The first ever edition of the QS Mexico University Rankings has now been released, and features 50 of the country’s best institutions, each assessed based on a methodology which considers universities on eight indicators, including academic and employer reputations, staff with a PhD, student/faculty ratio and more.
If you’re keen to study abroad in this vibrant Latin American country, read on as we count down the 10 highest-ranked universities in Mexico. You can find out more about studying abroad in Mexico with our guide.
10. Universidad Anahuac
Ranked 10th in the QS Mexico University Rankings and 581-590 in the QS World University Rankings® 2019, Universidad Anahuac receives the third-highest score in Mexico for the faculty/student ratio indicator, and is also ranked sixth for its reputation among employers. A member of the Anahuac University Network, Anahuac is a private university with two campuses, one in the western outskirts of Mexico City and another towards the south of the city, which were independent institutions prior to 2016.
9. Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP)
Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) is ranked ninth in the new Mexico ranking and in the 751-800 range* of the world rankings. It earns the third-highest score in the country for the staff with PhD indicator, and also achieved five stars in the QS Stars rating system. Founded in 1940, UDLAP has one campus located in the historic city of Cholula, a 20-minute drive from Puebla, a UNESCO world heritage city. It’s noted for producing highly employable graduates, with more than 90 percent of students in employment six months after graduation.
8. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)
Ranked eighth in Mexico and 801-1000 in the world, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL) is one of the largest public universities in Mexico, offering the largest amount of academic programs in northeastern Mexico and hosting about 153,000 students on seven campuses. There are plenty of excellent facilities for UANL’s students to take advantage of, with 84 libraries (holding more than two million volumes), 37 research centers and 25 student computer centers.
7. Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG)
Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG) is a public university with around 119,500 students, mostly at undergraduate level, and is one of the oldest universities in Mexico, having been founded in 1791 as the Real Universidad de Guadalajara. It’s ranked seventh in Mexico and 751-800 in the world in 2019, and earns the second-highest score in the country for the web impact indicator, which assesses how effectively institutions are making use of new technologies.
6. Instituto Tecnológico Autonomo de México (ITAM)
Heading back to Mexico City, the private Instituto Tecnológico Autonomo de México (ITAM) is the sixth highest-ranked university in the new Mexico ranking, and also appears in the world rankings in the 651-700 range. One of the country’s most important think tanks, ITAM receives its best scores in the indicators reflecting the proportion of staff with a PhD and its employer reputation (for which it’s ranked third).
5. Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA)
Ranked fifth in the new Mexico university ranking and 701-750 in the world, Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA) is one of the eight Jesuit universities in Mexico and one of the country’s leading institutions for academia and research. 11,000 students are enrolled and there are a total of 34 undergraduate and 39 graduate programs available, as well as more than 200 diplomas. Like ITAM, UIA achieves its best score in the employer reputation category of the Mexico ranking, at fourth.
4. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM)
Next in our look at the top universities in Mexico in 2019 is the public Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), ranked fourth in the Mexico ranking and 751-800 in the world. UAM has been committed to sustainability for more than a decade, and in 1974 was the first institution in Mexico to offer an undergraduate degree in environmental engineering. UAM also appears in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018 for six subjects, including the global top 100 for art & design.
3. Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)
Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) is the third-highest ranked university in the Mexico ranking and was placed in the 651-700 range of the latest world university rankings. IPN is another large public university, hosting upwards of 171,000 students (including those in high school). Though primarily based in Mexico City, IPN also operates research institutes and facilities in 22 Mexican states.
IPN receives the second-highest scores in Mexico for both the indicators measuring papers per faculty and international research partnerships, and also featured in the latest subject rankings among the world’s best for several engineering and technology and life science disciplines.
2. Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)
Heading north to Monterrey, the private Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) is ranked second in the Mexico ranking and has been steadily improving in the world university rankings in recent years, currently appearing in 178th place. It scores in the top five for all but two of the eight indicators, ranking first for citations per paper (a measure of research impact). Founded in 1943, ITESM has expanded rapidly since the 1960s and now operates 31 campuses across 25 Mexican cities. ITESM was also featured at 52nd – and number one in Mexico – in the recently released QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2019.
1. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Ranked number one among the top universities in Mexico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) receives perfect scores for four indicators, including for its academic and employer reputations, and is also featured in the world university rankings at 113th. UNAM was established in 1910 and now has over 346,730 students, mainly at the high school and undergraduate levels. Its main campus (Ciudad Universitaria) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its outstanding integration of Mexican traditions through architecture and modern art.
UNAM is ranked among the world’s best for 37 of the 48 subjects covered in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, with positions in the top 50 for art & design, development studies, classics, mining engineering, law, modern languages and more.
*The top universities in Mexico are listed in a different order to the QS World University Rankings® due to the differing methodologies used to compile the rankings. Find out more here.
