Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has retained its title as the best university in the world for graduate employability.

The American university – which also tops the QS World University Rankings 2020 – narrowly ranks ahead of Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) which are second and third respectively. The complete top 10 can be seen at the bottom of this page.

To determine which universities are producing the most employable graduates, our rankings considers five key indicators, including graduate employability rate and alumni outcomes (read more about this on our methodology page).

These indicators allow universities which may not typically be ranked among the world’s best to earn credit for how successfully they prepare students for the world of work. For instance, UCLA, the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne are all in the top 10 of the Graduate Employability Rankings despite falling outside of the world’s top 25 universities in our world ranking.

Journalist Martin Ince writes in our rankings supplement: “A look at the top 50 universities listed here shows the GER’s scope for some surprise. No fewer than 23 are at least ten places higher than their position in the WUR, with noteworthy differences for institutions such as Waterloo in Canada, Waseda in Japan and Karlsruhe in Germany.

“The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 provide a timely reminder that, when students seek to find the perfect university for their career goals, the most famous name is not always the most suitable one.”

Take a closer look at this year's top 10 below, or click here for the full table.

The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 features 49 UK universities in the global top 500, with 33 of these claiming positions in the top 250.

The Graduate Employability Rankings are deigned to help students compare universities based on how employable its graduates are. This is based on a multitude of factors, with five indicators used to compile these rankings; employer reputation, alumni outcomes, partnerships with employers, employer/student connections and graduate employment rate. You can read more about the methodology here.

Read on to find out about 10 of the top universities in the UK for graduate employability.

10. University of Nottingham

In 10^th place in the list of the top universities in the UK for graduate employability is the University of Nottingham, situated in the Midlands, coming in at 62^nd place, with its best score in the partnerships with employers indicator at 50^th. The university’s careers and employability service holds regular recruitment and careers fairs in different sectors to help university students meet potential employers in the industry of their choice. The careers service also runs employer talks and skills workshops to help students improve their employability.

9. University of Bristol

In the south west of England, we have the University of Bristol, which ranks ninth among the top universities in the UK for graduate employability, and 58^th in the world (dropping 11 places this year). The University of Bristol’s best score was earned in the employer reputation indicator, where it comes 47^th in the world. Bristol is one of the UK’s prestigious research-intensive Russell Group universities and has connections with hundreds of employers, which students can benefit from by visiting the career fairs offered by the university.

8. University of Leeds

The University of Leeds ranks at 51^st in the world, and eighth in the UK for graduate employability in the UK. Situated in West Yorkshire, the university scores well in the employer reputation and the partnerships with employers indicators, ranking 63^rd and 79^th respectively.

Leeds offers accredited careers modules, which allow students to develop a clearer picture of career motivations, take a work placement year and find out about the graduate job market from recruiters and career consultants.

7. University of Edinburgh

Heading to Scotland, where the University of Edinburgh rises 11 places to rank 48^th in the world and comes in at seventh place in the UK. The university ranks 37^th place for employer reputation, and offers a strong careers service, which offers careers events, information, advice and guidance services and even the opportunity to complete an Edinburgh Award, an award that helps you gain work experience through either the university’s summer internship program, international volunteering, enterprising or work experience.

6. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Ranking 45^th in the world for graduate employability is another of the top universities in the UK, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). LSE has a strong academic reputation worldwide and produces cutting edge research, as well as world renowned teaching in the heart of the UK’s capital city. With famous alumni including John F. Kennedy, Mick Jagger, David Attenborough, David Rockefeller and George Soros, it’s hardly surprising that LSE scores well in the alumni outcomes and the employer reputation indicators, where it ranks 13^th and eighth respectively.

5. The University of Manchester

Falling six places to rank 41^st in the graduate employability rankings this year is The University of Manchester, placing fifth in the UK. The University of Manchester scores well in the employer reputation indicator in 20^th place, being a part of the reputable Russell Group and with the university’s career center offering many opportunities to meet employers and professionals on campus, and well as providing training for things like psychometric tests, which are a common requirement for graduate job applications. 

