If you're trying to decide where to go to university next year, prepare to take notes! Canada's top universities have been ranked by reputation, and let's just say one school completely stole the show.
On October 10, Maclean's released its 2025 edition of the Best Universities in Canada by National Reputation, and the results make for pretty positive reading for U of T graduates.
From coast to coast, universities across the country were evaluated by faculty, administrators, and business leaders, giving Canadians a clear snapshot of which institutions are considered the most innovative, highest quality, and overall best.
The survey combines universities from three different categories—Primarily Undergraduate, Comprehensive, and Medical Doctoral—into one massive list. While the full ranking includes 50 universities, we'll focus on the top 10. And spoiler alert: Toronto came out on top in every way possible.
U of T ranked #1 in every major category, suggesting that it's not just Canada's largest university—it's also the most respected. It snagged the top spot for "Best Overall," "Most Innovative," and "Highest Quality," proving that it's a powerhouse when it comes to education and research.
But Toronto wasn't the only school that stood out in the rankings. A few other universities consistently ranked high across multiple categories, including the University of British Columbia (UBC), McGill University, and the University of Waterloo. These schools, like U of T, were major players in the rankings, showing up in the top five in every list.
Here's a closer look at how the rankings went down:
Best Overall
- University of Toronto
- UBC
- McGill
- Waterloo
- McMaster
- Université de Montréal
- Queen's University
- University of Alberta
- Western University
- Simon Fraser University
Most Innovative
- University of Toronto
- Waterloo
- McGill
- UBC
- McMaster
- Université de Montréal
- University of Alberta
- Queen's University
- University of Calgary
- Western University
Highest Quality
- University of Toronto
- McGill
- Waterloo
- UBC
- McMaster
- Université de Montréal
- Queen's University
- Western University
- University of Alberta
- Simon Fraser University
You can find the full 50-university list here. And, even though we're talking about the cream of the crop here, there are plenty of other universities that got their flowers too.
While these national rankings highlight Canada's best universities, it's also worth considering how they stack up globally.
Earlier this week, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2025 were released, and Canadian schools had an interesting showing. Three schools made the global top 50:
- #21: University of Toronto
- #41: University of British Columbia
- #45: McGill University
THE pointed out that while these elite institutions have remained steady in their rankings, the story isn't as positive for the rest of the country.
Over two-fifths of Canadian universities in the global ranking have actually dropped in placement, as the worldwide competition for top university spots continues to heat up.
Of the 33 Canadian schools ranked (out of 2,857 universities globally), only U of T and UBC held on to their positions, while almost all others saw a dip. Conversely though, McGill rose four places to 45th.
So, while U of T, UBC, and McGill continue to shine both nationally and internationally, there's a growing sense of pressure on some other Canadian universities to keep up with the fierce global competition.
If you're considering where to study or just curious about how Canada's schools are stacking up, U of T's dominance is hard to ignore—but there are a few other schools making a strong case for themselves too!
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Queen's students wearing tams.