Rice harvest at Rominger Brothers Farms in Winters, CA.

CA&ES Ranked Second in the World and First in the Nation

by Julia Ann Easley
March 04, 2020

The University of California, Davis, tops the world in veterinary science, according to the 2020 QS World University Rankings by Subject released today (March 3). QS, or Quacquarelli Symonds, is considered one of the most influential international university rankings providers.

The firm also ranked UC Davis second in the world and first in the nation in agriculture and forestry.

Demonstrating the breadth of its excellence, the university was ranked in all five of the broad subject categories: life sciences and medicine, natural sciences, engineering and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences and management.

“UC Davis continues to earn more of the recognition it deserves as an institution that offers a world-class education to students right here in California,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. “Our teaching, research and service benefit the world.”

The campus was among the top 50 universities in the world in six of 48 disciplines. In addition to veterinary science and agriculture and forestry, they are:

environmental sciences (16th)
developmental studies (27th)
earth and marine sciences (tied for 41st)
biological sciences (42nd)

Nationally, the campus captured top 20 rankings in 10 subjects. In addition to veterinary science and agriculture and forestry, they are environmental sciences (fifth), development studies (seventh), sports-related subjects (tied for 13th), civil and structural engineering (16th), biological sciences (18th), anatomy and physiology (18th), earth and marine sciences (19th), and performing arts (tied for 20th).

The School of Veterinary Medicine has more than 700 students pursuing the doctor of veterinary medicine and other professional and graduate degrees, and offers the nation’s largest veterinarian residency program with more than 30 specialties. The school leads the nation with more than $78 million in annual research funding that is applied to benefit animal, human and planetary health. Its hospital treats more than 50,000 patients each year.

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has more than 7,400 undergraduates in 28 majors and 1,040 graduate students in 29 graduate groups and programs. The college’s researchers generate more than $150 million in government, corporate and foundation awards. UC Davis is among the most published and cited U.S. research universities in agricultural sciences, animal science and plant sciences, environment and ecology, food science and nutrition, and soil sciences.

About the rankings

With some variation by subject area, the rankings consider reputation among academics, reputation among employers, and the citations and impact of academic papers from the university. In all, more than 1,368 institutions were ranked.