4. Imperial College London

Up three places this year in the graduate employability rankings, Imperial College London is undoubtedly one of the top universities in the UK, at fourth place in the UK and 30^th in the world. Imperial College London has an excellent academic reputation, as a part of the research intensive  Russell Group, as well as being an extremely international university which is involved in significant research collaborations worldwide, so it is unsurprising that employer reputation is where Imperial College London performs best, placing seventh in the world.

3. UCL (University College London)

In the top three universities in the UK is UCL (University College London), ranking 22^nd in the world for graduate affordability. Based in central London, UCL’s best scores are in the employer reputation and the alumni outcomes indicators. UCL’s notable alumni includes David Attenborough, Mahatma Gandhi, Robert Browning and Alexander Graham Bell. UCL has a strong international reputation due to the quality of its research and world class teaching offered across all its courses, with research-based teaching methodology, which means that research is integrated into many of the courses offered.

2. University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is probably the most widely known university in the UK, as well as the oldest university in the English-speaking world, having been established in 1096. Its history and influence has given it a prestigious reputation as one of the best universities in the world, placing 10^th this year for graduate employability. The university’s alumni include 28 of the UK’s prime ministers, 69 Nobel Prize winners, 160 Olympic medalists. It is therefore unsurprising that the University of Oxford earns its highest scores in the employer reputation and alumni outcomes indicators, where it places third and fourth respectively.

1. University of Cambridge

Top of our list of the best universities in the UK for graduate employability is the University of Cambridge, coming in at eighth in the world. The university’s best score is for its employer reputation, where it places second, reflecting its proven academic excellence and traditional scholarly values, which have contributed to making Cambridge one of the top universities in the world for teaching, research and an international outlook.

With notable alumni including Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, Emma Thompson, Lord Byron and Charles Darwin, the University of Cambridge also scores well on the alumni outcomes indicator, ranking eighth in the world. 

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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.

10. University of Oxford

Starting in the UK, the University of Oxford retains its position of 10^th 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 16^th 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 12^th and 14^th 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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The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 will be published on September 19, revealing which of the world’s universities are doing the most to produce employable graduates.

Containing just over 500 institutions, this year’s ranking is released at a time of growing concern over how well a university degree actually prepares you for graduate employment. In the UK, one in two British graduates is not in graduate work, despite the fact the vast majority are gradauting with a first class or upper-second (2:1) degree.

We consistently hear from employers who are unhappy with the skill level of today's graduates, with specialized fields such as technology and engineering suffering in particular. Too many university degrees are being taught to ensure good marks, rather than to impart knowledge and soft skills which will be useful to students in later life. 

Given these problems, this year's Graduate Employability Rankings is arguably the most important yet. We know it's not merely enough to see how many of a university's graduates are in full-time employment - too many are working in unskilled jobs that didn't require a university degree. That's why we also measure alumni outcomes, looking at more than 30,000 of the world’s most innovative, creative, wealthy, entrepreneurial, and philanthropic individuals to establish which universities are producing world-changing individuals. You can find a complete explanation of our rankings methodology here.

Last year, American universities dominated our ranking and took all of the top four positions, while Australian institutions also did noticeably well. Are these institutions still leading the way in teaching their students vital skills for the modern workplace? To find out, check back for the complete results on September 19. Until then, check out last year's results here.

The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020, released today, features 20 Australian universities which were included among the top 500 universities for promoting the employability of their graduates. The ranking was calculated based on a methodology which considers each institution’s employer reputation, graduate employment rate, alumni outcomes and more.

Read on as we count down the 10 highest ranked Australian universities for graduate employability.

=9. Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Queensland University of Technology (QUT), located in Brisbane, retains its position in the 101-110 range of the graduate employability rankings this year, with one of the highest scores in Australia for the Employer-Student connections indicator. QUT enables connections between employers and students through a range of events and services such as on-campus presentations and interviews, careers fairs, a career mentor scheme, work integrated learning and more.

