Salford

Sheffield Hallam University

Liverpool John Moores University

De Montfort University

University of Hertfordshire

University of Huddersfield

Robert Gordon University

Edinburgh Napier University

Glasgow Caledonian University

University of the West of England

Bournemouth University

University of Brighton

Kingston University

Middlesex University

University of Westminster

City University of Leeds Beckett

University of Greenwich

Goldsmiths, University of London