The University of Wisconsin–Madison has been ranked 30th globally and 20th in the United States according to the 2025 Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). This ranking places UW–Madison among the top 0.2% of the world’s 21,462 universities.
Provost Charles Isbell commented on this achievement, stating, “We at UW–Madison gain our greatest satisfaction from helping our students reach their highest potential, generating new knowledge through research and creative endeavors in many disciplines, and creating a mutually reinforcing learning environment across our community. It’s icing on the cake when our quality is noticed in university rankings.”
The CWUR evaluates universities based on education quality, employability, faculty quality, and research without using surveys or university data submissions. The university’s global rankings in these categories were: 38th in education, 115th in employability, 34th in faculty quality, and 45th in research.
Established in 2012 with an initial focus on ranking the top 100 global universities, CWUR expanded its scope to include the top 2,000 universities worldwide by 2019. CWUR provides policy advice and consulting services aimed at enhancing educational and research outcomes for governments and universities.
In another recent assessment—the Strategic Trends in Academic Global Excellence 2025 World University Rankings—UW–Madison was placed at 41st globally and 24th within North America. This ranking considers factors such as Student Outcomes (25%), Teaching Quality (20%), Access & Equity (15%), Global Impact (20%), and Safety & Bias (20%).
