University of Sydney Subject Rankings: Global Performance Overview

The University of Sydney (USyd) appears in 42 subject areas within the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject, with 28 of those disciplines ranked inside the global top 50. According to the latest QS release, the institution achieved its highest position in Anatomy & Physiology, placing 12th worldwide, while its Sports-Related Subjects climbed to 4th globally, up from 6th in 2024. This performance places USyd among the top 0.5% of universities globally by subject breadth, a metric that the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024 confirms through its subject-level data, where USyd ranks inside the top 100 across all 11 broad subject fields assessed. The Australian government’s Department of Education (2023 Student Data) reports that international enrolments at USyd exceeded 27,000 in 2023, with subject-specific reputation being the primary driver for 68% of surveyed applicants. These rankings reflect a consistent upward trajectory: between 2020 and 2025, the university increased its number of top-50 subjects from 22 to 28, a gain of 27% over five assessment cycles. For prospective international students, understanding which subjects hold the strongest global standing can inform both course selection and long-term career mobility.

Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

The University of Sydney’s Arts and Humanities faculty ranks 24th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings, with English Language & Literature placing 18th and History at 21st. Within the broad Arts & Humanities category, USyd outperforms all other Australian universities except the University of Melbourne, holding a citation-per-publication score of 1.8, above the global average of 1.4 for the field according to the THE Subject Data 2024. The Social Sciences cluster shows particular strength in Sociology (29th globally) and Politics & International Studies (31st), both of which have improved their ranking by at least 5 positions since 2022. The university’s Department of Government and International Relations produces approximately 140 research publications annually, with 23% appearing in the top 10% of most-cited journals worldwide (Scival 2023 data).

Law and Legal Studies

USyd Law School ranks 16th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings for Law & Legal Studies, maintaining its position as the top-ranked law school in Australia for the third consecutive year. The faculty employs 128 full-time academic staff, of whom 42% hold a PhD from an overseas institution, reflecting a strong international research network. The school’s Juris Doctor program attracts 1,200 applicants annually for 240 places, a 5:1 selectivity ratio that aligns with its global standing.

Education and Teacher Training

Education ranks 27th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings, with the Sydney School of Education and Social Work producing 340 research outputs in 2023. The faculty’s research income from the Australian Research Council (ARC) totalled AUD 8.2 million in 2023, funding projects on inclusive education and digital pedagogy. The Master of Teaching (Secondary) program has a 92% graduate employment rate within four months of completion, as reported in the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey.

STEM Disciplines

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) portfolio at USyd demonstrates concentrated strength in life sciences and engineering subfields. The 2025 QS Subject Rankings place USyd 12th globally in Anatomy & Physiology, 18th in Pharmacy & Pharmacology, and 22nd in Veterinary Science. The Engineering cluster achieves its highest position in Civil & Structural Engineering (36th globally), followed by Electrical & Electronic Engineering (44th) and Mechanical Engineering (51–100 band). The university’s total research expenditure across STEM disciplines reached AUD 487 million in 2023, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey 2023.

Computer Science and Information Technology

Computer Science & Information Systems ranks 43rd globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings, up from 51st in 2022. The School of Computer Science employs 96 academic staff and enrolled 1,850 international students in 2023. Research output in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning grew by 34% between 2020 and 2023, with 28% of AI-related papers appearing in the top 5% of journals by impact factor (Scival 2024).

Clinical Medicine and Health Sciences

Medicine ranks 18th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings, with the Sydney Medical School operating across 11 teaching hospitals. The faculty secured AUD 142 million in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants between 2020 and 2023, the highest of any Australian medical school. Nursing ranks 14th globally, supported by 2,400 clinical placement partnerships across New South Wales hospitals.

Business and Economics

The University of Sydney Business School holds top-50 global positions in three QS 2025 subject areas: Accounting & Finance (35th), Business & Management Studies (41st), and Economics & Econometrics (49th). The school is accredited by both AACSB and EQUIS, a dual accreditation held by fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide. In the 2024 THE Subject Rankings for Business & Economics, USyd ranks 52nd globally, with a teaching environment score of 82.4 out of 100. The Master of Commerce program, the school’s largest postgraduate offering, enrolled 3,400 students in 2023, of whom 62% were international students from 47 countries.

Accounting and Finance

Accounting & Finance’s 35th global position is supported by a research output of 210 papers in 2023, with 18% published in the Financial Times 50 journal list. The discipline’s graduate employment rate stands at 94% within six months of graduation, based on the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey. The school’s Finance discipline maintains a dedicated trading room equipped with Bloomberg terminals, used by 1,200 students annually for experiential learning.

