Virginia Tech tied for No. 285 among more than 2,250 universities from over 100 countries in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 Best Global Universities rankings.

U.S. News & World Report calculated the overall ranking for each university using a complex formula that involved 13 indicators that combined to measure global research performance. A designation of best global university means that a university has produced meaningful research and continues to receive recognition internationally.

The publication also ranked 51 subject rankings, using a combination of an institution’s research output, citations, and regional/global reputation within that specific subject area.

  • Virginia Tech ranked highly in the following subjects:
  • Electrical engineering: No. 81 globally, No. 5 among U.S. universities
  • General engineering: No. 121 globally, No. 17 among U.S. universities
  • Geosciences: No. 144 globally, No. 39 among U.S. universities
  • Civil engineering: No. 146 globally, No. 8 among U.S. universities
  • Water resources: No. 152 globally, No. 20 among U.S. universities
  • Mechanical engineering: No. 165 globally, No. 10 among U.S. universities
  • Computer science: No. 188 globally, No. 39 among U.S. universities
  • Environmental engineering: No. 21 among U.S. universities
  • Energy and fuels: No. 26 among U.S. universities
  • Materials science: No. 48 among U.S. universities

The College of Engineering was well represented in the subject rankings. The college’s research in areas such as air quality, pollution, spread, and climate models; advanced manufacturing; and technologies connected to quantum artificial intelligence, telecommunication, and medical imaging helped contribute to the college’s high marks.

Also, the College of Natural Resources and Environment contributed to the university’s ranking in water resources partly because of its international work involving rainwater harvesting systems and in the energy and fuels subject because of a focus on sustainability options.

More information about Virginia Tech’s rankings can be found online.

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