BU Ranked the Nation’s 17th Best Private University, 20th of Doctoral Universities, QS Says
“This is a terrific acknowledgment of the high-quality work our talented faculty are doing to raise the standard of research, teaching, and innovation across so many fields of study,” says Jean Morrison, BU provost, of BU’s ranking in the US top 20 by London evaluator QS. Photo by Adele Bertschy (Sargent’20)
BU Ranked the Nation’s 17th Best Private University, 20th of Doctoral Universities, QS Says
Grade puts BU among the elite of 352 institutions graded by London-based evaluator
- BU ranked 20th best US doctoral university by QS
- London-based rater evaluates higher education globally
- Cited University for research breakthroughs
Boston University is “creating breakthroughs in everything from African Studies to zebrafish genetics” on “three city campuses [that] are always humming,” global education evaluator QS says. Those strengths and others led the London-based rater to grade the University as the 20th best “doctoral university” in the United States in its 2021 rankings.
BU stepped up one notch from last year’s number 21 ranking. QS also deems BU the 17th best private university in the nation, also one step up from last year, and 3rd among the 16 Massachusetts universities that were graded, the same spot as in 2020.
QS, which ranked 352 American doctoral universities, defines doctoral universities as “institutions that awarded at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees [or] below 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees [while still awarding] at least 30 professional practice doctoral degrees in at least two programs.”
These international rankings grow more competitive with each passing year. Boston University remains committed, however, to meeting that challenge.
“This is a terrific acknowledgment of the high-quality work our talented faculty are doing to raise the standard of research, teaching, and innovation across so many fields of study,” says Jean Morrison, BU provost and chief academic officer. “These international rankings grow more competitive with each passing year. Boston University remains committed, however, to meeting that challenge, and we are delighted to see the quality and stature of our faculty reflected on the global stage in this important recognition.”
QS based its rankings on employment prospects of universities’ graduates; the gender, ethnic, socioeconomic, and international diversity of faculty and students; student graduation/retention rates, as well as spending on instruction; and research quality.
“The results indicate that many of the universities doing most to foster stronger equity and diversity outcomes are not among the United States’ strongest research universities,” QS said in a statement.
The rankings were “carefully crafted to shine some independent light on which institutions are doing most to foster the essential relationship between education and social change,” the statement said.
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