University of Alaska Fairbanks, a land, sea and space-grant public research university in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States, sits in the #51-75 band globally for both Oceanography and Atmospheric Science in the ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. The University of Alaska Fairbanks ranking on the overall world stage is #951-1000 in QS World University Rankings 2027 and #416 globally in the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: #951-1000 globally
- Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #416 globally, #196 in the USA
- THE World University Rankings 2026: #601-800 globally
- ARWU Global Ranking 2025: #901-1000 globally, with Oceanography and Atmospheric Science both at 51-75
Read More: University of Alaska Fairbanks Admissions 2026
Reading the rank pattern: The overall world rank sits in the 901-1000 band across QS, THE and ARWU, but the subject signal tells a sharper story. In Oceanography and Atmospheric Science the university is ranked at 51-75 globally, around 850 positions above its own overall band. For an Indian applicant aiming at Arctic studies, climate science or earth observation, the subject rank carries more weight than the headline number.
Table of Contents
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Overall Rankings 2026
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
- University of Alaska Fairbanks QS World University Rankings 2027
- Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of Alaska Fairbanks
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
- University of Alaska Fairbanks ARWU (Shanghai) Rankings
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Other Global Rankings
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Subject Rankings
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Ranking FAQs
University of Alaska Fairbanks Overall Rankings 2026
Across five global ranking bodies the University of Alaska Fairbanks ranking lands in the #951-1000 band for QS, THE and ARWU in their latest editions. The single outlier is the Collegedunia Study Abroad list, where the university sits 500+ places higher at #416.
| Ranking Body and Edition | University of Alaska Fairbanks Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 | #416 globally, #196 in USA |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #951-1000 globally |
| THE World University Rankings 2026 | 601-800 globally |
| ARWU Global Ranking 2025 | 901-1000 globally |
| US News Best Global Universities 2025-2026 | #998 globally |
The gap between the Collegedunia Study Abroad position (#416) and the QS, THE and ARWU bands of #901-1000 is roughly 500 places, the largest cross-body gap in the table. This signals that the Collegedunia methodology weighs the university’s specialist subject base and Indian applicant intake more than the publication and reputation metrics favoured by QS, THE and ARWU.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
The University of Alaska Fairbanks ranking for Indian students reads in two layers: a low overall world rank, paired with top-75 global strength in two niche research subjects. Match the subject layer to your career goal and the brand value rises sharply.
| Indian Applicant Signal | UAF Rank | What it means for Indian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanography (ARWU subject 2024) | #51-75 globally | Comparable to top-100 marine research universities; strong base for careers in marine and Arctic research |
| Atmospheric Science (ARWU subject 2024) | #51-75 globally | Top-75 worldwide for climate and weather research; relevant for IMD, climate consulting and ISRO-aligned roles |
| Overall world rank (QS 2027) | #951-1000 | Specialist brand, not a headline-rank university; pick UAF for subject fit, not for prestige optics |
| Indian alternative: IISc Bangalore (QS 2027) | #=221 | India’s top science university for comparison; broader research range but no dedicated Arctic specialism |
Quick read for Indian applicants
- Subject-vs-overall gap: A 850-position gap between the Oceanography subject band (51-75) and the QS overall band (951-1000) is the largest signal in the rankings table.
- India comparator: UAF outranks IISc Bangalore on Arctic and atmospheric subject specialism, while IISc outranks UAF by 730+ places on overall QS world rank.
- Career fit: The university is a fit for research-track Indian applicants in climate, marine and earth sciences, not for general-purpose STEM brand seekers.
University of Alaska Fairbanks QS World University Rankings 2027
The University of Alaska Fairbanks QS ranking has slid every year since 2023, dropping from #=467 in QS 2023 to #951-1000 in QS World University Rankings 2027. QS, which ranks universities based on academic reputation, employer opinion, research citations and international metrics, places the university at 100th out of 189 US universities in the QS 2026 USA cohort.
| Year | University of Alaska Fairbanks QS World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2027 | #951-1000 |
| 2026 | #901-950 |
| 2025 | #801-850 |
| 2024 | #781-790 |
| 2023 | #=467 |
The five-year QS trend shows a slide of around 500 positions, with the sharpest single-year drop of 350+ places between 2023 and 2024. The slide reflects QS’s 2023 methodology revision, which added employer reputation, sustainability and international research network weightings, all areas where UAF’s small, regional faculty pool scores below top-500 research universities.
Key insight: The 2023-to-2027 fall of around 500 positions does not change degree value for Indian students who are admitted into UAF’s Earth, atmospheric or marine science programs, because those areas are ranked by ARWU subject lists, not by overall QS.
