UC Irvine earns four top-50 subject rankings in U.S. News Best Global Universities for 2026-27

UC Irvine continues to strengthen its standing among the world's leading research institutions, earning top-50 spots in four disciplines in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings released today.

The campus was rated 99^th globally and 38^th nationally among U.S. institutions in the annual assessment, which evaluates 2,250 universities in 100-plus countries based on research performance, reputation and scholarly impact.

The university's strongest showings came in several disciplines that placed among the top 50 worldwide. Meteorology and atmospheric sciences led the way at No. 10 globally and third nationally, reflecting UC Irvine's internationally recognized contributions to climate, air quality and Earth system research.

Geosciences ranked 20^th in the world and ninth in the U.S., while education and educational research placed 28^th globally and sixth nationally. Neuroscience and behavior rounded out UC Irvine's top-50 global rankings at 47^th worldwide and 24^th nationally.

Beyond those top-performing disciplines, several additional fields earned strong international recognition. Arts and humanities ranked 69^th globally; psychiatry/psychology placed 70^th; and cell biology came in at No. 85. Oncology; space science; radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging; molecular biology and genetics; and computer science also ranked among the top programs worldwide.

In total, UC Irvine had 34 disciplines included in the evaluation, underscoring the breadth of the university's research excellence across the sciences, the health sciences, engineering, the social sciences, arts and the humanities.

The Best Global Universities rankings assess institutions worldwide using indicators such as global and regional research reputation, publications, citations and international collaborations. UC Irvine's performance reflects the impact of its faculty, researchers and students in advancing discovery and addressing complex global challenges.