The University of Waterloo ranking | All you need to know

About the University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a public research university that began operations in 1957 with only 74 engineering students enrolled. According to Research Infosource 2022, the University of Waterloo has been Canada’s top research university for 14 years. The university has over 30,000 students. Undergraduate and graduate students have access to university housing. It quickly rose to the top of the list of international students looking to study in Canada. Keep reading to learn more about the University of Waterloo ranking.

Why study at the University of Waterloo?

Here’s why studying at the university will be beneficial for you-

• Waterloo University is a school that can help you gain relevant experience for whatever you want to do. Waterloo’s most extensive co-op program, international exchanges, clubs, certificate programs, lab work, field studies, and hackathons are all examples of how the university allows you to pursue your interests.
• There are over 250 student clubs and 30 athletic leagues, with the residence council and student associations. You’re sure to find something of interest!
• Waterloo is home to two universities, a college, and more than 50,000 students! That is significantly larger than any hometown.
• For 29 of the last 30 years, Waterloo has been named Canada’s most innovative university. We have the highest rate of hands-on, experiential learning in Canada.
• In comparison to 79% of Ontario graduates, 96% of co-op graduates got employed six months after graduation, and worked in positions related to skills acquired at Waterloo.
• QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 places it first in Canada for graduate employment rate.
• There are currently over 203,000 University of Waterloo alumn spread across 152 countries.

QS World Ranking

Here is the ranking for Waterloo as per QS World Rankings-

QS World Rankings	2023	2022	2021
Rank	154	149	146

QS World University Ranking by Subject

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022, the University of Waterloo ranked in 29 of 51 featured subject areas. QS evaluated and ranked 1,543 universities in 51 disciplines, divided into five broad subject areas, in the report. They used a peer review survey, an employer survey, and citation data to generate indicators for the subject rankings.

Subjects ranked in the top 50-

• Computer Science (25th) 
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering (33rd)
• Mathematics (41st) 
• Anatomy & Physiology (48th)
• Mechanical Engineering (49th)

Subjects ranked 51-100-

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Sciences
• Material Sciences
• Physics & Astronomy
• Hospitality & Leisure Management Studies
• Statistics & Operational Research

Subjects ranked 101-200-

• Architecture/Built Environment
• Philosophy 
• Psychology
• Chemistry
• Earth & Marine Sciences
• Geography
• Geology
• Geophysics
• Accounting and Finance
• Sports-related subjects

US News & World Report rankings

Below are the rankings for the University of Waterloo-

• Best Global Universities- 191
• Best Global Universities in Canada- 8

University of Waterloo subject ranking

Here is the subject ranking by US News & World Report-

• Artificial Intelligence- 88
• Biology and Biochemistry- 367
• Chemical Engineering- 100
• Chemistry- 125
• Civil Engineering- 78
• Clinical Medicine (tie)- 413
• Computer Science (tie)- 51
• Condensed Matter Physics- 69
• Economics and Business (tie)- 194
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering- 24
• Energy and Fuels (tie)- 29
• Engineering- 44
• Environment/Ecology (tie)- 233
• Geosciences- 169
• Materials Science- 91
• Mathematics- 82
• Mechanical Engineering- 39
• Nanoscience and Nanotechnology- 80
• Optics (tie)- 109
• Physical Chemistry- 85
• Physics (tie)- 190
• Polymer Science (tie)- 134
• Psychiatry/Psychology (tie)- 282
• Public, Environmental and Occupational Health- 191
• Social Sciences and Public Health (tie)- 126
• Space Science- 185
• Water Resources (tie)- 70

Indicator rankings 2022-2023

Indicator rankings by US News & World Report-

• Global score- 63.5
• Global research reputation- 120
• Regional research reputation- 62
• Publications- 222
• Books- 181
• Normalized citation impact- 581
• Total citations- 226
• Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited- 220
• International collaboration- 457
• International collaboration – relative to country- 673
• Percentage of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited- 350

The University of Waterloo Engineering rankings

Here is the Engineering rankings for Waterloo-

• Ranks 1st in Canada for Chemical Engineering by Academic Rankings of World Universities 2021.
• Ranks 1st in Canada for Mechanical Engineering by NTU Rankings 2021.
• Ranks 1st in Civil Engineering by NTU Rankings 2021.
• Ranks 2nd in Canada for Electrical Engineering by Academic Rankings of World Universities 2021.
• Ranks 2nd in Canada for Nanotechnology Engineering as per Academic Rankings 2021.
• Ranks 3rd in Canada for Civil Engineering according to QS World Rankings 2021.
• Ranks 1st in Canada for undergraduate programs producing startup founder by Pitchbook Universities 2019.
• Ranks 1st in Canada for the top research university, comprehensive class by Resource Infosource.
• Ranks 22nd in the world for VC-backed undergraduate entrepreneurs by Pitchbook Universities 2020.
• Ranks 25th in the World for Electrical Engineering by US News and World Report rankings 2020.
• Ranks 33rd in the world for Electrical and Electronics Engineering by QS World Rankings 2022.

Maclean’s magazine

Here is the ranking by Maclean’s magazine-

• Most innovative university 2023- 1st
• Best overall university 2023- 2nd
• Computer Science 2023- 1st
• Highest quality in Canada 2023- 3rd
• Experiential learning amongst comprehensive universities 2021- 1st

Key takeaways

• The rankings of a university are one of the deciding factors for admission. The University of Waterloo’s rankings for its subjects portray the university’s solid educational foundation.
• According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject, five of the university’s subject rank under the top 50.
• The university has a good hold over Engineering rankings as well. It ranks first in Canada for Mechanical, Chemical, and Civil Engineering.
• Maclean’s magazine ranks the university first as the most innovative university for 2023.

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FAQs

Q1. What is living in Waterloo like?

Answer- It is a safe, affordable community with many wonderful festivals and cultural events. It is also convenient to other cities. You can also live in nearby communities, which have a variety of housing options. Many often refer to Waterloo as a student city.

Q2. What is the most challenging program to get into at the University of Waterloo?

Answer- The University of Waterloo’s Software Engineering program is the most difficult to enter. Students with a 90-95% average have a 10% chance of admission, making software engineering one of Canada’s most competitive undergraduate programs.

Q3. How competitive is Waterloo University?

Answer- Waterloo is a highly competitive school with a highly competitive admissions process. Students admitted to Waterloo have an average GPA of around 94%. Waterloo’s admissions process is intended to identify students who will be successful in the university’s rigorous academic program.