1. World Rankings of Australian Universities
Australian universities are strongly represented in world university rankings. Depending on the ranking system, Australia has around six of the world's top 100 universities. Most of the other Australian universities rank in the top 500 or top 1000.
The table shows survey rankings of QS (also see Times), academic research rankings of Shanghai ARWU and the web publishing rankings of Webometrics.
Aust rank | University | QS (2023) | Shanghai (2022) | Webometrics (2022) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of Melbourne | 33 | 32 | 40 |
2 | University of Queensland | 50 | 47 | 52 |
3 | University of Sydney | 41 | 60 | 51 |
4 | University of New South Wales | 45 | 64 | 45 |
5 | Australian National University | 30 | 79 | 80 |
6 | Monash University | 57 | 75 | 57 |
7 | University of Adelaide | 109 | 101 | 102 |
8 | University of Western Australia | 90 | 99 | 131 |
9 | University of Technology Sydney | 137 | 201 | 173 |
10 | Curtin University | 193 | 201 | 203 |
11 | Macquarie University | 195 | 201 | 205 |
12 | Queensland University of Technology | 222 | 201 | 206 |
13 | University of Wollongong | 185 | 201 | 265 |
14 | Deakin University | 266 | 201 | 197 |
15 | RMIT University | 190 | 301 | 219 |
16 | Griffith University | 300 | 201 | 231 |
17 | University of Newcastle | 192 | 301 | 316 |
18 | La Trobe University | 316 | 201 | 323 |
19 | University of Tasmania | 293 | 201 | 355 |
20 | Western Sydney University | 501 | 301 | 399 |
21 | James Cook University | 461 | 301 | 455 |
22 | Flinders University | 425 | 401 | 415 |
23 | University of South Australia | 363 | 501 | 386 |
24 | Swinburne University of Technology | 296 | 201 | 968 |
25 | Murdoch University | 561 | 401 | 602 |
26 | Edith Cowan University | 601 | 601 | 565 |
27 | University of Southern Queensland | 651 | 501 | 682 |
28 | Australian Catholic University | 801 | 501 | 745 |
29 | University of Canberra | 511 | 801 | 791 |
30 | Victoria University | 701 | 732 | |
31 | Charles Sturt University | 801 | 712 | |
32 | University of New England | 801 | 801 | 739 |
33 | CQUniversity | 651 | 927 | |
34 | Southern Cross University | 701 | 801 | 931 |
35 | Bond University | 481 | 1193 | |
36 | Charles Darwin University | 701 | 801 | 1013 |
37 | University of the Sunshine Coast | 1001 | 601 | 1001 |
38 | Federation University Australia | 1241 | ||
39 | University of Notre Dame Australia | 1201 | 2623 | |
40 | Torrens University Australia | 2503 | ||
41 | University of Divinity | 11039 |
Why world rankings are flawed
Although we have reproduced world rankings, we caution against using them for comparing universities. World rankings rely on opinion surveys and research publication stats. A high ranking doesn't mean much in terms of a student's learning experience.
World rankings don't consider student ratings or graduate salaries for example. These stats can't be effectively compared across countries. The rankings really just measure academic prestige and how much research universities publish.
2. Australian University Rankings
The most reliable Australian university rankings are from Uni Reviews Australia. They use Australian data on course ratings and graduate salaries. University performance is measured in a balanced way that focuses on education quality.
Universities are rated on 3 performance indicators (reputation, ratings, results). Scores are added to get overall rankings.
