Our 20th Annual University Rankings
Who has bragging rights? Where should you apply? Our annual exclusive has the answers.
Maclean’s marks schools the same way your intro psych professor will mark you. We assess universities on several key skills and then weigh them to find out who is top of the class. The 49 universities we rank are placed into one of three categories to recognize the differences in levels of research funding, the diversity of offerings, and the range of graduate and professional programs.
To Sign Up and view our Full 2010 Rankings data for each of our three main catergories, click here. For our complete 20th Anniversary edition of the Rankings, pick up a copy on newsstands now.
Medical Doctoral universities offer a broad range of Ph.D. programs and research; all institutions in this category have medical schools.
| Rank | School | Last Year |
| 1 | McGill | (1) |
| 2 | Toronto | (2) |
| 3 | UBC | (4) |
| 4 | Alberta | (5) |
| 5 | Queen’s | (3) |
| 6 | McMaster | (6) |
| 7 | Dalhousie | (7*) |
| 8 | Calgary | (7*) |
| 9 | Western | (9*) |
| 10 | Saskatchewan | (9*) |
| 11 | Ottawa | (9*) |
| 12 | Laval | (12) |
| 13 | Montréal | (13*) |
| 14 | Sherbrooke | (13*) |
| 15 | Manitoba | (15) |
* Indicates a tie
Comprehensive universities have a significant degree of research activity and a wide range of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including professional degrees.
| Rank | School | Last Year |
| 1 | Simon Fraser | (1) |
| 2 | Victoria | (2) |
| 3 | Waterloo | (3) |
| 4 | Guelph | (4) |
| 5 | Memorial | (5) |
| 6 | New Brunswick | (6) |
| 7* | Carleton | (7) |
| 7* | Windsor | (8) |
| 9* | Regina | (9*) |
| 9* | York | (9*) |
| 11 | Concordia | (11) |
| 12 | UQAM | (N/A) |
* Indicates a tie
Primarily Undergraduate universities are largely focused on undergraduate education, with relatively few graduate programs.
| Rank | School | Last Year |
| 1 | Mount Allison | (1) |
| 2 | Acadia | (2) |
| 3 | UNBC | (3) |
| 4 | Lethbridge | (6) |
| 5 | Wilfrid Laurier | (4*) |
| 6 | Trent | (7) |
| 7 | St. Francis Xavier | (4*) |
| 8* | Bishop’s | (11) |
| 8* | UPEI | (8*) |
| 10 | Winnipeg | (8*) |
| 11 | Saint Mary’s | (8*) |
| 12 | Lakehead | (14*) |
| 13 | UOIT | (12) |
| 14* | Brock | (14*) |
| 14* | Laurentian | (18) |
| 16 | St. Thomas | (14*) |
| 17* | Brandon | (13) |
| 17* | Ryerson | (17) |
| 19 | Mount Saint Vincent | (19*) |
| 20 | Moncton | (19*) |
| 21 | Cape Breton | (21*) |
| 22 | Nipissing | (21*) |
Want to know more about how we rank? Please read, Measuring excellence.
Stop taking this so seriously. We have enough stupid people that aren’t in university, the last thing we need is stupid people IN the universities… We’re all simply fucked.
Good on yea Laughing@pseudointellects, you’re probably the smartest idiot on these stupid comments, for thinking outside the small simplistic box that is the mind of the university student.
I just have to say that anyone who can’t express themselves without swearing must severely lack an education, or intelligence. Don’t get me wrong I am not straight edge, but in an immature meaningless discussion about education and intelligence, such as this one,swearing makes you sound uneducated.
Just like everything else in life, education is what you take from it. University is about so much more than just books; it is a very significant developmental part of your life. I have learned so much more than just factual information from books that I could have googled in a second. When you are 17 and deciding where to go and what to do, do you really know what is best? Do you really know anything? University is about finding who you are and what you want to do….and most of all enjoying your youth.
If you want to check my credentials I am a 4th year science student at Western and when I applied for my undergrad, I got accepted into every program I applied to, I got into science at McMasters, Queen’s commerce, U of T Science, Western Bio Med Sci, and my favourite acceptance letter was the AEO early acceptance to Richard Ivey’s HBA program. Oh yeah I forgot, I got a 5 on my AP calculus exam in grade 12 so I GOT to Western when I was 18 WITH a credit in calculus.
Having said that, I picked UWO because it’s a great school and I like to party, I’m a server at the Keg paying for my education, and I have had a great time.
I don’t know why you are all so concerned with what your University (or lack there of) was ranked on MacLean’s list that changes every year. Apparently everyone missed the course on ‘growing up’.
