Harvard University rankings remain among the top 5 universities globally. The University occupies #4th position in both QS World University Rankings 2025 and THE World University Rankings 2024. According to U.S News and World Report, Harvard University ranks at #1st position among the Best Global Universities, 2023. The overall global ranking of Harvard University is based on academic reputation, employment outcomes, employment reputation, research quality, industry outlook, etc by renowned ranking bodies. 

Harvard University enjoys the national reputation of being the oldest and the top most university situated in the USA. Renowned for its top-class academic programs, Harvard University ranks at #1 for its Environmental Science, Chemistry, and Sociology courses, globally. Harvard University US rankings place it among the top 20 universities, in terms of innovation. 

Harvard University World Rankings

The following table demonstrates Harvard University rankings trends by QS rankings and other global ranking agencies for the last 5 years:

Harvard_University_World_Rankings

Ranking Body 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
QS World University Rankings  #4 #4 #5 #5 #3
US News and World Report Best National Universities - - #1 #1 #1
CWUR  - #1 #1 #1
THE World University Rankings - #4 #2 #2 #3

Harvard University Ranking Parameters and Methodologies

The ranking shows how the university has performed in different areas. Each ranking agency follows different parameters while assigning overall rankings. These parameters also give an insight into university’s academic performance, research and career opportunities for graduates. 

Harvard University QS Rankings

Harvard University achieved an overall score of 96.8 according to the ranking parameters of QS World University Rankings 2025. The ranking parameters show Harvard’s contribution to academic and research excellence, sustainability and high employability. 

Ranking Parameters  Score 
Overall Score 96.8
Academic Reputation 100
Faculty Student Ratio 96.3
International Faculty Ratio 74.1
International Research Network 99.6
International Students Ratio 69
Citations per Faculty 100
Sustainability 84.4
Employment Outcomes 100
Employer Reputation 100

Harvard University U.S News Rankings

The U.S News and World Report ranks universities based on 14 parameters. Given below are the ranking parameters and respective scores achieved by Harvard University in U.S News: 

Ranking Parameters  Score 
Global score 100
Global research reputation #2
Regional research reputation #1
Publications #1
Books #2
Conferences #94
Normalized citation impact #34
Total citations #1
Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited #1
Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited #11
International collaboration - relative to country #135
International collaboration #677
Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited #1
Percentage of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited #16

Harvard University Times Higher Education Rankings

Tabulated below are the 5 ranking parameters followed by THE with respective scores for Harvard University: 

Ranking Parameters  Score 
Overall Score 97.8
Teaching  97.7
Research Environment 99.9
Research Quality 99.4
Industry 84.2
International Outlook 90.8

Harvard University Subject-wise Rankings 

Given below are the top subject rankings of Harvard University by various ranking agencies with 4 year trends: 

Harvard University Engineering Ranking

Harvard University has been crowned as the best global university for Engineering and Technology by THE World University Rankings for 4th time in a row. The following table explores Harvard University engineering rankings, provided by the top ranking agencies:

Harvard_University_Engineering_Ranking

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Mechanical Engineering #5 #13 #4 #4
Electrical and Electronic Engineering #7 #7 #7 #11
Engineering and Technology #8 #8 #12 #11
THE World University Rankings Engineering and Technology #1 #1 #1 #1

Harvard University Computer Science Rankings

Check out how Harvard University computer science rankings have evolved over the past couple of years:

Harvard_University_Computer_Science_Rankings

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Computer Science and Information Systems #7 #8 #7 #7
THE World University Rankings Computer Science  #6 #9 #7 #7

Harvard University Natural Science Rankings

The QS WUR by Subject currently features Harvard University as the best university in the world for Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Psychology. Harvard University has managed to consistently top the THE World University Rankings Life Sciences since 2021. Here’s a table that demonstrates Harvard University natural science rankings of the last 4 years:

Harvard_University_Natural_Science_Rankings

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Biological Sciences #1 #1 #1 #1
Chemistry #1 #1 #2 #3
Mathematics #5 #5 #4 #3
Physics and Astronomy #2 #2 #2 #3
Environmental Science #1 #1 #1 #1
Geology #2 #2 #2 #2
Natural Sciences #1 #1 #2 #3
Geophysics #2 #2 #2 #2
Data Science #5 #5
Materials Sciences #3 #4 #4 #5
Psychology #1 #1 #1 #1
THE World University Rankings Psychology #4 #5 #4 #6
Physical Sciences #2 #6 #6 #5
Life Sciences #1 #1 #1 #1

Harvard University Business Rankings

The #1 position of Harvard University in QS WUR by Subject for Accounting and Finance demonstrates that HBS is a premier business institution all round the world. To understand more about Harvard University business rankings, refer to the table and infographics given below:

Harvard_University_Business_Rankings

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Accounting and Finance #1 #1 #1 #1
Economics and Econometrics #1 #1 #1 #2
Business and Management Studies #1 #1 #1 #1
THE World University Rankings Business and Economics #3 #4 #5 #5

Harvard University Medical Science Rankings

QS World University Rankings by Subject has labeled Harvard University as the best university for pursuing a degree in Medicine. The table below consists of Harvard University medical science rankings, showing its global reputation in this field of study:

Harvard_University_Medical_Science_Rankings

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Dentistry #1 #11 #12 #8
Medicine #1 #1 #1 #1
Pharmacy and Pharmacology #1 #1 #2 #3
THE World University Rankings Clinical, pre-clinical, and health #2 #3 #2 #2

Harvard University Humanities Rankings

With its world-class courses, Harvard University has once again topped QS WUR by Subject for Law and Legal Studies, Politics, and History. As per THE World University Rankings, Harvard University tops the list of law schools across the globe. 

