The University of California, Davis, continues to be recognized for its leadership in the fields of veterinary science, and agriculture and forestry in the 2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject released March 22.

Quacquarelli Symonds, considered one of the most influential international university rankings providers, ranked UC Davis first in the nation and second in the world in both subjects.

Since veterinary science was added to the rankings in 2015, UC Davis has been first in the world five times and is No. 2 for a fourth time. The campus was No. 1 in agriculture and forestry in the first three years the subject was ranked and has held the No. 2 spot since 2016.

UC Davis was ranked 38th in the world and tied for 17th in the nation in the broad category of the life sciences and medicine. The campus was also ranked globally and nationally in each of the other broad categories of the rankings: natural sciences, engineering and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences and management.

In addition to being top-ranked in veterinary science and agriculture and forestry, the university had top 50 world rankings in four other subjects and top 25 national rankings in 14 others.  (Detailed rankings by country are provided to universities but not published on the website.)

“The rankings shine a spotlight on UC Davis for its leadership in veterinary science and also demonstrate the excellent education and research the campus provides across the academic fields,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. 

The rankings consider reputation among academics; reputation among employers; the citations and impact of academic papers from a university; and the diversity of a university’s international research network. In all, the 2023 rankings analyzed programs at 1,594 universities across the world.

In addition to veterinary science, and agriculture and forestry, the top 50 world rankings are:

• environmental sciences, 22nd
• biological sciences, 35th
• development studies, 44th
• anatomy and physiology, 50th

And the top 25 national rankings are:

• environmental sciences, 10th
• development studies, 11th
• civil and structural engineering, tied for 12th
• geography, tied for 15th
• anatomy and physiology, 16th
• biological sciences, 17th
• law, tied for 19th
• earth and marine sciences, 20th
• geophysics, tied for 21st
• geology, tied for 21st
• economics and econometrics, 21st
• sports-related subjects, 22nd
• statistics and operational research, tied for 22nd
• chemical engineering, 23rd

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. More than $89 million in annual research funding is applied to benefit animal, human and planetary health. The school’s hospital treats more than 50,000 patients each year. This April, the school will celebrate its 75th anniversary.

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has more than 7,400 undergraduates in 27 majors and 1,040 graduate students in 22 graduate groups and programs. The college’s researchers generate more than $225 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.

UC Davis and rankings

A world-class university, UC Davis is highly ranked for how it transforms students’ lives, the impact of its research, the excellence of its academic programs, sustainability and more. The university performs self-evaluations and also appreciates the value of third-party assessments. However, ranking methods vary, change over time and can be subjective. UC Davis focuses on those rankings that most closely align with its mission and values — including serving the public good, inclusiveness and equity, and social mobility — and in national rankings looks most closely at its standing among public universities. UC Davis encourages prospective students and their families to weigh rankings among other factors in their college decision, talk with counselors and UC Davis admissions advisors, and, if possible, visit the campus.