Also, those green individuals who think that getting into Harvard means you have rich parents, and a plethora of connections are missing some critical points about how to get ahead in life.
The 3 best ways to get ahead in life (especially if you are lacking ‘that thing’)
1) Money
2) Networking
3) An education from Harvard
So I think those rich 18 year-old kids, with a great network, starting there excellent education at Harvard, already know a lot more about getting ahead in life than any one of those delayed individuals that can’t realize that.
Why do these mature, sophisticated adults pat themselves on the shoulder, once they start ripping up universities that are “below” themselves? It’s the bottom of the intellectual food chain, people. If you graduate from Brock, congrats: you are relatively normal, and if you graduate from Harvard, congrats: you have rich parents, and a plethora of connections to the school… Doesn’t make you “smart” or “intelligent,” just a simple-minded, money-talking DOUCHBAG.
Herp dee Durp, I comment on mcleans’ uni ranking page, duz that maek me a genius?????!??
These so called “ranking” lists are BS. Yes this university has a better reputation than that one… But…. What about the programs? How can a university be graded and given a label in such broad terms? My university (York) has a bad reputation but it offers great Political Science, Business, and Criminology programs, and has great faculty. These lists just further perpetuate stereotypes about certain universities. I don’t think that U of T is as great as it’s cracked out to be. Not because I’m bitter — I had an 88 average in highschool and chose to attend York over U of T because of the distance. U of T seems like a sweat shop to me: the professors and the programs are impersonal to the point where you’re slaving away not for your own education and enlightenment, but for a grade to prove your self worth to yourself and others. It’s sad.
Best education, in any situation, is from your peers. In UofT, you have a lot of courses and great peers to work with. What you speak of is pointless. Though if you don’t want to be in Academia and want a high flying career in the industry. I personally would prefer UOIT to UofT, but that were if I wanted Nuclear or Automotive engineering. I’d prefer Carleton to UofT, but for aerospace engineering and architecture. Waterloo to UofT for finance and mathematics. Though, if you’re a research nut, UofT is the place to go.
“I don’t think that U of T is as great as it’s cracked out to be. Not because I’m bitter — I had an 88 average in highschool and chose to attend York over U of T because of the distance. ”
Considering you need a 90% average at least to be competitive, I’d say you’re bitter.
“if you graduate from Harvard, congrats: you have rich parents, and a plethora of connections to the school… Doesn’t make you “smart” or “intelligent,” just a simple-minded, money-talking DOUCHBAG.”
I wasn’t aware Barack Obama, Bill Gates, John F. Kennedy, Pierre Trudeau, Ban Ki-Moon, 75 Nobel Prize Winners, and all of the world’s brightest students each year were stupid, simple-minded, money-talking douchebags. Thank you for enlightening us with such a well-thought out, logical, and civilized argument.
These rankings aren’t the bottom of the “intellectual food chain” as you so aptly put it. However, you sir, are.
“I say just go to the university nearest to you as long as its not somewhere shitty like TRENT (try real education next time) University. AS long as the university is decent, then go for it. PS if you’re a stupid douchebag with a low ass average, TRENT will most likely accept you.”
Yes. Yes. Indeed little girl.
lol, JFK? how did he get into Harvard, you ask…? Google “JFK harvard application”
University rankings do not matter if you achieve high academics. At the end you attend university because you want to build on a career and as long as you land on your career and you love it then nothing comes into comparison.
University rankings are and will remain biased until you have heard from every university student in the world. And THAT’S not going to happen.
Well …education is only for the soul! There is no such thing as specialists …not one person has a clue on how things actually work …we all just go to school to learn how to bullshit like the best of them and hope we end up in a higher income tax bracket …which ends up meaning paying more in taxes for assuming roles that hold more responsibility, which in turn causes more stress and anxiety but gives us more shit that we don’t really need …which also needs to be repaired and maintained that leads us back to having no money living pay check to pay cheque …and the cycle continues. What a fuckin Joke! Enjoy your massive debt chumps and hurry up with my mcdonalds order!!!!
cheers losers!
There’s no program that U0fT offers where the cut off range is 90+ yea fuck
“chose to attend York over U of T”
The sweatshop helps give it a good rap. I’m 15 years out of University now, and all University is is a boot camp to show you can stick it out. The real work begins when you leave.
