Stockholm University in world ranking tables
Stockholm University is one of the 200 highest-ranked universities in the world and one of the top 100 universities in Europe according to several well-established university ranking tables.
The different rankings use different methods for measuring quality. Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE), QS Rankings and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) are considered the most influential university rankings in the world.
Stockholm University's position in these rankings:
• ARWU (Shanghai): 101–150 (2024)
• THE: 185 (2024)
• QS World University Rankings: 128 (2025)
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)
The Academic Ranking of World Universities – sometimes called the Shanghai Ranking – is published by the independent organization Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. The indicators they use to rank the universities are mainly:
- The number of alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals.
- The number of articles published in the journals of Nature and Science.
- The number of Highly Cited Researchers and articles indexed in Science Citation Index - Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index based on data in the Web of Science.
- The per capita performance of a university.
Here you can read more about how ARWU's measurement is done
Here you can read more about Stockholm University's placement in ARWU 2024
Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE)
This ranking is published by the THE World Universities Insights Limited. The method involves sending out questionnaires to selected people and reviewing statistics on the basis of 18 indicators in these five areas:
- Teaching (the learning environment)
- Research (volume, income and reputation)
- Citations (research influence)
- International outlook (staff, students and research)
- Industry income (knowledge transfer).
Here you can read more about how THE's measurement is done
Here you can read more about Stockholm University's placement in THE 2024
QS World University Rankings
This ranking is published by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), a company specialising in information for the higher education sector.
Stockholm University is in the top 200 in the world and ranked fourth in Sweden. The ranking is based on the following criteria:
- Academic Reputation 30%
- Employer Reputation 15%
- Faculty Student Ratio 10%
- Citations per Faculty 20%
- International Faculty Ratio 5%
- International Student Ratio 5%
- International Research Network 5%
- Employment Outcomes 5%
- Sustainability 5%
Six disciplines ranked within the top 50
QS also ranks by subject. 55 disciplines are grouped into five broad subject areas. Six disciplines at Stockholm University are ranked among the top 50 in the world:
- Social Policy & Administration (11)
- Environmental Sciences (25)
- Geophysics (38)
- Sociology (38)
- Geography (40)
- Geology (40)
Read more about the methodology behind QS World University Rankings
Read more about Stockholm University in the QS World University Rankings 2025
Read more about Stockholm University in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
Leiden Ranking
The Leiden Ranking is carried out by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of Leiden University; it is actually not one ranking but several. Different indicators are used which produces a range of different rankings.
The ranking is based on publication and citation data from the Web of Science database, but it does not take into account the size of the institution. The universities that have at least 800 publications in a variety of journals indexed by Web of Science during the past four years are included. The ranking does not include conference or book publications, a limitation affecting some of Stockholm University’s areas of strength such as computer science, social sciences and the humanities.
In 2024 Stockholm University is ranked 323 in the world according to indicator PP (top 10%), which shows the proportion of articles that belong to the world’s 10 percent most cited in their fields. In Sweden, Stockholm University is placed number four, after Karolinska Institutet, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg.
Here you can read more about how Leiden's measurement is done
Here you can read more about Stockholm University in The Leiden Ranking 2024
Europe
Below is Stockholm University in a comparison with other European universities:
• THE: ranked the 82nd best university in Europe (2024)
• QS: ranked the 44th best university in Europe (2025)
• ARWU (Shanghai): ranked the 32nd best university in Europe (2024)
• Leiden ranking: ranked 123rd best university in Europe, according to PP(top 10%) indicator (during 2019–2022)
What is ranking?
University rankings are lists that rank higher education institutions based on various indicators of quality in higher education and research. The lists can be international, national or regional, they can rank different subjects or entire universities.
The ranking institutions use different indicators to measure quality, these can change over time as well as the number of universities included. Therefore, it is good to know that rankings do not give the full picture of a university’s quality.
Last updated: August 19, 2024
Source: Communications Office