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McGill University is widely regarded as one of the best universities in Canada. However, the school has had a shaky couple of months when it comes to global university rankings.
As the year draws to a close, many companies have published their “top universities” lists for 2025, highlighting the world’s best universities in categories like employability, research, reputation, and more.
Although McGill has historically performed well on these lists, it has recently been outperformed by other Canadian universities, notably the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
For example, the recent Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking—which ranks universities based on how well students are prepared for the workforce after studying there—ranked McGill 31st overall, trailing behind the University of Toronto in 14th place.
Similarly, in September, a global ranking focused on research placed McGill at 57th, far behind the University of Toronto in 4th and the University of British Columbia in 37th.
Then, the World University Rankings for 2025 painted a similar picture, ranking McGill below U of T and UBC based on teaching, research quality, and industry engagement.
Even on home soil, McGill has struggled to top the charts. In October, Maclean’s released its annual Best Universities in Canada by National Reputation list, and McGill came third overall. Once again, U of T and UBC took the top spots.
To get a sense of whether Montrealers agree with these rankings, we asked our social media audience to share their thoughts on the best universities in Canada.
Unsurprisingly, Montrealers came out swinging in defence of McGill.
One person responded, “McGill University and the University of Toronto are neck and neck. They are simply the best in Canada.”
Another chimed in with a simple but emphatic, “McGill, for sure.”
Others showed a little hometown pride with comments like, “Love McGill!!” and “McGill, and I mean that!”
Someone else added, “McGill. U of T may rank a little higher, but McGill is a much better global brand—the Harvard of Canada.”
In fact, the vast majority of commenters said McGill is their top choice among Canadian universities.
That said, not everyone was strictly Team McGill. Some credited other schools while still nodding to Montreal’s own.
“Overall, McGill. For the fine arts, Concordia. For tech, Waterloo,” said one commenter. Another added, “It depends on the program, but that being said, U of T without question. And we all know it, so no haters.”
The good news is that McGill isn’t exactly performing poorly on any of these lists. It’s still generally holding its own (despite lagging behind U of T and UBC), and although in some cases it’s not shooting up these lists, it’s not falling behind either. For example, the Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking placed McGill in exactly the same position as last year.
Plus, earlier this year, Montreal itself was named one of the best student cities in the world by QS Best Student Cities 2025. The ranking highlighted the city’s career opportunities, welcoming vibe, and overall student satisfaction. Montreal joined the ranks of iconic hubs like Paris, London, and Tokyo, which is no small feat.
McGill consistently ranks among Canada’s top three universities in most major lists, including on U.S. News’ Best Global Universities in Canada list. Sure, U of T and UBC still placed higher, but McGill’s still up there.
For Montrealers, though, McGill is more than a university; it’s a symbol of the city’s culture, ambition, and global appeal. And in the hearts of locals and alumni, it’s always going to take the top spot!