@Carsonist
I think the point he was making was that McGill and Harvard are similar in that wealth speaks louder than academics. I know you’re really angered by his comment, as you seemed to get extremely defensive about your own intellect, but seriously… All of those examples you just gave of graduates just backed up his point, in that, they are all famous; I’m fairly certain that some people who graduate from less wealthy and less popular schools possess as much, if not even more, intellect than those certain people… I think that you, along with the majority of people who feel obligated to protect the university they are attending by commenting about how they are so much smarter than everyone else, are very practical and unidealistic, which, in a way, is very simplistic and pseudo-intelligent. You will never become as smart as you give yourself credit for. Actions speak louder than words, my friend. I now bid you farewell, with a quote:
“The smaller the mind, the greater the conciet.”
- Aesop
What is it with these people who feel a need to post about who’s better than who? I mean, cmon, what exactly constitutes a “better” university, just as what exactly constitutes a “smarter” individual? Perhaps we need to trust that people think you are smart, instead of feeling a need to shove it down everyone’s throat?
@Carsonist, what’s it like getting your diploma from college?
@ Carsonist, confident people don’t write anonymous novels on university ranking pages. I’m not reading your gibberish. I’ve got shots to consume and ladies to seduce. All the best
University is an experience, not a competition. If I thought it were, I would compete. I’m attending Guelph, for computer and software engineering, and I freaking love it. I wouldn’t want to anywhere, or be doing anything else. Let’s just face it: there will always be someone out there, who is better, faster, stronger, more attractive, posseses a higher intellect (sorry Carsonist), but if you don’t stop comparing yourself to those people, you’ll never be happy. Just another pretentious university Fag.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
… JFK didn’t graduate from Harvard… LOL just saying. Next time you attempt to outshine those who are smarter than yourself, just remember how wrong and uneducated your comment was.
You lose. You should probably commit suicide. Acceptance.
Has anyone noticed how @ the top of the page, the caption reads “who has bragging rights? Where should you apply?” … Like, do I even need to explain? No? Fantastic.
Relax people, internet shit talking isnt going to boast your schools reputation. LOOK AT WHAT PROGRAM UR IN before you talk shit about other schools. I know lazy dumbasses in uoft who are in the arts and for some reason a premangement program? LOL i thought uoft was good for business? Why do they even hav a pre management… i guess to steal student’s money. anyway, quit talk shiting about other school cuz your program’s prob shit in x school.
Ryerson is terrible, i just transfered over to st george
Yippie…. i was in their business program and it was very unorganized.. profs werent serious
Guys,
Come on, what are all these that i am reading. A big quarrel between and all about the rankings. All the universities have their own qualities and intellects. they will have to stand out there in a particular number. So, what’s problem with you. Do you think that you could live without the use of number, which is almost everywhere in our vicinity? Of course not. MacCleans has done a great job of publishing who is who, u cn refer to the methodology if u are really an extraordianry to understand the mechanism of any research. Just dnt spit over the work some one has carried out, rather ADMIRE!
Chill Guys!
@loyolalalacrosse
Engineering Science has a cutoff over 90% for most high schools. When I applied the cut-off was 94%. But yah, Robert is still full of crap, as the vast majority of first entry programs have cut-offs in the 80s.
@Macleans in general
So long as Macleans continues to use the same shady BS methodology and rely on skewed self reported statistics, these rankings will be a joke.
In general too it doesn’t make much sense to aggregate universities in this way. If a school is ranked #1 overall but has a terrible medical program, it’s still not a good idea to go there for med school. The same applies for all other programs too. It makes more sense to at least aggregate data by Faculty.
Case and point: Waterloo and UofT both have excellent engineering programs, yet because Waterloo doesn’t have a med school it isn’t ranked in the same category as UofT. How is this useful to someone applying to engineering? How does whether or not a university has a medicine program matter to students applying to first entry programs?
As I said, an utter joke, and I challenge someone from Macleans to actually respond to my comments or better yet contact me and discuss my concerns.
First off, everyone stop flaming Carsonist, he’s had some very valid points, and lets face it, while I for one think it’s total BS, where you get your degree from does matter. As for these rankings, I think they’re the stupidest thing i’ve ever seen, how do you rank something so broad? There’s no real way to do it, and each university is only strong in some departments, and really shitty in others.
PS, JFK graduated cum laude with a degree in international affairs from Harvard.
PPS, Carsonist, stop bragging, you’re doing premed, nobody gives a shit about that, they only look at your med degree.
“I’m fairly certain that some people who graduate from less wealthy and less popular schools possess as much, if not even more, intellect than those certain people…”
lnb, you need to chill out buddy, I didn’t get into Harvard or Caltech or something, I’m not one of those genius people, I’m just saying that they those schools tend to accept more intelligent people than 99% of other schools. I’m not some insane genius, and frankly, I didn’t want to have to throw down a quarter of a million dollars for undergrad, so I stayed in Canada and took advantage of scholarship opportunities we have here that don’t exist for Internationals in the USA.
