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
WP Table Builder

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
WP Table Builder

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%
WP Table Builder

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).

4. Online University Rankings

When it comes to distance learning, some Australian universities stand out for their dedication to providing high-quality online education. Lerna Courses rates the top online universities based on graduate satisfaction ratings, course depth, and flexibility. Here are the top five online universities in Australia, as identified by Lerna Courses.

  1. University of New England (UNE) UNE is renowned for its strong performance in online education, excelling particularly in arts, business, education, and science disciplines. It maintains high course satisfaction rates, with an 85.2% satisfaction rate among graduates, significantly above the national average.
  2. Deakin University Deakin offers extensive online study options, accommodating a large number of students who prefer or require distance education. With robust support for online learners and a wide range of programs, Deakin is a top choice for many.
  3. Charles Sturt University (CSU) As Australia's largest online university, CSU offers a comprehensive selection of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. It is particularly strong in information technology, arts, and science, making it a popular choice for online students.
  4. Edith Cowan University (ECU) Despite its smaller size, ECU ranks highly in student satisfaction, especially in education, IT, business, and law. ECU achieved an impressive 83.6% course experience satisfaction rating, well above the national average.
  5. University of Southern Queensland (USQ) USQ provides a broad array of online courses, with particular strengths in engineering and health. Its dedication to supporting distance learners makes it a solid option for students across various fields of study.

This list highlights universities that prioritise teaching quality and student satisfaction.

More uni rankings for Australia

QS

QS - Reputation

Shanghai

Shanghai ARWU - Research

Webometrics

Webometrics - Publishing