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QS World University Rankings: Latin America and the Caribbean 2027 results and analysis
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1 October 2026
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QS World University Rankings: Latin America and the Caribbean 2027 results and analysis
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) retains its position as the top-ranked university in the QS World University Rankings: Latin America and the Caribbean 2027, followed by Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), which share second place.
The 2027 rankings include 517 universities, with Brazil remaining the most represented higher education system with 137 ranked institutions, followed by Colombia with 70 and Mexico with 69.
Top 10 universities in Latin America and the Caribbean 2027
These are the top 10 universities in Latin America and the Caribbean in the QS 2027 rankings:
The top 10 remains almost unchanged from the previous edition. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile holds first place, while Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Estadual de Campinas share second. Universidad de Chile moves down one place after previously being joint sixth with UNESP, while the remainder of the top 10 retains its position.
Beyond the top 10, there is considerably more movement. The largest climbers include the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica which records the largest rise in the ranking, climbing 30 places to 120th. Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA) Ecuador rises 24 places to 77th, while Universidad Espíritu Santo and Universidad de Monterrey both climb 19 places.
There are also 20 new institutions entering the rankings with Brazil and Ecuador contributing five each. Universidad Nacional de Loja is the highest-ranked new entrant at 251–300. Université Quisqueya enters at 401+, giving Haiti its first representative in any QS ranking.
Latin America and the Caribbean university ranking trends in 2027
The 2027 results reveal significant differences in performance across the region.
Uruguay records upward movement across all four of its ranked institutions. Among higher education systems with at least 10 ranked universities, however, Ecuador records the largest proportion of improvement, with 55% of its institutions moving up. Brazil records the greatest number of upward movements in absolute terms, with 24 institutions improving their position.
Ecuador's performance is particularly notable further up the table. Six of the 20 largest upward movements in this year's ranking come from Ecuadorian universities, with Universidad San Francisco de Quito becoming the country's highest-ranked institution at 29th after rising 7 places.
Brazil
Brazil remains the region's largest higher education system represented in the rankings, with 137 universities, including four in the top 10. Universidade de São Paulo remains the country's highest-ranked institution at joint second, and leads the region across three indicators: International Research Network, Papers per Faculty and Web Impact.
Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul is Brazil's biggest climber, rising 17 places to 134th, driven particularly by improvements in Academic Reputation and Faculty-Student Ratio.
Colombia
Colombia is the second-most represented higher education system, with 70 ranked universities, while Bogotá is the most represented metropolitan area in the ranking, with 29 institutions.
Universidad de los Andes remains Colombia's highest-ranked institution at eighth and places among the region's leading institutions for both Employer Reputation and Academic Reputation. Universidad del Norte records the country's largest rise, climbing five places to 53rd, supported by an improvement in Staff with PhD.
Mexico
Mexico has 69 ranked institutions in 2027, the third-largest number in the region. Tecnológico de Monterrey retains fourth place overall and remains Mexico's highest-ranked university.
Universidad de Monterrey records the country's biggest improvement, climbing 19 places to 86th, with Citations per Paper contributing to its rise. UNAM leads the region for Academic Reputation, while El Colegio de México ranks first for Faculty-Student Ratio.
Argentina
Argentina has 46 ranked universities, with Universidad de Buenos Aires retaining tenth place and its position as the country's highest-ranked institution. UBA also ranks second in the region for both Academic Reputation and Employer Reputation.
Universidad Argentina de la Empresa records Argentina's largest rise, climbing 12 places to 139th, driven in part by an improvement in Citations per Paper.
Chile
Chile has 42 ranked universities, including four in the top 20. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile remains both the country's and the region's highest-ranked institution at number one.
Universidad del Desarrollo is Chile's biggest climber, rising 17 places to 64th, supported by improvements in Faculty-Student Ratio and International Research Network. Chile also records the highest country average for International Research Network among the major systems highlighted in the analysis, at 74.5, while 55% of its institutions improve in Citations per Paper.
Ecuador
Ecuador emerges as one of the clearest upward-movement stories in the 2027 rankings. Of its 31 ranked institutions, 17 move up, while five are new entrants. Six Ecuadorian universities rank within the top 100.
Among locations with at least 10 ranked institutions, Ecuador has the highest proportion moving up at 55%. Universidad San Francisco de Quito becomes the country's highest-ranked institution at 29th, while Universidad de Las Américas climbs 24 places to 77th – the second-largest upward movement anywhere in the ranking.