Your assumption that the same standard of people go to all schools isnt true though, there were two students in my high school who were absolutely brilliant mathematicians, both placing top 3 in national math contests at some point in Gr10, 11, or 12. They both went to MIT. Our valedictorian went to Columbia. The list goes on and on, better students go to better schools. Am I saying I’m some mad genius? No. I’m no Ivy League Prep Boy, so please don’t get so aggressive. I’m just saying that I understand why they do rankings, and the relative importance of going to a good school.and for the record,
“… JFK didn’t graduate from Harvard… LOL just saying. Next time you attempt to outshine those who are smarter than yourself, just remember how wrong and uneducated your comment was.”
JFK did graduate from Harvard..
He got his degree there, and he’s listed as an alumnus.
Try using google next time (Y)
and yeah, its true, nobody really cares about biomed, it pays off eventually though, graduating class last year, a lot of kids did really well on the MCAT and went to some pretty great Med Schools, I’m hoping I’ll be able to pull of a similar result
read the name
Dear Carsonist:
“… The list goes on and on, better student go to better schools…”
This is why we are here, is it not? To talk about what exactly constitutes a better “school” or “student.” I would never be so bold as to assume higher grades = higher intellect, perhaps higher grades = higher respect, obedience, etc. The education systems are beyond flawed, nearly as flawed as the Bush Administration was, way back when. And because of this, you couldn’t possibly associate high brain functionality with one’s grades. As for better schools? That’s subjective, I don’t even know why there are rankings in the first place…. @everyone, I wouldnt let these rankings ruin your day.
“… I didn’t get into Harvard…”
For the record, I never said anything about JFK’s graduation. That was some clod.
However, I can honestly say that there’s a reason(s) you didn’t get into Harvard:
1)Your Parents weren’t wealthy
2)Your parents didn’t attend the school when they were younger
3)Your parents don’t know anyone/have any connections to the school.
As for all of those examples you threw out? They are/have at least 1 of the examples I just posted. Sure, like you said, of course it matters where you graduate from. How you get there in the first place, however, doesn’t, assuming it’s one of the stereotypical, “upper class” schools, with intellectual superiority complexes everywhere you look.
Of course I can’t say all of this from experience. It’s just my two pecos.
“However, I can honestly say that there’s a reason(s) you didn’t get into Harvard:
1)Your Parents weren’t wealthy
2)Your parents didn’t attend the school when they were younger
3)Your parents don’t know anyone/have any connections to the school.”
gutty
I am gay
Does anyone know what a panini is? What’s a panini?
i just have to laugh at this hahaha – i go to university here in Canada and do you not ALL realize that we’re ALL being screwed? WHO CARES what school you go to – no matter what, you’re going to pay WAY too much money for tuition (that increases EVERY YEAR no matter where you are) with no improvements to your education! We experience an average 5 percent increase EVERY year in tuition and do you see a difference in learning? NO – the money that we pay is going into the pockets of the people who are the figure heads of the universities while they tell us that OUR universities are in debt – IN DEBT? how about the thousands of students that are in debt! go on google and check out how much money your university president makes for sitting back and jacking your tuition prices every year.. so honestly people open your eyes and complain about something worth complaining about.. this is a far bigger issue than what school is better than the other and it affects EVERYONE which no one seems to acknowledge.. your university doesnt care about YOU, its a BUSINESS.
I didn’t read your comment, on the grounds that it was far too long and serious. Nobody cares about your outdated idealism.
Read the name Yo.
This is for “axgo.”
I’d rather go to Canada for my education, than most other places. I invite you to name 5 places that you would rather study, for reasons that are merely economic. Oh, you can’t? It’s cool, some are just born retarded.
I read your comment and if you go to a university in Canada you SHOULD know that half of education costs or more are subsidized (payed for) by the government, which in the states they are not. Before you bitch, read.
Read the name. Again.
These comments are crazy!
I agree with everyone and anyone who said it’s NOT about the university but about the PROGRAM.
I applied and have been accepted to go to Carleton next year. Carleton isn’t on any of these ranking lists, but I’m accepted into a specialized degree which only accepts few students yearly, has its own seminar halls and is good Law School prep. To me that is a good program, it’s a program I’m happy about and a program where profs will know who I am because of my small class size.
Would I rather for to U of T and take a general Art Degree just because this ranking says it’s number 1? Not a chance!! Because taking Art at U of T would mean I’m stuck being a bar code in a class of 300. I’m taking a Bachelor of Humanities at Carleton and I don’t feel ashamed about it just because it’s not on these lists.
