Queen’s University has placed fifth among Canada’s large universities in the 2027 rankings published by Maclean’s magazine. The result puts Queen’s alongside McGill University, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Waterloo in the top five. 

This year, the magazine updated its rankings system by switching to categories based on student population, with Queen’s included among institutions with more than 30,000 full-time equivalent students. Before this change, Queen’s competed in the medical-doctoral category, placing seventh last year.

Highlights from this year’s results show Queen’s ranked second among large universities in both student retention and graduation rates, behind McGill. Queen’s also placed fourth for national academic awards won by students, with top-five results in faculty awards, medical science grants, and scholarships and bursaries.

The results also point to areas where Queen’s is working to improve in line with its Bicentennial Vision. Queen’s placed 13th among large universities in both student-to-faculty ratio and research impact, 12th in the share of spending devoted to student services, and 11th in research publications per faculty member. 

Queen’s Bicentennial Vision calls for strengthening the university’s global research standing and fully integrating research, teaching, and student experience. Its priorities include meaningful research opportunities for all students and stronger mentorship and leadership development.
 

How the rankings work

Maclean’s assesses universities using 15 measures across four areas: student experience and success, faculty quality, student resources and support, and reputation.

Four new measures look at how many students return after first year, how many graduate within six years, how much research universities publish per faculty member, and the share of that work among the most frequently cited publications in its field.
 

Standout programs

The guide also features Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, Biomedical Computing, and Environmental Studies as standout programs at Queen’s.

In Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, students develop skills in mobile robotics and artificial intelligence through hands-on projects with researchers. Biomedical Computing combines computer science with life sciences, with subjects ranging from computer-assisted surgery to genetics and software development. Environmental Studies draws on the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences to help students understand and address environmental problems.

Read more about Queen’s in Maclean’s 2027 University Rankings and the university’s performance in national and international rankings.