=9. Macquarie University

Heading to Sydney, Macquarie University climbed from the 111-120 range to now place 101-110 for graduate employability, and has the distinction of earning the best score among Australian universities for the graduate employment rate indicator. Students at Macquarie can make use of the multi award-winning PACE (Professional and Community Engagement) program and take part in practical work experience with one of over 3,000 partner organizations across Australia and the world.

8. RMIT University

RMIT University, located in Melbourne, climbed eight spots in this year’s graduate employability rankings to now place 77^th in the world, thanks to improved scores in the graduate employment rate and partnerships with employers indicators. RMIT has strong connections with both domestic and international employers and promotes employer-student connections with the RMIT Mentoring program, which includes a Women@RMIT program tailored specifically towards women entering male-dominated industries.

7. University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is ranked joint 69^th in the graduate employability rankings this year, and achieves its best score in the employer reputation indicator (48^th in the world). Among the career initiatives run by UTS is the UTS Accomplish Award, a year-long program made up of interactive workshops, experiential events, and employability hours designed to build students’ skills, knowledge and experience.

=5. Monash University

Ranked joint 66^th for graduate employability alongside Australian National University, Monash University, located in Melbourne, achieves one of the highest scores in Australia for the employer reputation indicator, demonstrating its high prestige as one of the top universities in Australia. Monash runs a variety of career events and workshops to help students improve their employability and connect with employers, including the annual Careers Expo, the largest careers event of the year, in which students can meet with over 80 employers on-campus.

=5. Australian National University (ANU)

Sharing fifth place among the top universities in Australia and joint 66^th overall for graduate employability, Australian National University (ANU) improved its position by seven places this year. ANU is consistently the highest-ranked university in the country in the QS World University Rankings®, currently placing joint 29^th in the world, which no doubt helps it to earn its best score in the employer reputation indicator.

4. The University of Queensland (UQ)

Next in our look at the top universities in Australia for graduate employability is the University of Queensland (UQ), which is down slightly to rank 57^th but continues to be fourth in the country. UQ earns its best score for the partnerships with employers category, and the university runs one of the country’s largest career events, connecting students with employers from across Australia.

3. The University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Ranked 27^th in the world for graduate employability in 2020, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), earns its best scores in the employer reputation and alumni outcomes indicators (ranked 24^th in the world for both), reflecting both its excellent reputation and track record of successful graduates. UNSW’s alumni includes the likes of Rebel Wilson, current Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, and billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes.

2. The University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne is ranked seventh in the world for graduate employability in 2020, and claims a spot in the global top 50 for all but one of the five indicators used to compile the rankings. The university supports entrepreneurship through its Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP), which was launched in 2012 as one of the first startup accelerators in Australia, and invests $20,000 in equity-free funding to 10 fast-growing startups every year.  

1. The University of Sydney

Number one among the top universities in Australia for graduate employability continues to be the University of Sydney, which this year now claims a spot in the global top five, in fourth place. The university is in the top 40 for all five indicators, with particularly impressive scores for its partnerships with employers and employer-student connections (ranked 14^th and 12^th respectively). It runs many careers fairs throughout the year, giving students the chance to connect face-to-face with leading employers from the both the public and private sectors who are looking to recruit University of Sydney graduates.

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In the release of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 today, 147 European universities are featured (excluding the UK) among the top 500 in the world for promoting the employability of their graduates.

The Graduate Employability Rankings are designed to help students compare universities across the world based on their graduate employment prospects. Several indicators are used to compile these rankings; employer reputation, alumni outcomes, partnerships with employers per faculty and employer/student connections. You can read more about the methodology here.

In case you were wondering, we have covered the top 10 UK universities in a separate article. Read on to find out about 10 of the best universities for graduate employability across continental Europe.

