Just 0.2% of Universities are Better Than Wisconsin — According to New Global Ranking

By Christina Lorey

June 3, 2025

The University of Wisconsin–Madison was ranked 30th worldwide and 20th in the United States in the 2025 edition of the Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings.

That puts our state’s flagship school in the top 0.2% of the 21,462 universities ranked worldwide!

“We at UW–Madison gain our greatest satisfaction from helping our students reach their highest potential, generating new knowledge through research, and creating a mutually reinforcing learning environment across our community,” Provost Charles Isbell said in the announcement. “It’s icing on the cake when our quality is noticed in university rankings.”

The list is based on a variety of factors including: quality of education, employability, quality of faculty, university data submissions, and overall student experience.

Broken down by category, Wisconsin ranked ⤵️

✅ 38th in education

✅ 115th in employability

✅ 34th in faculty

✅ 45th in research

Again, that’s out of more than 20,000 universities WORLDWIDE!

In other recent rankings, UW–Madison landed 41st internationally and 24th in North America in the Strategic Trends in Academic Global Excellence 2025 World University Report. And US News & World Report lists them as the 39th best university and the 13th best public school.

KEEP READING: All 13 University of Wisconsin Campuses Ranked from Best to Worst

Author

Christina Lorey

Christina is an Edward R. Murrow-winning journalist and former producer, reporter, and anchor for TV stations in Madison and Moline. When she’s not writing or asking questions, you can find her volunteering with Girls on the Run, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and various mental health organizations. Send all story tips to [email protected] and sign up for her newsletter here.

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CATEGORIES: HIGHER EDUCATION

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