By Xoel Cardenas, Sr. Communications Specialist, Office of the Vice President for Research
The University of Utah is gaining national and global recognition for the work it’s doing close to home—and around the world.
In the newly released 2025–26 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings, the U has been named one of the top 150 universities worldwide, out of more than 2,250 institutions across 105 countries. 
The University of Utah came in at a tie for number 141 in the rankings. This places the U in the top 7% globally, a significant milestone that highlights the university’s expanding impact in research, innovation, and academic excellence.
This new recognition directly supports the vision outlined in the U’s Impact 2030 strategic plan, which prioritizes transformative education and research that drives unsurpassed societal impact, fuels economic growth, improves health and quality of life, and expands knowledge on a local, national and global scale.
“This recognition affirms the direction we’re headed,” said Dr. Erin Rothwell, Vice President for Research at the University of Utah. “Our research is driven by purpose, whether that’s improving health outcomes, shaping policy, or accelerating innovation. Rankings are one way to measure progress, but it’s the impact on people and communities that ultimately defines our success. This aligns with Impact 2030, where our focus is on advancing research that addresses real-world challenges, expands opportunity, and contributes to meaningful change, locally and globally.”
The University of Utah was also ranked high by U.S. News & World Report for several of its academic and research areas—many of which are in health fields—including clinical medicine (#79), oncology (#48), and surgery (#60).
The U’s stellar ranking is another recent national and global recognition for the university in 2025. In February, a report ranked the University of Utah second in the nation in universities with the highest likelihood of producing unicorn companies, privately-owned startup businesses with a worth of more than $1 billion.
This latest accolade is more than just a number—it reflects a much larger purpose. U Research is not only earning recognition—it’s creating impact that matters. From discovery to innovation, the University of Utah is building a research enterprise that’s designed to lead, now and into the future.
🔗 Click here to learn more about the U of U’s Impact 2030 strategy plan. For more information on U Research, click here.
To learn more about the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities ranking and methodology, click here.
