Harvard University Tops U.S. News 2024-25 Best Global Universities Rankings

In its latest edition of the Best Global Universities Rankings 2024-2025, U.S. News & World Report has released the top academic institutions worldwide, emphasising research excellence and scholarly reputation across various disciplines.

As reported by PR News Wire, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News, LaMont Jones said, "The Best Global Universities rankings provide a starting point for students to compare universities across the globe, within their region, and even by specific discipline. In their tenth year, the rankings have expanded to include more schools and more subjects while ensuring a focus on scholarly reputation and on institutions that prioritise cutting-edge research."

The rankings, now in their tenth year, have expanded significantly, encompassing over 2,250 universities from more than 100 countries. This marks an increase from 2,000 schools and 90 countries in the previous assessment.

Top 10 Overall Best Global Universities for 2024-2025:

Harvard University (U.S.) - Ranked No. 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (U.S.) - Ranked No. 2

Stanford University (U.S.) - Ranked No. 3

University of Oxford (U.K.) - Ranked No. 4

University of California Berkeley (U.S.) - Ranked No. 5

University of Cambridge (U.K.) - Ranked No. 6

University College London (U.K.; tie) - Ranked No. 7

University of Washington (U.S.; tie) - Ranked No. 7

Columbia University (U.S.) - Ranked No. 9

California Institute of Technology (U.S.) - Ranked No. 10

Global distribution of top universities 

China has 396 universities featured in the rankings, reflecting its academic research and development influence. The United States follows with 283 institutions. Japan, India, and the United Kingdom also have a significant presence with 112, 109, and 96 universities, respectively, showing their advancing educational standards globally.