Rank | University | World ranking | Grad satisfaction | Adj grad salary |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of Melbourne | 50 | 83% | $58,853 |
2 | Australian National University | 63 | 82% | $53,015 |
3 | University of Wollongong | 306 | 85% | $52,120 |
4 | University of Western Australia | 128 | 78% | $58,809 |
5 | University of Adelaide | 138 | 81% | $54,634 |
6 | University of Queensland | 60 | 82% | $49,752 |
7 | Deakin University | 341 | 84% | $49,265 |
8 | Griffith University | 353 | 85% | $48,531 |
9 | University of Newcastle | 341 | 83% | $49,629 |
10 | Monash University | 114 | 81% | $48,041 |
11 | Queensland University of Technology | 292 | 83% | $47,548 |
12 | University of Sydney | 78 | 78% | $50,046 |
13 | Bond University | 880 | 89% | $49,204 |
14 | University of New England | 732 | 86% | $48,958 |
15 | University of New South Wales | 89 | 78% | $50,424 |
16 | James Cook University | 377 | 80% | $53,404 |
17 | University of Notre Dame Australia | 1826 | 87% | $53,662 |
18 | University of Tasmania | 355 | 79% | $53,475 |
19 | Macquarie University | 273 | 82% | $45,797 |
20 | Curtin University | 294 | 81% | $48,383 |
21 | University of South Australia | 388 | 81% | $48,012 |
22 | University of Southern Queensland | 805 | 81% | $52,191 |
23 | University of Technology Sydney | 306 | 81% | $44,106 |
24 | University of the Sunshine Coast | 1535 | 87% | $47,046 |
25 | Edith Cowan University | 807 | 84% | $47,572 |
26 | Flinders University | 495 | 81% | $47,234 |
27 | University of Canberra | 764 | 79% | $52,297 |
28 | Australian Catholic University | 915 | 82% | $50,804 |
29 | CQUniversity | 861 | 79% | $53,112 |
30 | Charles Sturt University | 779 | 79% | $51,022 |
31 | Federation University Australia | 1526 | 83% | $49,366 |
32 | Murdoch University | 601 | 79% | $47,855 |
33 | Victoria University | 737 | 77% | $51,492 |
34 | Swinburne University of Technology | 736 | 81% | $45,531 |
35 | Western Sydney University | 510 | 79% | $47,035 |
36 | La Trobe University | 405 | 75% | $48,801 |
37 | Charles Darwin University | 882 | 76% | $53,676 |
38 | University of Divinity | 13882 | 86% | $42,589 |
39 | RMIT University | 364 | 79% | $42,053 |
40 | Southern Cross University | 1054 | 80% | $47,728 |
Ranking components
Reputation
Reputation is measured by how well a university has done in world university rankings.
- World rankings indicate the esteem of a university among academics and broader society.
- A high ranking suggests a degree from the uni may be highly regarded by employers.
Ratings
Ratings is course satisfaction among students, as reported in the Australian Graduate Survey. Course satisfaction is measured as the % of students who felt positively about their course experience overall.
Results
Results is a salary measure that mathematically combines observed salaries, rates of further study, and unemployment. The indicative salary quantifies how well graduate careers are going shortly degree completion.
3. Student Satisfaction with University Courses
% of graduates with positive satisfaction rating
University | Bachelor courses | Graduate programs |
---|---|---|
Australian Catholic University | 83.0% | 80.5% |
Australian National University | 80.5% | 84.5% |
Bond University | 90.1% | 86.9% |
Charles Darwin University | 78.1% | 71.7% |
Charles Sturt University | 77.2% | 82.5% |
CQUniversity | 76.9% | 82.0% |
Curtin University | 79.8% | 81.9% |
Deakin University | 83.3% | 85.4% |
Edith Cowan University | 85.9% | 81.3% |
Federation University Australia | 84.0% | 80.6% |
Flinders University | 80.6% | 82.0% |
Griffith University | 84.7% | 85.0% |
James Cook University | 80.3% | 80.0% |
La Trobe University | 74.9% | 76.6% |
Macquarie University | 79.8% | 86.8% |
Monash University | 80.4% | 82.7% |
Murdoch University | 79.6% | 78.4% |
Queensland University of Technology | 82.3% | 84.0% |
RMIT University | 78.1% | 79.8% |
Southern Cross University | 77.9% | 82.9% |
Swinburne University of Technology | 80.4% | 83.4% |
University of Adelaide | 80.5% | 81.9% |
University of Canberra | 78.6% | 79.1% |
University of Divinity | 83.8% | 90.9% |
University of Melbourne | 81.3% | 86.1% |
University of New England | 84.8% | 88.6% |
University of New South Wales | 76.3% | 80.9% |
University of Newcastle | 82.6% | 85.1% |
University of Notre Dame Australia | 88.5% | 83.7% |
University of Queensland | 81.0% | 85.0% |
University of South Australia | 79.7% | 83.3% |
University of Southern Queensland | 80.7% | 80.8% |
University of Sydney | 77.0% | 81.1% |
University of Tasmania | 77.7% | 82.0% |
University of Technology Sydney | 79.2% | 83.8% |
University of the Sunshine Coast | 88.2% | 85.3% |
University of Western Australia | 75.0% | 83.0% |
University of Wollongong | 83.9% | 88.4% |
Victoria University | 74.8% | 82.2% |
Western Sydney University | 77.7% | 81.1% |
For satisfaction ratings by study area (e.g. business, arts), see rankings by subject.
Australian university graduates have high satisfaction rates. Around 82% are happy with their course overall.
- Graduates are surveyed some months after finishing a course.
- Over 2015 and 2016, the top university for bachelor-program satisfaction was Bond (90.1%).
- For postgraduate study, the leading mainstream university was UNE (88.6% satisfaction).