How highly ranked is Harvard University compared to other colleges?
I’m starting to make my college list and rankings matter a lot to my parents. I know Harvard is supposed to be one of the best schools, but I was wondering where it actually stands in the official rankings.
Are there different rankings depending on what you want to study, or does Harvard always come out on top regardless of the major? I’m mainly looking at biology, but I’d also just like to know where it stands overall and if its rank changes much year to year. I want to be able to talk to my parents about it with some facts and not just rumors.
Are there different rankings depending on what you want to study, or does Harvard always come out on top regardless of the major? I’m mainly looking at biology, but I’d also just like to know where it stands overall and if its rank changes much year to year. I want to be able to talk to my parents about it with some facts and not just rumors.
2 weeks ago
•
20 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 2 weeks ago
Advisor
Harvard University is consistently ranked as one of the very top universities in both the United States and the world. In the most cited rankings, such as U.S. News & World Report, Harvard is often listed in the top 2-3 schools nationwide, frequently exchanging places with schools like Princeton, Stanford, and MIT.
Globally, Harvard regularly appears in the top five on lists like the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. These high spots are thanks to its strong academic reputation, notable faculty, extensive research opportunities, and significant resources.
Rankings can shift slightly year to year, but Harvard’s overall spot at or near the top is quite stable. Some fluctuations happen based on factors like faculty awards, alumni giving, or minor changes in methodology—so a drop from #2 to #3 (or vice versa) isn’t unusual, but it never falls far.
For biology specifically, Harvard is renowned. According to U.S. News 2024 Best Global Universities by Subject, Harvard is #1 in both Biology and Biochemistry. It’s also among the global leaders in Life Sciences in the QS subject rankings. Departments like Molecular and Cellular Biology or Organismic and Evolutionary Biology are extremely well regarded, meaning you’d have access to leading professors and great research opportunities.
Some majors or fields might have slightly different leaders (for instance, MIT in engineering or Caltech in physical sciences), but Harvard almost never drops far from the top for anything. If your parents want data, you can point them to those published rankings showing Harvard consistently in the top 3 across the board for both general prestige and biology. For example, a student interested in biological sciences will see Harvard as a top-notch option in just about any reputable ranking.
A useful way to talk to your parents might be just to pull up the most recent U.S. News and QS rankings and show Harvard’s consistent performance at or near the top, especially for the areas you want to study.
Globally, Harvard regularly appears in the top five on lists like the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. These high spots are thanks to its strong academic reputation, notable faculty, extensive research opportunities, and significant resources.
Rankings can shift slightly year to year, but Harvard’s overall spot at or near the top is quite stable. Some fluctuations happen based on factors like faculty awards, alumni giving, or minor changes in methodology—so a drop from #2 to #3 (or vice versa) isn’t unusual, but it never falls far.
For biology specifically, Harvard is renowned. According to U.S. News 2024 Best Global Universities by Subject, Harvard is #1 in both Biology and Biochemistry. It’s also among the global leaders in Life Sciences in the QS subject rankings. Departments like Molecular and Cellular Biology or Organismic and Evolutionary Biology are extremely well regarded, meaning you’d have access to leading professors and great research opportunities.
Some majors or fields might have slightly different leaders (for instance, MIT in engineering or Caltech in physical sciences), but Harvard almost never drops far from the top for anything. If your parents want data, you can point them to those published rankings showing Harvard consistently in the top 3 across the board for both general prestige and biology. For example, a student interested in biological sciences will see Harvard as a top-notch option in just about any reputable ranking.
A useful way to talk to your parents might be just to pull up the most recent U.S. News and QS rankings and show Harvard’s consistent performance at or near the top, especially for the areas you want to study.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years