latin American Universities dominate QS 2026 Ranking: Brazil and Chile Lead
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL - Latin American universities have demonstrated notable strength in the recently released QS 2026 World University Rankings, with institutions from Brazil and Chile claiming the top spots. The ranking, which assesses universities across research, employability, learning experience, global engagement, and sustainability, provides a crucial benchmark for students, researchers, and policymakers across the region.
The QS 2026 methodology, structured around five key performance areas, highlights the growing competitiveness of Latin American higher education. This year’s results reveal a concentrated presence of leading universities, particularly in Brazil and Chile, signaling a regional trend toward increased investment in research and internationalization. The ranking impacts prospective students seeking quality education, influences research funding allocations, and shapes the global perception of Latin american academic institutions.
Here are the top 20 universities in Latin America,according to the QS 2026 ranking:
- University of São Paulo – USP (Brazil) – 142
- Pontificia Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro-PUC-Rio (Brazil)- 571
- University of Chile – 83
- Adolfo Ibáñez University (Chile) – 578
- University of Santiago de Chile – Usach (Chile) – 490
- University of Costa Rica – UCR (Costa Rica) – 499
- Pontifical Catholic University Argentina – UCA (Argentina) – 517
- Universidad Austral (Argentina) – 519
- National Autonomous University of Mexico – UNAM (Mexico) – 181
- Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) – 218
- University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) – 222
- El Colegio de México (Mexico) – 248
- universidade Estadual de Campinas – UNICAMP (Brazil) – 278
- Universidade Federal do Rio grande do Sul – UFRGS (Brazil) – 304
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – UFMG (Brazil) – 318
- Catholic University of Peru – PUCP (Peru) - 423
- Universidad de los Andes (colombia) – 434
- national University of Colombia – 448
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) – 462
- universidad Diego Portales (Chile) – 481
The QS 2026 ranking methodology weighs Research and finding at 50% (academic reputation – 30%,citations per faculty – 20%),Employability and outcomes at 20% (employer reputation – 15%,graduate employment rate – 5%),Learning experience at 10% (student-to-faculty ratio),Global engagement at 15% (international faculty – 5%,international research network – 5%,international students – 5%),and Sustainability at 5% (ESG commitment).