UH Mānoa ranks among top 2.2% global universities in 2026 QS World Rankings

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has once again earned recognition among the world’s leading institutions for academic and research excellence, according to the 2026 QS World University Rankings released June 19 by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds.

UH Mānoa ranked No. 546 out of more than 25,000 universities worldwide, placing it in the top 2.2% globally. Among US institutions, it ranked No. 77 out of more than 2,600 four-year colleges and universities—within the top 3% nationally.

“This ranking reflects UH Mānoa’s commitment to providing a world-class education and conducting impactful research,” UH Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno said. “It celebrates the hard work of our faculty, students and staff who continually elevate the university’s impact locally and globally.”

QS rated universities on the following criteria: academic reputation (30%), citations per faculty (20%), employer reputation (15%), faculty student ratio (10%), international faculty (5%), international students (5%), sustainability (5%), employment outcomes (5%) and international research network (5%).

In addition to its overall ranking, UH Mānoa received high marks in QS’s 2025 subject-specific rankings released earlier this year. Linguistics ranked No. 11 in the US and No. 40 globally. Library and information management, and Earth and marine sciences, also placed in the top 100 worldwide.

Eleven additional subjects placed in the world’s top 1% (within top 250 in the world out of more than 25,000 institutions globally):

• Geophysics: No. 30 US, No. 101–150 world
• Geology: No. 31 US, No. 101–150 world
• Anthropology: No. 35 US, No. 101–170 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 US, No. 151–200 world
• English language and literature: No. 40 US. No. 151–200 world
• Philosophy: No. 42 US, No. 201–225 world
• Geography: No. 34 US, No. 201–250 world
• History: No. 42 US, No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 43 US, No. 201–250 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 45 US, No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 57 US, No. 201–250 world

UH Mānoa was also recognized in several recent national and international evaluations, including:

• 2025 Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings, June 2, 2025
• 2025 Carnegie Classifications, April 24, 2025
• 2025 US News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 8, 2025