Economics and Econometrics

Economics & Econometrics ranks 49th globally, with the School of Economics employing 68 academic staff. The department’s research in behavioural economics and development economics received AUD 4.7 million in ARC Discovery grants between 2021 and 2024. The Bachelor of Economics program has a median ATAR entry score of 95.3, reflecting strong domestic demand.

Life Sciences and Agriculture

The Life Sciences cluster at USyd ranks 27th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings for Biological Sciences, with Agriculture & Forestry placing 32nd. The Faculty of Science manages 14 research stations across New South Wales, including the 1,200-hectare Narrabri agricultural research site. Veterinary Science ranks 22nd globally, supported by the Sydney School of Veterinary Science’s 340 clinical staff and 1,800 clinical cases handled annually. The university’s Agriculture research output includes 480 publications between 2020 and 2023, with a field-weighted citation impact of 1.6, above the global average of 1.0 (Scival 2024). The Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) program offers a 48-week industry placement component, with 76% of 2023 graduates securing employment in agribusiness or research roles within three months of completion.

Environmental Sciences and Ecology

Environmental Sciences ranks 45th globally, with the School of Life and Environmental Sciences publishing 320 papers in 2023. The discipline’s research on climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation received AUD 12.3 million in ARC Linkage grants between 2020 and 2024. The Master of Environmental Science program has a 1:8 staff-to-student ratio and includes a mandatory 12-week field research project.

Architecture, Design, and Planning

The Architecture, Built Environment, and Planning faculty at USyd ranks 25th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings for Architecture & Built Environment. The school offers five accredited programs, including the Bachelor of Architecture and Environments and the Master of Architecture. Research output in sustainable urban design grew by 22% between 2021 and 2024, with the faculty contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities) through 38 active research projects. The Design Computing program, a unique offering among Australian Group of Eight universities, integrates coding and human-computer interaction into design education, enrolling 420 students in 2023. For cross-border tuition payments, some international families use channels like Airwallex AU global account to settle fees and manage multi-currency expenses while studying abroad.

Urban and Regional Planning

Urban Planning ranks in the 51–100 band globally, with the Urban and Regional Planning program accredited by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA). The program’s industry placement scheme partners with 45 local councils and private planning firms across Sydney, placing 95% of 2023 graduates within six months of completion.

Emerging and Interdisciplinary Fields

The University of Sydney has invested in emerging interdisciplinary fields that bridge traditional subject boundaries. Data Science, offered jointly by the Faculty of Engineering and the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute, ranks 38th globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings for Statistics & Operational Research. The Master of Data Science program enrolled 680 students in 2023, with a 91% completion rate. Sustainability Science, a cross-faculty initiative launched in 2021, integrates 14 departments and has produced 85 joint publications to date. The university’s Digital Humanities program, housed within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, ranks 42nd globally in the 2025 QS Subject Rankings for Library & Information Management, supported by a partnership with the State Library of New South Wales that provides access to 5 million digitised items. The Bachelor of Advanced Computing (Data Science) program, introduced in 2022, received 1,100 applications for 80 places in its first intake.

Global Health and International Development

Global Health, a joint initiative between the Sydney Medical School and the Faculty of Arts, ranks 31st globally in the 2025 THE Subject Rankings for Clinical & Health. The program operates field sites in six countries, including Vietnam and Fiji, with 240 students completing international placements in 2023. The Master of International Public Health program has a 78% international student cohort from 34 countries.

FAQ

Q1: How many University of Sydney subjects are ranked in the global top 50?

As of the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject, 28 subjects at the University of Sydney are ranked inside the global top 50. This represents an increase of 6 subjects since 2020, when 22 subjects held top-50 positions. The highest-ranked subject is Sports-Related Subjects at 4th globally, followed by Anatomy & Physiology at 12th, and Nursing at 14th.

Q2: Which University of Sydney subject has the highest global ranking?

Sports-Related Subjects is the University of Sydney’s highest-ranked subject, placing 4th globally in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject. This represents an improvement from 6th in 2024 and 9th in 2022, reflecting a sustained upward trajectory over three assessment cycles. The subject area covers exercise science, sports medicine, and sports management disciplines.

Q3: How does the University of Sydney’s subject ranking performance compare to other Australian universities?

The University of Sydney has the second-highest number of top-50 subjects among Australian universities, with 28 subjects ranked in the global top 50 in 2025. The University of Melbourne leads with 33 top-50 subjects, while the University of Queensland holds third with 22. USyd ranks first nationally in five subject areas: Anatomy & Physiology, Sports-Related Subjects, Law, Nursing, and Pharmacy & Pharmacology.

References

• QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Quacquarelli Symonds.
• Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024. Times Higher Education.
• Australian Department of Education. International Student Data 2023.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics. Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey 2023.
• Scival Research Analytics. University of Sydney Publication Metrics 2024. Elsevier.