How are Ivy League universities ranked, and what factors influence their position?

How Ivy League universities are ranked in the QS World University Rankings

At QS, Ivy League universities are assessed through the QS World University Rankings using the same global methodology applied to all eligible institutions. In practice, this means Ivy League positions are influenced by the same mix of research performance, reputation, employability, global engagement, learning-environment proxies, and sustainability measures as every other ranked university.

The QS World University Rankings are compiled by QS data analysts in partnership with tens of thousands of higher education institutions. They combine large-scale research and survey evidence, incorporating datapoints from 16.4 million academic papers and the views of more than 151,000 academics and 100,000 employers. This approach ensures the Rankings reflect both measurable research impact and how institutions are perceived by the global academic and employer communities.

QS rankings are built from a structured methodology:

• A lens is a theme-based group of measures (such as research or employability).

• An indicator measures one aspect of institutional performance and contributes to the overall score.

• A metric is a more specific calculation used within an indicator.

For the World University Rankings, this methodology is organised into five performance lenses, each with defined weightings and indicators:

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Because Ivy League universities are evaluated against these same lenses, their positions can shift year to year depending on performance, data submissions, and outcomes captured during the rankings cycle (with research beginning in September and results published in June).