2025–2026 rankings

Ontario university rankings

Maclean's, QS, and Times Higher Education rankings for Ontario universities — all in one place. Filter by category to find the best fit for you.

⚠️ Rankings are compiled from publicly available sources (Maclean's 2025, QS World 2025, THE 2025). They are one data point among many — use them as a starting point, not the final word.

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Overall rankings — Ontario universities & colleges

#	University / College	Type	Maclean's ↕	QS World ↕	THE World ↕	Location	Co-op?

Best for specific programs

University of Waterloo

Best for

Computer Science, Engineering, Co-op programs. Waterloo CS grads are consistently recruited by top tech companies globally. Co-op placement rate is among Canada's best.

University of Toronto

Best for

Research, Medicine, Law, Business (Rotman), Life Sciences. Canada's top research university by publications. Best graduate school options in Ontario.

Queen's University

Best for

Business (Smith School — #1 in Canada for undergrad business), Engineering, Law. Strong alumni network and campus culture.

McMaster University

Best for

Health Sciences, Nursing, Engineering Physics. Problem-based learning model. Strong research hospital partnerships in Hamilton.

Western University

Best for

Business (Ivey — top MBA program), Medical Sciences, Law. Very strong campus experience and alumni culture.

TMU (Toronto Metropolitan)

Best for

Journalism, Architecture, Engineering, Creative industries, Business. Strong Toronto industry connections and co-op programs.

York University

Best for

Law (Osgoode — top law school), Liberal Arts, Business (Schulich — top MBA), Fine Arts. Large diverse student body in Toronto.

University of Ottawa

Best for

Law, Public Policy, Bilingual programs, Social Sciences. Proximity to federal government for policy careers and internships.

💡 Rankings don't tell the whole story

The "best" university depends entirely on what you're studying, where you want to live, your budget, and what kind of experience you want. Waterloo is #1 for CS but that doesn't make it better than UofT for medicine. Use rankings as a starting point, then look at co-op rates, graduate employment outcomes, and tuition costs for your specific program.