UC Newsroom The University of California is not just the best public university in the United States — it also leads the world. That’s the verdict of U.S. News & World Report’s 2026–27 Best Global Universities ranking, released Tuesday, June 16. It places four UC campuses in the top 25 of the world’s best 2,250 universities — a feat no other university system in the world can match. It also lists eight UC campuses among the top 30 public institutions in the United States, with UC Berkeley and UCLA as No. 1 and No. 2. U.S. News 2026–27 Best Global Universities rankings by campus | Campus | U.S. (public) | U.S. (all) | Global (all) | |---|---|---|---| | UC Berkeley | 1 | 4 | 7 | | UCLA | 2 | 7 | 11 | | UC San Francisco | 5 | 14 | 22 | | UC San Diego | 6 | 15 | 23 | | UC Davis | 16 | 37 | 95 | | UC Irvine | 18 | 38 | 99 | | UC Santa Barbara | 19 | 39 | 100 | | UC Santa Cruz | 26 | 48 | 141 | | UC Riverside | 42 | 71 | 262 | | UC Merced | 100 | 147 | 739 | Why it matters The Best Global Universities ranking evaluates institutions worldwide based on academic research performance and international reputation. The United States has long been a leader in research. But other countries aren’t just catching up, they’re moving ahead. The new global rankings reflect this trend. China now has 409 ranked institutions compared to 397 last year, while the United States has 275. U.S. News 2026–27 Best Global Universities rankings by country | Country | 2026–27 schools ranked | 2025–26