If I do decide to do Law will I want to go to U of T? Most likely yes, because they have a good law program.
Its all about the program, people! Go to a university that YOU’LL be proud of, not one MacLeans is proud of.
Tuition prices go up 3-5% each year because the standard of living increases 3-5% each year dumb shit. And students in Canada should be thankful for the cheap tuition we pay compared to our next door neighbors in the US. Domestic Quebec students pay 2000 a year for their tuition, Domestic BC students pay 4000 a year, and Domestic Ontario students pay 6000 a year. Try comparing that to a minimum, MINIMUM 15000 tuition cost for the crappiest University/College you can think of in the States that isn’t private. If you want to talk private, double the cost of that and that’s how much you’re paying each year. We would be paying the exact same if it weren’t for Government subsidies. The only thing worth complaining about regarding Canadian tuition fees are the flat fees and ancillary fees in Ontario universities which force on another 1500 in fees (that SHOULD be optional because not everybody wants to be forced to pay $400 for university gym access).
Has anyone seen my pen?
Just to let you all know, I’m the smartest person alive. I dont even need to go to university, because I’m smarter than all of you, and all of your professors. I’d like you all to let me know what its like to be not as smart a me
The University of Toronto is a terrible choice for undergraduates. The class sizes are way too big, the professors are arrogant and do not hide the fact that they rather deal with graduate students or their own research, all the TAs act like they’re professors, and the receptionists at the registrar offices are about as helpful as a poke in the eye. The cost of tuition coupled with the cost of living in Toronto was also exorbitant. Worst money ever spent. @undergrad, I wish I could have had a class with only 300. Of the 5 courses I took, the smallest was 400, the largest, 1200.
carleton has the best architecture program
[...] year large publications like Macleans and The Globe and Mail like to write about and rank Canada’s ‘best’ universities. We at the Syrup Trap think choosing where to go to [...]
Okay, so while I agree where you go to university can matters to some degree, I still don’t think it’s set in stone.
If you have heart, know exactly what you want to do and how you want to do it, you don’t have to go to one of these “top ranked universities” to do it. And lets face it: do we really need some biased magazine to tell us what universities they think are the best based on some convoluted and totally BS ranking system? I think not.
It’s doesn’t have to be about the university. It can be about the individual and what he/she does with his time and efforts at a certain institution. Sure, it may be better to shine at a place like U of T than at Guelph but that’s because U of T may have more resources and research available for students.
UBC for the win! Thank you Macleans for publishing this article, to show students the differences. I appreciate the breadth of your rankings. Keep doing the great work you’ve been doing!
I did my undergrad in Guelph and Masters at Manitoba…Guelph is highly underrated..there research is world renown… I’m sure there ranking would blast through the roof if they got a Medical school.
sweetheart,
The fact that four years of undergraduate education did not teach you the difference between their/there/they’re does not speak well for your university.
Can everyone just take a deep breath for two seconds?!?! You are all right!!!(well most). While a universities reputation plays a huge role for when you leave and go into the real world, it is mostly its rep for certain programs that will help you go places. For example, Waterloo has an outstanding engineering program and math program. And since these programs play a large role in the business world, they have a better overall ranking. But if you wanted to go into an accounting program, Waterloo wouldn’t be a very good choice. So therefore you would likely attend McMaster or Laurier. Ans when a business goes to look at your application for an accountant, and you are tied with another possible applicant with say an 85% average, the McMaster applicant would most likely get the job, even though Waterloo has a higher overall ranking. I am another example. I have just been accepted to Waterloo for Geography and Aviation and also Seneca for its university degree flight program. I am choosing to go to Seneca because its flight program is highly renowned in Canada and they have many connections in the aviation industry;such as Air Canada and Jazz. AND I PROBABLY HAVE A WAY BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING A GOOD JOB RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE AND DO WHAT I LOVE THAN I WOULD HAVE IF I GRADUATE FROM WATERLOO!!!
Lastly, these rankings aren’t complete bullshit. Many universities us this to strive and become a better learning facility. And stop chirping each other through these posts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that’s whats so great about living in the Great White North!!!
Like the great Will Ferrell once said, “Everybody Love Everybody!”
It’s not your degree/school, its what you do with it.
I am currently going to Manitoba and although its 15th, I think its best choice I made as an international student adjusting to Canada in terms of costs and accommodation. One would think we must be all be slackers since our university ranks last but I meet really intelligent people here, and apparently we’ve got the most Rhodes scholars in western Canada. What I guess I like the most is that your professors are really the nicest people and you can really get to be friends plus they do their best to help you succeed at your courses.
It’s Friendly Manitoba