=10. KTH, Royal Institute of Technology

New to the top 10 this year is Sweden’s KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, which climbed four places in the QS Graduate Employability Ranking this year to rank 75^th, and also features in the top 100 of the .

KTH is Sweden’s largest and most respected technical university, and earns its highest score in the employer reputation indicator, which is based on the QS Employer Survey, which asks employers to identify institutions from which they source the most competent, innovative, effective graduates.

=8. Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres)

Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres) is another new entrant when looking at the 10 top universities in Europe for graduate employability, rising an incredible 20 places to reach joint 71^st worldwide. PSL is a relatively new university, only fully formed in 2010, but has grown significantly to include nine academic and research member institutions and 10 affiliated institutions, with an aim to become one of the leading research universities in the world.

PSL scores extremely well in the employer reputation indicator, coming 13^th place worldwide, beating several leading institutions such as ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and Princeton University.

=8. Universidad de Navarra

The next in our list of top universities in Europe for graduate employability is University of Navarra in Spain, which this year places joint eighth amongst European universities and joint 71^st in the world for graduate employability, down 10 places this year.

The university scores well in both employer reputation and employer-student connections. The university’s Navarra Business Foundation serves as a meeting point between businesses and the university and provides students and alumni to connect with the business world and gain valuable placement opportunities. 

7. CentraleSupélec

France’s CentraleSupélec claims 69^th place in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 and seventh in Europe. Despite only being established in 2015, the university earns its highest score for the employer reputation indicator where it claims sixth place.

CentraleSupélec credits its excellent reputation to its combination of fundamental and applied sciences for innovation with societal impact, as well as its world leading research, where it’s a key founding member of the University of Paris Saclay (a group of research universities in France).

6. Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen

Dropping three places this year, Germany’s Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen) ranks 63^rd in world in the graduate employability rankings. RWTH Aachen earns its best scores in the partnerships with employers and the employer reputation indicators and is one of Europe’s leading institutions for science and research.

5. Politecnico di Milano

The largest technical university in Italy, Politecnico di Milano falls five places this year to take 41^st place, but is still the highest ranked Italian institution for graduate employability. Founded in 1863, it is also the oldest university in Milan, and achieves its best score in the graduate employment rate indicator, placing in the top five worldwide. This indicator measures the proportion of graduates in full or part time education within 12 months of graduation. 

4. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Up four places in the list this year is the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), ranked 37^th for graduate employability and first in the Netherlands. TU Delft earns its highest score in the partnerships with employers indicator, with its careers center offering many career workshops, training and programs to help students and alumni build their employability and career management skills. The university also works closely with employers, professional organizations and alumni to create connections between them and students.

3. KIT, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie

The highest ranked university in Germany in terms of graduate employability is Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). The university places 36^th in the world for graduate employability, down five places since last year, but is still one of the top universities in Europe, coming in at third.

Employer reputation and partnerships with employers are where KIT earns its highest scores. KIT prides itself on having strong links with many scientific and technological companies – the university’s careers center offers many careers events, including ‘company speed dating’ which consists of a series of eight-minute conversations between students and company representatives.

2. Ecole Polytechnique

Second best in Europe and top in France, Ecole Polytechnique places an impressive 18^th in the world for graduate employability in 2020. The employer reputation indicator is Ecole Polytechnique’s highest ranked indicator and is the top 15 in the world, which is hardly surprising due to the university being considered one of Frances most prestigious and selective grandes écoles in engineering.

It’s also worth noting that Ecole Polytechnique also has the best score in Europe for the alumni outcomes indicator, with the university’s notable alumni including three Nobel Prize winners, the former president of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH.

1.ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

Once again, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) continues to take the top place for graduate employability in Europe, featuring at 17^th place in the world, down slightly this year.

The graduate employment rate and the employer reputation indicators are where ETH Zurich earned its highest scores, with positions in the top 20 for both. ETH Zurich offers many opportunities for students to improve their employability, with the career center running year-wide careers events and company fairs to encourage students to network with employers.

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