McMaster University has earned a spot among the world’s top 150 universities for its strong academic reputation and prestige, according to Times Higher Education’s 2025 World Reputation Rankings.

This marks a significant rise from the last reputational ranking, which put McMaster at 185th in the world. The rankings also placed McMaster among the top five universities in Canada.

Now in its 14th year, the recently relaunched World Reputation Rankings, which includes the most prestigious universities in the world, reflects the opinions of 55,000 experienced, published scholars who assess institutions based on excellence in research and teaching within their disciplines.

“McMaster’s reputation is a reflection of our commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and innovation,” said McMaster President David Farrar.

“At McMaster, we believe that transformative change happens when we work together — across disciplines, communities, and borders. This approach drives our faculty, students, and staff who are focused on improving lives and addressing society’s most pressing challenges.”

Recently, McMaster ranked among the top 100 public universities globally in the 2025 World University Rankings (WUR). The WUR examines five pillars including: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook. McMaster was ranked among the best in the world for strong industry partnerships and research excellence.

McMaster also ranked 30th in the world  in the 2024 University Impact Rankings. The impact rankings are an international benchmark for universities around the world working toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Last year, 16 McMaster researchers were named to the world’s Highly Cited list, a global recognition that highlights individuals who have significantly influenced their fields through impactful research.