THE World University Rankings 2026: With 11 universities, US dominates top 20 but shows signs of uneven performance

US dominates top 20 in THE World University Rankings 2026 with 13 universities. (AI Image)

THE World University Rankings 2026: The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 have been released, with the United States maintaining a dominant presence in the global top 20. Thirteen US universities feature in this year’s top 20, more than any other country. However, performance across these institutions is mixed, with some showing clear signs of stagnation or decline.While elite institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Princeton University have improved or maintained high scores, others including Harvard University and Columbia University have slipped compared to the previous year’s rankings.Top performers maintain positions but challenges persistMIT remains the highest-ranked US university, placed second globally with an overall score of 97.7. It earned near-perfect scores in teaching (99.2), research quality (99.6), and industry income (100). Princeton University has climbed to joint third globally, marking its highest-ever position, with strong scores across teaching (98.2), research environment (97.3), and research quality (99.0), as reported by the Times Higher Education.Harvard University shares fifth place with Stanford University, each receiving an overall score of 97.1. While Harvard continues to lead in research environment (100), it scored lower in industry income (86.7) and international outlook (88.3). Stanford posted a perfect 100 in industry income but a lower score in international outlook (83.9).California Institute of Technology, ranked seventh, also recorded a perfect score for industry income. Yale University holds 10th place with a 94.1 overall score, supported by consistent performance across all indicators.Not all institutions gain groundBeyond the top 10, several US institutions experienced a fall or plateau in the rankings. The University of Pennsylvania (14th), University of Chicago (15th), and Johns Hopkins University (16th) maintained top 20 status but reported mixed indicator scores. Johns Hopkins, for example, scored 84.6 in teaching but achieved a full 100 in industry income.Cornell University and the University of California, Los Angeles are tied at 18th place, both showing strong research and teaching scores. Columbia University is ranked 20th, with the lowest overall score among the top 20 US institutions.The data used in the rankings largely reflects academic performance from the 2023 academic year, with academic reputation surveys including some responses from 2024. The Times Higher Education noted that the data precedes the full effects of the Trump administration’s recent policies affecting higher education funding and international collaboration.Complete list of US universities in the top 20 (THE World University Rankings 2026)

Rank	University name	Overall	Teaching	Research environment	Research quality	Industry	International outlook
2	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	97.70	99.20	95.30	99.60	100.00	91.90
3	Princeton University	97.20	98.20	97.30	99.00	98.00	85.40
5	Harvard University	97.10	95.90	100.00	98.90	86.70	88.30
5	Stanford University	97.10	97.50	97.40	99.50	100.00	83.90
7	California Institute of Technology	96.30	96.40	97.40	96.80	100.00	87.90
9	University of California, Berkeley	94.40	87.30	99.00	98.90	99.50	83.90
10	Yale University	94.10	94.60	94.50	97.20	87.60	81.40
14	University of Pennsylvania	90.80	88.10	90.30	96.10	97.90	78.40
15	The University of Chicago	90.60	89.60	90.10	96.80	76.40	79.70
16	Johns Hopkins University	90.10	84.60	89.90	96.30	100.00	81.90
18	Cornell University	89.50	85.90	90.60	95.90	70.30	83.50
18	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	89.50	86.00	91.40	95.60	93.50	69.20
20	Columbia University	89.40	87.80	87.80	95.90	74.80	83.70

Signs of wider challenges in US higher educationAlthough US universities continue to dominate the upper tiers, the Times Higher Education reported that 35 US universities made the top 100, down from 38 last year. It also noted that 25 institutions fell to their lowest-ever positions, signalling potential effects of domestic policy shifts.According to the Times Higher Education, the rankings may not yet fully reflect the impact of the Trump administration’s approach to higher education, which includes reduced research funding and restrictions on international students. Experts cited in the report warned that these changes could accelerate the decline of US universities outside the elite group in future editions of the rankings.