Harvard_University_Humanities_Rankings
Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Law and Legal Studies #1 #1 #1 #1
Arts and Humanities #1 #1 #3 #2
Education and Training #2 #2 #2 #2
Social Sciences and Management #1 #1 #1 #1
Performing Arts #20 #24 #16 #12
Linguistics #7 #7 #6 #6
Social Policy and Administration #1 #1 #1 #1
History #1 #1 #1 #1
Politics #1 #1 #1 #1
Philosophy #8 #7 #8 #8
Modern Languages #3 #3 #3 #1
Sociology #1 #1 #1 #1
English Language and Literature #3 #3 #3 #3
THE World University Rankings Social Sciences #4 #4 #4 #4
Law #1 #6 #7 #9
Education #5 #3 #3 #3
Arts and Humanities #5 #5 #6 #6

US News Subject Rankings

The US News and World Report Best National Universities has ranked Harvard University at #1 for almost 20 academic courses. Check out Harvard University US rankings of its various academic programs:

Subject Rankings
Biology and Biochemistry #1
Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology #1
Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems #1
Molecular Biology and Genetics #1
Cell Biology #1
Ecology #1
Clinical Medicine #1
Microbiology #1
Social Sciences and Public Health #1
Economics and Business #1
Social Sciences and Public Health #1
Neuroscience and Behavior #1
Psychology #1
Surgery #1
Space Science #2
Arts and Humanities #2
Space Science #2
Physics #2

Harvard University Miscellaneous Rankings

Check out the global and national reputation of Harvard University, apart from its academic rankings:

Ranking Body Parameter Ranking 2023-24
QS WUR Sustainability Ranking #130
US News National Universities #3
Best Value Schools #1
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #30
Economics #1
Study Abroad #16
Undergraduate research/ Creative Projects #4
Senior Capstone #16
First-Year Experience #32
Best Undergraduate Teaching #48
Co-ops/ Internships #20
Most Innovative Schools #20
Top Performers on Social Mobility #84
CWUR National Rank #1
Faculty Rank #1
Employability Rank #1
Research Rank #1
Education Rank #1

Harvard University makes it to the recent Forbes list with the 9th position among other research universities. Meanwhile, it ranks at #1 in the Niche rankings for Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Economics in the USA.

FAQS

Ques. What rank is Harvard in the world?

Ans. Harvard University ranks #4 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and THE World University Rankings 2024. It ranks #1 among the Best Global Universities by U.S News and World Report Rankings as of 2023. Following are the ranking trends of Harvard University by renowned agencies: 

Ranking Body 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
QS World University Rankings  #4 #4 #5 #5 #3
US News and World Report Best National Universities - - #1 #1 #1
CWUR  - #1 #1 #1
THE World University Rankings - #4 #2 #2 #3

Ques. What is Harvard ranked in national ranking?

Ans. Harvard University ranks #3rd among the National Universities by U.S News and World Report Rankings 2024. It ranks #9 in Forbes among the Top Colleges 2023.

Ques. Where does the Harvard University engineering program rank? 

Ans. Tabulated below are the latest rankings of Harvard engineering program: 

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Mechanical Engineering #5 #13 #4 #4
Electrical and Electronic Engineering #7 #7 #7 #11
Engineering and Technology #8 #8 #12 #11
THE World University Rankings Engineering and Technology #1 #1 #1 #1

Ques. Where does the Harvard University business program rank? 

Ans. The Harvard University business program ranks #1 in QS WUR by Subject for all of its business courses. Given below are ranking trends of business courses at Harvard by QS and THE: 

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Accounting and Finance #1 #1 #1 #1
Economics and Econometrics #1 #1 #1 #2
Business and Management Studies #1 #1 #1 #1
THE World University Rankings Business and Economics #3 #4 #5 #5

Ques. Where does the Harvard University computer science program rank? 

Ans. For computer science program, Harvard University ranks #7 in QS WUR and #6 in Times Higher Education. Tabulated below are ranking trends for computer science programs at Harvard: 


 

Ranking Body Program Ranking 2024 Ranking 2023 Ranking 2022 Ranking 2021
QS World University Rankings by Subject Computer Science and Information Systems #7 #8 #7 #7
THE World University Rankings Computer Science  #6 #9 #7 #7

Ques. Where does the Harvard University MBA program rank? 

Ans. Harvard University is ranks #9 in QS WUR Rankings 2024 among the business schools for International Trade MBA