Overview of Durham University's Rankings

Durham University, one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the UK, consistently ranks among the top universities both nationally and internationally. Established in 1832, it is a member of the Russell Group and is renowned for its collegiate system, historic architecture, and academic excellence. Rankings provide a snapshot of its performance across various metrics, including teaching quality, research output, student satisfaction, and employability. These evaluations are conducted by reputable organizations such as the Times Higher Education (THE), QS World University Rankings, and the Complete University Guide. In recent years, Durham has maintained a strong position, often placing in the top 10 UK universities and within the global top 100-200. This section delves into detailed rankings, highlighting key achievements and trends.

National Rankings in the UK

In the UK, Durham University is frequently recognized as a leader in higher education. The Complete University Guide, which assesses universities based on entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, and graduate prospects, ranks Durham highly year after year.

• 2024 Complete University Guide: Durham secured 6th place overall in the UK, an improvement from 7th in 2023. This ranking reflects its strong performance in student satisfaction (87% satisfaction rate) and research intensity.
• Guardian University Guide 2024: Positioned at 5th in the UK, Durham excels in subjects like Law (1st) and Theology & Religious Studies (1st). The guide emphasizes value-added scores, where Durham performs exceptionally well due to its supportive learning environment.
• Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024: Durham ranks 5th overall, praised for its world-class research and graduate employability (95% of graduates in employment or further study within 15 months). It also received a 'Sunday Times University of the Year for Student Experience' award in previous years.

Historically, Durham has been a top performer. In the 2023 National Student Survey (NSS), it achieved an overall satisfaction score of 82%, above the sector average of 76%. Its position in the top 10 has been stable since 2010, underscoring its consistent quality.

International Rankings

On the global stage, Durham University competes with elite institutions worldwide. International rankings evaluate broader criteria, including international outlook, citations per faculty, and faculty-student ratios.

Ranking Body	Year	Global Rank	Key Strengths
QS World University Rankings	2025	89th	Academic reputation (top 50), employer reputation (top 100), international faculty ratio (top 50)
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings	2024	174th	Research quality (top 150), industry income (top 200), international outlook (top 100)
Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Jiao Tong)	2023	201-300 band	High-impact publications and alumni Nobel laureates
US News Best Global Universities	2024	234th	Strong in social sciences and arts & humanities

The QS ranking highlights Durham's global appeal, with over 30% international students contributing to its diverse community. In 2024, it climbed 10 places in QS, driven by improvements in sustainability and employment outcomes. THE rankings, which weigh research heavily (30% of the score), place Durham in the 151-175 band for 2023, reflecting robust citation impacts. Compared to peers like Oxford (1st in THE) and Cambridge (5th), Durham holds its own as a mid-tier global powerhouse, particularly in non-STEM fields.

Subject-Specific Rankings

Durham University's strength lies in its specialized departments, where it often outperforms its overall ranking. Subject rankings from QS and THE showcase excellence in humanities, social sciences, and certain sciences.

Top-Performing Subjects

• Law: Ranked 26th globally in QS 2024, and 3rd in the UK by Complete University Guide. Durham's Faculty of Law is noted for its rigorous curriculum and high bar exam pass rates.
• Theology & Religious Studies: 1st in the UK (Guardian 2024) and 10th globally (QS). It benefits from the university's historic ties to the Church of England and renowned scholars.
• English Language & Literature: 38th in QS 2024, top 5 in the UK. The department's research output, including critical editions of classic texts, drives this ranking.
• Archaeology: 5th globally (QS 2024), leveraging Durham's location near Hadrian's Wall and its world-class museum.
• Business & Management: 101-150 band in QS, with strong employability (top 10 UK for graduate salaries in this field).

Science and Engineering Rankings

In STEM fields, Durham is competitive but not always at the pinnacle:

• Physics & Astronomy: 101-150 in QS 2024, with notable contributions to cosmology research.
• Earth Sciences: Top 100 globally, excelling in geophysics due to collaborations with the British Geological Survey.
• Medicine: 201-250 in QS, though the university's newer medical school (established 2017) is rapidly ascending, ranking 10th in the UK for clinical medicine research.

Overall, 18 subjects rank in the global top 100 according to QS by Subject 2024, demonstrating breadth. The university's interdisciplinary approach, such as in the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience, boosts rankings in environmental sciences (top 150).

Research and Employability Rankings

Durham's research prowess is a cornerstone of its rankings. In the UK's Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 82% of its research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent, placing it 9th overall in research power. This translates to high scores in global metrics like normalized citation impact (1.45 in THE, above world average).

For employability, Durham shines. The QS Employability Rankings 2022 placed it 84th globally, with alumni including high-profile figures like Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden and author Louis de Bernières. The Global Employability University Ranking (GEUR) 2023 ranks Durham 101-150, emphasizing its careers service and industry partnerships. Graduate outcomes show an average starting salary of £30,000, 15% above the UK average.

Student Experience and Satisfaction

Beyond academics, Durham ranks highly for student life. In the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023, it won 'University of the Year for Students'. The NSS 2023 scores highlight strengths in teaching (85%) and academic support (88%). Its 17 colleges foster a close-knit community, akin to Oxbridge, contributing to low dropout rates (under 1%). International student satisfaction is particularly high, with 90% recommending Durham in i-graduate surveys.

Challenges and Areas for Improvement: While strong in humanities, Durham lags in some STEM rankings due to fewer resources compared to larger research-intensive peers. Recent investments in the Durham University Business School and science facilities aim to address this.

Comparative Analysis

Compared to other Russell Group universities, Durham often outranks institutions like Newcastle (28th UK) and Exeter (15th) in student satisfaction but trails Oxford and Cambridge in global prestige. Versus US Ivy League schools, it competes closely with Brown (QS 79th) in humanities rankings. Trends show steady improvement: from 92nd in QS 2020 to 89th in 2025, signaling upward mobility.

In summary, Durham University's rankings affirm its status as a world-class institution, blending tradition with innovation. Prospective students should consider these metrics alongside personal fit, as rankings evolve annually based on methodologies that may favor certain aspects.

(Note: All rankings are based on the latest available data as of 2024 and are subject to annual updates. For the most current information, refer to official sources.)