- June 17, 2026
- By Maryland Today Staff
The University of Maryland earned recognition across multiple categories in U.S. News & World Report’s list of 2026-27 Best Global Universities released Tuesday, ranking No. 13 among public U.S. institutions and No. 32 overall in the nation.
UMD also landed among the top 4% of universities worldwide as it placed No. 82 out of the 2,250 schools from more than 100 countries included in the list, which evaluates universities’ academic research and reputations. The rankings are based on 13 factors, including citations, publications, conferences and international collaboration.
Notable in UMD’s showing this year were six academic disciplines in which it advanced from its 2025-26 rankings: chemistry, civil engineering, economics and business, molecular biology and genetics, optics, and psychiatry/psychology.
It also improved in its global research reputation, regional research reputation and academic conferences, important venues for scholarly communication.
UMD programs in the Top 50 globally include:
- Geoscience (No. 24)
- Meteorology and atmospheric sciences (No. 20)
- Physics (No. 28)
- Space science (No. 31)
The Best Global Universities rankings add to other recent recognition UMD has earned from U.S. News. It achieved its highest-ever ranking, No. 16 among public schools, in the 2026 Best Colleges guide, and three dozen of its graduate programs placed in the top 25 in the 2027 Best Graduate Schools list.
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