Top Chemical Engineering Schools in 2016

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 includes a ranking of the top chemical engineering schools worldwide, based on a methodology that assesses academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact.

If you think you might like to study chemical engineering at a leading department in the field, see below for an overview of the top universities for chemical engineering in each world region. Or, to explore the full interactive table, click here.

Top chemical engineering schools in the US & Canada 

The US dominates the rankings in many subjects, and chemical engineering is no exception. Some 53 of the world’s 200 top universities for chemical engineering are based in the US. In addition to the four US universities featured in the top 10 (above), a further 13 US universities are in the top 50 of the chemical engineering ranking, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Princeton University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Texas at Austin, all in the top 20.

Meanwhile Canada claims 10 of the world’s best chemical engineering schools, led by the University of Toronto, McGill University and the University of British Colombia, all in the top 50.

Top chemical engineering schools in Europe

Including three entries in the top 10 (above), the UK offers a total of 15 top universities for chemical engineering. Also in the global top 50 are the University of Manchester and UCL (University College London), and five more UK universities feature in the top 100 of the chemical engineering ranking.

There are nine German universities featured in the ranking, five of which are among the world’s top 100. Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen) is the top-performing German university in this subject, in 36^th place.

Italy has six schools featured, of which the highest-ranked is Politecnico di Milano (51-100). 

Each claiming three of the world’s best chemical engineering schools are France, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Of these, the Dutch Delft University of Technology is the only school featured in the top 50 at joint 6^th for chemical engineering, while the Eindhoven University of Technology and the Swedish KTH, Royal Institute of Technology both rank 51-100. All of Spain’s entries and all but one of France’s are ranked 101-150.

Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland all offer two of the world’s best chemical engineering schools. Both Swiss offerings are within the world’s top 50 – ETH Zurich (12^th) and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, 44^th). Belgium’s KU Leuven makes the top 100, while Portugal’s University of Porto is ranked 101-150. All of Ireland and Greece’s entries are ranked 151-200.

Sweden’s fellow Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland and Norway, each have one representative; the Technical University of Denmark makes the top 50, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology ranks 101-150, and the Finnish Aalto University is placed 151-200.

Top chemical engineering schools in Australia & New Zealand 

Australia lays claim to 10 of the best chemical engineering schools in the world, including Monash University, the University of Queensland (UQ), the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales, all within the top 50 for this subject.

New Zealand meanwhile claims two featured institutions – the University of Auckland at 101-150 and the University of Canterbury at 151-200.

Top chemical engineering schools in Asia

China features the most entrants of the Asian countries with 13, including three in the top 50: Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Japan and South Korea are each home to 10 of the world’s best chemical engineering schools. The leader of these is Japan’s Kyoto University (9^th), closely followed by the University of Tokyo (11^th). The other three Japanese universities in the top 50 are Tokyo Institute of Technology, Osaka University and Tohuku University.

The top quarter of the ranking also features South Korea’s KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul National University (SNU) and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). 

India features seven of the top universities for chemical engineering, including four in the top 100. Taiwan has six entries, including National Taiwan University (NTU) in the top 50. Malaysia also has six representatives in the chemical engineering ranking, with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in the top 50 and a further three in the top 100.

Hong Kong has four entrants, including Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) within the top 50, followed by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong within the top 100.

Not far behind the National University of Singapore (5^th), fellow Singaporean institution Nanyang Technological University comes 18^th. And finally for the Asianregion, Thailand has one school ranked in the top 100: Chulalongkorn University.

Top chemical engineering schools in Latin America 

Of the seven top universities for chemical engineering in Latin America, Brazil claims three, including Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) in the top 100. Mexico takes two places, with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in the top 100.

The other Latin American entrants are Argentina’s Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Colombia’s Universidad Nacional de Colombia, both ranked 151-200.

Top chemical engineering schools in the Middle East

Of the four top universities for chemical engineering in the Middle East, three belong to Saudi Arabia, including King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, both ranked 101-150.

The only other Middle Eastern country featured is Israel, with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology ranked at 151-200.

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