The 2025 Times Higher Education World University Ranking has positioned MIT at the top in three subject fields: Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, and Social Sciences.
The Times Higher Education World University Ranking is a yearly issue that lists university rankings, produced by Times Higher Education, a prominent British educational publication. The subject rankings rely on 18 stringent performance metrics. Considerations encompass teaching, research context, research volume and impact, industry collaboration, and global perspective.
The disciplines featured among the 2025 top-rated subjects are part of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS), the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P), and the MIT Sloan School of Management.
“The rankings reflect the exceptional quality of research and education happening in SHASS and throughout MIT,” states Agustín Rayo, Kenan Sahin Dean of SHASS and professor of philosophy. “Now more than ever, it is crucial that we prepare students to grasp the social, economic, political, and human elements of the significant challenges we face.”
The Arts and Humanities ranking assessed 750 universities from 72 nations, covering fields such as languages, literature, and linguistics; history, philosophy, and theology; architecture; archaeology; as well as art, performing arts, and design. This is the first occasion MIT has secured the top rank in this field since Times Higher Education initiated its rankings in 2011.
The evaluation for Business and Economics reviewed 990 institutions from 85 countries and territories across three main areas: business and management; accounting and finance; along with economics and econometrics. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which MIT has received the highest ranking in this subject.
The Social Sciences ranking assessed 1,093 institutions from 100 countries and territories, considering disciplines such as political science and international studies; sociology, geography, communication and media studies; and anthropology. The evaluation areas include political science and international relations; sociology; geography; communication and media studies; and anthropology. MIT achieved the top rank independently in this area, following a tie for first place with Stanford University in 2024.
In additional subjects, MIT was recognized among the elite universities, achieving third place in Computer Science, Engineering, and Life Sciences, while coming in fourth for Physical Sciences. Overall, MIT secured second place in the Times Higher Education 2025 World University Ranking.