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Ranking placement for KTH

KTH performs well in various international university rankings across areas such as research, education, and sustainability. On this page, we have gathered our placements in the most well-known university rankings. In addition to overall rankings, we also compile how well KTH performs in different subject areas and specific disciplines.

Campus in the evening

Below is a selection of KTH's placements in a few different university rankings since 2018. Ranking placement by subject area and subject can be found further down on this page.

Times Higher Education (THE) , Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) , Shanghai Rankings Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)  and US News Best Global Universities  are among the most well known actors on the market.

There are many different rankings that measuse different aspects of higher education – ultimately, however, these are simplified ways of comparing universities. That's why it is important to remember that the ranking methods are not complete and therefore cannot provide a full picture of the quality of a university.

The years in the tables refer to the year the results were published. 

Overall university rankings

These rankings measure how prominent universities are based on various parameters - e.g. the institution's reputation, student staff ratio and research quality.

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023  
THE 187 201-250 201-250 201-250 155 97  
QS 104 98 98 89 89 73  

Sustainability rankings

These rankings measure how well universities work with sustainability based on various parameters - e.g. if sustainability research is conducted and how the university works with sustainability.

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
THE Impact   7 77 41 42 46
QS Sustainability         98 58

Subject area ranking

These rankings measure how prominent universities are in various subject areas. Just as for the overall rankings, it is done on the basis of various parameters - e.g. the institution's reputation and how prominent the university's research is within the subject area.

Subject area Ranking 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Computer science THE 54 69 73 85 77 61
Engineering THE 53 62 69 68 53 39
Engineering & technology QS 41 36 30 31 28 44
Natural Sciences QS 89 90 84 85 78 101
Physical sciences THE 126-150 176-200 176-200 151-175 126-150 101-125

Subject ranking

These rankings measure how prominent universities are in various subjects. Just as for the overall rankings, it is done on the basis of various parameters - e.g. the institution's reputation and how prominent the university's research is within the subject.

QS Ranking by Subject

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Electrical & Electronic Engineering 28 19 17  18  23 23
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufactural Engineering 32 26 29 25 26 23
Materials Science 44 26 27 38 27 23
Architecture / Built Environment 24 23 20  19  22 26
Civil & Structural Engineering 45 43 42  38  44 44
Mathematics 51-100 44 38 49 59 48
Chemical Engineering 101-150 51-100 51-100 78 85 58
Computer Science & Info Systems 51-100 41 43  42  54 62
Physics & Astronomy 51-100 51-100 51-100 90 99 64
Environmental sciences 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 98 78
Chemistry 101-150 101-150 101-150 109 104 87
Statistics & Operational Research 51-100 39 37  51-100  51-100 51-100
Art & Design        51-100  51-100 101-150
Biological Sciences 251-300 251-300 201-250  201-250  201-250 151-200

ARWU (Shanghai ranking)

Subject 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Automation & Control 15 16 17 20 23 23
Aerospace engineering           34
Mathematics 22 23 26 32 32 37
Textile science & engineering           43
Telecommunication Engineering 19 21 32 37 32 51-75
Electrical & Electronic Engineering 50 50 38 43 49 51-75
Mechanical Engineering 44 43 43 51-75 51-75 51-75
Metallurgical Engineering 36 45 51-75 51-75 51-75 51-75
Transport Science & Technology 18 17 24 35 41 76-100
Energy Science & Engineering 48 51-75 51-75 51-75 76-100 101-150
Computer Science & Engineering 76-100 51-75 76-100 76-100 101-150 101-150
Biotechnology 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150
Chemical Engineering 76-100 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 151-200
Physics 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 101-150 151-200
Biomedical Engineering 151-200 201-300 151-200 151-200 101-150 151-200
Materials Science & Engineering 101-150 101-150 101-150 151-200 151-200 151-200
Biological Sciences not ranked 201-300 151-200 151-200 151-200 151-200
Chemistry 101-150 151-200 151-200 151-200 151-200 151-200
Human Biological Sciences not ranked 401-500 301-400 301-400 301-400 151-200
Water resources 101-150 101-150 151-200 151-200 not ranked 151-200

US News & World Report

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Engineering       45 52  
Polymer Science       46 66  
Energy and Fuels     63 67 74  
Electrical & Electronic Engineering   35 42 63 78  
Computer Science 48 48 76 91 96  
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology     109 111 108  
Biology & Biochemistry 225 116 114 108 110  
Mechanical Engineering   78 96 not ranked 114  
Condensed Matter Physics       121 121  
Physics 121 115 102 102 121  
Chemical Engineering     94 101 124  
Materials Science 83 95 98 111 124  
Optics       127 131  
Biotechnology and applied microbiology         135  
Chemistry 114 109 114 122 140  
Space Science 159 162 153 161 156  
Civil engineering         170  
Physical Chemistry       140 157  

Employability

These rankings measure employability after graduating from a university. It is measured based on various parameters - e.g. the institution's reputation and partnerships with employers.

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
THE Global Employability Ranking   91 58 57 62 73
QS Graduate Employability Rankings 94 79 75 Not made 70 Not made