Read More: University of Alaska Fairbanks Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students
Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of Alaska Fairbanks
The Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of University of Alaska Fairbanks is the most favourable across major lists, placing the university more than 500 positions higher than its QS, THE or ARWU bands.
| Category | Collegedunia Rank |
|---|---|
| Global Ranking 2026 | #416 out of 824 |
| USA Ranking 2026 | #196 out of 357 |
The Collegedunia rank places the university in the 50th percentile of its global pool and the 55th percentile of its US pool, both stronger reads than the 90th-percentile band UAF occupies in QS 2027. The Collegedunia methodology weighs research strength in niche subjects and Indian student outcomes, which lifts specialist universities above their headline QS or THE band.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
The University of Alaska Fairbanks THE ranking is #601-800 globally in THE World University Rankings 2026, placing it 58th out of 172 ranked US universities. THE, which scores universities on teaching, research, citations and international outlook, places UAF stronger than both QS 2027 (#951-1000) and ARWU 2025 (#901-1000), a 200-300 position gap across bodies.
| THE 2026 Subject | University of Alaska Fairbanks Rank |
|---|---|
| Physical Sciences | #401-500 |
| Life Sciences | #501-600 |
| Social Sciences | #501-600 |
| Engineering | #601-800 |
Physical Sciences, at #401-500, is the strongest THE subject for UAF, ranked 200 positions above the university’s own world rank band. Life Sciences and Social Sciences both come in at #501-600, around 100 positions above the world rank, while Engineering sits at the same #601-800 band as the overall score.
What it signals: The Physical Sciences subject rank of #401-500 is the standout THE signal for Indian applicants, putting UAF in the same tier as the #400-500 band of US public research universities for physics, geophysics and earth-system disciplines.
University of Alaska Fairbanks ARWU (Shanghai) Rankings
The University of Alaska Fairbanks ARWU ranking has dropped by four 100-rank bands over five years, falling from #501-600 in ARWU 2021 to #901-1000 in ARWU 2025. ARWU, which scores universities mainly on Nobel and Fields prize holders, highly cited researchers and Nature/Science publications, weighs raw research output very heavily.
| Year | University of Alaska Fairbanks ARWU Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #901-1000 |
| 2024 | #801-900 |
| 2023 | #601-700 |
| 2022 | #501-600 |
| 2021 | #501-600 |
The four-band fall in ARWU is sharper than the QS slide and reflects the same period in which UAF’s federal research funding base shrank, with fewer Nature and Science papers per year. The overall slide does not show up in UAF’s ARWU subject lists, where Oceanography and Atmospheric Science have stayed at #51-75 for three consecutive years.
Trend signal: ARWU’s overall and subject lines now diverge by around 875 positions for UAF, the widest cross-metric gap on any ranking body, and a clear signal that the university’s research strength is concentrated in two earth-system subjects rather than spread across faculties.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Other Global Rankings
Beyond QS, THE and ARWU, the University of Alaska Fairbanks ranking shows up in three more global lists, each tracked for one current edition only.
| Ranking Body and Edition | University of Alaska Fairbanks Rank |
|---|---|
| US News Best Global Universities 2026-2027 | #1112 globally |
| QS Sustainability Ranking 2026 | #1251-1300 |
| THE Impact Rankings 2025 (Overall) | #1001-1500 |
The THE Impact Rankings 2025, which score universities on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, give UAF its strongest impact score on SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities at 301-400 globally and SDG 5 Gender Equality at 401-600. These two SDG bands sit 600+ positions above the overall Impact line of 1001-1500, the same subject-vs-overall divergence that runs through the ARWU and QS tables.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Subject Rankings
The University of Alaska Fairbanks subject rankings are the strongest single argument for choosing the university over higher-ranked US public schools. Two ARWU subject bands sit in the global top 75, a tier shared with only a handful of US universities for Arctic-system research.
| Subject | Ranking Body and Year | University of Alaska Fairbanks Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanography | ARWU GRAS 2024 | #51-75 globally |
| Atmospheric Science | ARWU GRAS 2024 | #51-75 globally |
| Earth Sciences | ARWU GRAS 2024 | #151-200 globally |
| Ecology | ARWU GRAS 2024 | #201-300 globally |
| Physical Sciences | THE 2026 | #401-500 globally |
| Life Sciences | THE 2026 | #501-600 globally |
| Social Sciences | THE 2026 | #501-600 globally |
| Engineering | THE 2026 | #601-800 globally |
Key insights
- Top-75 subjects: Oceanography and Atmospheric Science both sit at 51-75 globally, around 850 positions above UAF’s QS 2027 world rank.
