UNSW world university rankings and awards
UNSW Sydney is consistently recognised as one of the top universities in the world, ranking in the top 20 of universities globally and second in Australia in the prestigious QS World University Rankings.
UNSW is also known for producing some of the country’s most employable students. We’ve been named AFR Most Employable University for seven years in a row at the AFR Top100 Future Leaders & Graduate Employers Awards (2020–2026). Our graduates earn the highest median salaries among graduates of Go8 universities, according to the QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey (last published in 2024).
We measure success not just by rankings, but by how we use our standing and capabilities to create a positive and lasting impact for our society, in Australia and around the globe. UNSW’s performance in world university rankings is a proud reflection of our talented community - where academic excellence, world-class research and real-world impact come together in the pursuit of Progress for All.
Top 20 globally
QS World University Rankings 2024–2026
AFR Top100 Future Leaders & Graduate Employers Awards 2020–2026
1st in Australia for sustainability and social impact
QS Sustainability Rankings 2026
Australia's most entrepreneurial university
Most new startups and spinout companies in 2024 (SCOPR)
UNSW’s world university rankings
UNSW’s rankings across disciplines
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Discipline Rankings Highlights Arts, Design & Architecture 9 subjects in the top 5 in Australia* Social Sciences and Management #3 in Australia and #27 globally* Architecture & Built Environment #4 in Australia and #33 globally* Arts & Humanities #5 in Australia and #66 globally* Art & Design #5 in Australia and #93 globally* -
Discipline Rankings Highlights Business School #1 in Business & Management and Marketing in Sydney and top 30 globally for Accounting & Finance* Business & Management #1 in Australia and #40 globally* MBAX #1 in Australia and #18 globally for MBAX (Financial Times Online MBA Rankings, 2026) MBA #1 in Australia and #48 globally (Financial Times Global MBA Rankings, 2026) Information Systems #1 in Australia and top 20 globally (Association for Information Systems, 2024) Actuarial Studies & Risk Management #1 in Australia and #1 globally (UNL Global Research Rankings of Actuarial Science and Risk Management & Insurance, 2026) Marketing #2 in Australia and #43 globally* Accounting & Finance #3 in Australia and #29 globally* Economics & Econometrics #5 in Australia and #56 globally* -
Discipline Rankings Highlights Engineering #1 in Australia for Engineering and Technology* Minerals and Mining Engineering #1 in Australia and #3 globally* Electrical Engineering #1 in Australia and #29 globally* Civil and Structural Engineering #1 in Australia and #22 globally* Mechanical Engineering #2 in Australia and #46 globally* Chemical Engineering #4 in Australia and #50 globally* Computer Science & IT #5 in Australia and #54 globally* -
Discipline Rankings Highlights Law & Justice #1 in Sydney and #13 globally for Law & Legal Studies* Criminology and Criminal Justice #1 in Australia and #18 globally (EduRank, 2026) -
Discipline Rankings Highlights Medicine & Health Top 5 medical faculties in Australia and #54 globally* Medicine #4 in Australia and #62 globally* Life Sciences & Medicine #5 in Australia and #54 globally* Pharmacy & Pharmacology #5 in Australia and #58 globally* -
Discipline Rankings Highlights Science 9 subjects in the top 50 globally* Materials Science #1 in Australia and #31 globally* Chemistry #1 in Australia and #38 globally* Psychology #2 in Australia and #26 globally* Geophysics #2 in Australia and #33 globally* Geology #2 in Australia and #34 globally* Earth & Marine Science #2 in Australia and #37 globally*
Natural Sciences #2 in Australia and #39 globally* Mathematics #2 in Australia and #42 globally* Environmental Sciences #3 in Australia and #25 globally* Physics #4 in Australia and #72 globally* Biological Sciences #5 in Australia and #66 globally*
* QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026
UNSW’s employability outcomes
Explore more about UNSW’s reputation
