The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 have now been released, showcasing the best universities in the world for promoting the employability of their graduates. With post-graduation job prospects always a high priority among students, it can be useful to research and compare which universities are succeeding at producing the most employable and connected graduates.
The ranking was compiled based on a methodology which considers each institution’s employer reputation, graduate employment rate, partnerships with employers and more.
Read on as we count down the 10 best universities in the world for graduate employability in 2020.
QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020: Top 10 |
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Global rank |
University |
Location |
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1 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
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|
2 |
Stanford University |
US |
|
3 |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
US |
|
4 |
The University of Sydney |
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|
5 |
Harvard University |
US |
|
6 |
Tsinghua University |
Mainland China |
|
7 |
University of Melbourne |
Australia |
|
8 |
University of Cambridge |
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|
9 |
University of Hong Kong (HKU) |
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|
10 |
University of Oxford |
UK |
10. University of Oxford
Starting in the UK, the University of Oxford retains its position of 10th in the world for graduate employability this year, with top five scores for the indicators measuring employer reputation and alumni outcomes. This is no surprise when considering the university’s 800-year reputation of high-quality education, and excellent track record of producing some of the most notable figures in arts, politics, science and other fields.
9. University of Hong Kong (HKU)
New to the top 10 this year is the University of Hong Kong (HKU), which climbed four spots this year to now rank ninth in the world for graduate employability. This is thanks to an improved score in the partnerships with employers indicator, for which it now ranks fourth in the world, with the university maintaining partnerships with firms such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which focuses on incorporating its Strategic Professional level exams into the accounting curriculum.
8. University of Cambridge
Next in our run through of the 10 best universities in the world for graduate employability is the University of Cambridge, down one spot to rank eighth in the world in 2020. Like Oxford, it achieves particularly impressive scores for the employer reputation and alumni outcomes indicators, with a similar array of influential and successful graduates to its name, such as Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Emma Thompson.
7. University of Melbourne
Ranked seventh in the world for graduate employability in 2020, Australia’s University of Melbourne achieves its best score in the employer reputation indicator, and is a member of the prestigious Group of Eight, a coalition of elite Australian universities. It’s also the alma mater of four Australian prime ministers and five governors-general, amongst many other notable figures.
6. Tsinghua University
The 2020 edition of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings sees Mainland China’s Tsinghua University climb three places to now rank sixth in the world, with its best score in the partnerships with employers indicator. As well as being the highest-ranked Chinese entrant for graduate employability, it also comes top for Mainland China in the overall QS World University Rankings® 2020, at 16th place.
5. Harvard University
Ranked fifth in the world for graduate employability in 2020, Harvard University, the oldest university in the US, proudly claims the number one spot for both the employer reputation and alumni outcomes indicators, and is noted for its prestige in a wide variety of fields. Its alumni includes eight US presidents, several foreign heads of state, 62 living billionaires, 359 Rhodes Scholars and 242 Marshall Scholars.
4. The University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is fourth among the best universities in the world for graduate employability and first in Australia, having gone up one place from last year. It claims top-40 positions for all five indicators, with its highest scores for the employer-student connections and partnerships with employers indicators, at 12th and 14th respectively. Students at Sydney are given opportunities to meet and network with leading employers from throughout the country at the university’s many careers fairs.
3. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Frequently seen in the global top 50 of the overall QS World University Rankings®, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) takes third place in the graduate employability rankings this year, with its best score in the alumni outcomes indicator. UCLA’s Career Center includes Handshake, an online platform for connecting talented students with internships, jobs and career opportunities.
2. Stanford University
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley in California, Stanford University is ranked second in the world overall for graduate employability in 2020, and first in the partnerships with employers indicator. The university’s BEAM (Bridging Education, Ambition & Meaningful Work) careers service links students with employers and helps students build their employability through job shadowing, career coaching, Stanford Alumni Mentoring, Venture Events (12 careers fairs throughout the year), and BEAM Treks, which give students the opportunity to visit different workplaces.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Last but not least in our look at the world’s best universities for graduate employability, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) once again takes the top spot in the ranking, and has also been ranked first in the overall world university rankings eight years in a row. This of course explains its high score in the employer reputation indicator, and it also features in fifth place for alumni outcomes, with an impressive array of successful former students.
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