- Earth-system cluster: Four ARWU subjects (Oceanography, Atmospheric Science, Earth Sciences, Ecology) fall inside the global top 300, all in the earth-and-environment family.
- Engineering gap: Engineering at 601-800 is the weakest THE subject, matching the overall world rank band and signalling no extra brand lift for Indian engineering applicants.
- Spread: The 550-position gap between the strongest subject (Oceanography, 51-75) and the weakest (Engineering, 601-800) is one of the widest within any single US public university.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
The University of Alaska Fairbanks ranking for Indian students reads strongest for niche research applicants and weakest for general-brand seekers. The university’s subject ranks in Oceanography and Atmospheric Science sit 850 positions above its QS world band, the strongest single signal for Indians choosing the school.
Popular programs for Indian students at UAF:
- MS in Computer Science, chosen for tuition value and the university’s Arctic informatics research base
- MS in Civil Engineering, with cold-climate and permafrost engineering electives unique to UAF
- MS in Petroleum Engineering, supported by Alaska’s energy sector employer base
- MS in Atmospheric Sciences, tied to the 51-75 ARWU subject rank for climate and weather research
- MBA, the smallest Indian cohort but listed on the Collegedunia program page
| India-Relevant Signal | UAF Position |
|---|---|
| Strongest subject for Indian research applicants | Oceanography (ARWU 51-75) |
| Collegedunia vs QS gap | CD #416 sits 500+ places above QS 2027 band |
| USA rank in Collegedunia 2026 | #196 of 357 |
| USA rank in QS 2026 | #100 of 189 |
| Indian alternative for science research | IISc Bangalore (QS 2027 #=221) |
India outlook signals
- Pick UAF for: Arctic, marine, atmospheric, geophysics or earth observation research, where the subject rank tier (51-75) outranks most US state universities.
- Skip UAF for: brand-led MS in Computer Science or general MBA applications, where the QS 951-1000 band offers no signal advantage over higher-ranked US public schools.
- Stability watch: ARWU subject ranks for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science have stayed flat at 51-75 for three consecutive years, suggesting durable subject value despite the falling overall rank.
- Comparator note: An Indian applicant accepted to both IISc Bangalore and UAF for atmospheric science should weigh UAF’s Arctic field-station access against IISc’s stronger overall brand and 730-place QS lead.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks rankings package is split between a falling overall world rank and a stable top-75 subject signal in Oceanography and Atmospheric Science. Indian applicants whose career sits inside the earth-and-environment cluster will get more value here than the QS 951-1000 band suggests, while general-purpose STEM applicants get a stronger headline brand at IIT Bombay (#=134) or IISc Bangalore (#=221) for similar or lower cost.
FAQs
Ques. What is the QS ranking of University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2027?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks is ranked #951-1000 in QS World University Rankings 2027. The university has slid from #=467 in QS 2023, a five-year drop of around 500 positions in the QS league table.
Ques. Where does University of Alaska Fairbanks rank for Oceanography globally?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks ranks 51-75 globally for Oceanography in the ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2024. This subject band sits roughly 850 positions above the university’s overall QS 2027 world rank and is its strongest single subject signal.
Ques. What is the THE ranking of University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2026?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks is ranked 601-800 globally in THE World University Rankings 2026, with a US rank of 58th out of 172 ranked US universities. The THE band sits 200-300 places above the QS 2027 and ARWU 2025 bands.
Ques. How does University of Alaska Fairbanks rank in Atmospheric Science?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks ranks 51-75 globally in Atmospheric Science in ARWU 2024. The university shares this top-75 band with a small group of US research schools focused on Arctic and climate science.
Ques. What is the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of University of Alaska Fairbanks?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks is ranked #416 globally and #196 in the USA in the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking 2026. This is the most favourable position the university holds across major global ranking bodies, 500+ places above its QS 2027 band.
Ques. What is the ARWU ranking of University of Alaska Fairbanks?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks is ranked 901-1000 globally in ARWU 2025. The university has dropped four 100-rank bands since ARWU 2021, though its subject ranks in Oceanography and Atmospheric Science have stayed flat at 51-75 over the same period.
Ques. How does University of Alaska Fairbanks rank in the United States?
Ans. University of Alaska Fairbanks holds three US rank positions in current editions: 100th of 189 in QS 2026 USA, 58th of 172 in THE 2026 USA and 196th of 357 in Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 USA. The university is also listed by US News as Alaska’s only nationally ranked university.
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