California Institute of Technology (Caltech), based in Pasadena, California, USA, ranks #1 globally in Physical Sciences in Times Higher Education 2026, a position no other institution shares. Caltech enters the QS World University Rankings 2027 top 10 at #7 and stands at #6 globally in Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026, with its strongest signals coming from research-weighted bodies.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: #7 globally, #4 in the United States
- Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #6 globally, #4 in the United States
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026: #7 globally, #4 in the United States
- ARWU 2025: #9 globally
Bottom Line for Indian Students: Caltech sits inside the global top 10 across QS, THE and ARWU together, a trio that fewer than five universities currently match. Its US News rank of #23 reflects size and undergraduate-survey weights, while research-focused QS and THE both place it at #7. For an Indian science or engineering applicant aiming at a research-intensive PhD pipeline, this pattern signals deeper lab access and a stronger Nobel network than the headline US College tables alone suggest.
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Overall Rankings 2026
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) QS World University Rankings 2027
- Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Subject Rankings
6.1 California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Engineering Rankings
6.2 California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Physical Sciences Rankings
6.3 California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Computer Science Rankings
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Ranking FAQs
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Overall Rankings 2026
Caltech places inside the global top 10 on three of the four major research-weighted bodies, with the US News list the only one pushing it outside that band.
| Ranking Body | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 | #6 globally, #4 in USA |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #7 globally, #4 in USA |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 | #7 globally, #4 in USA |
| ARWU (Shanghai) 2025 | #9 globally |
| U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026-2027 | #23 globally, #6 in USA |
Three top-10 ranks against one #23 mark a 16-position gap between research-output bodies and the US News methodology, which weights survey reputation and undergraduate scale more heavily. For Indian applicants planning PhD or research masters, the QS-THE-ARWU consensus is the more reliable signal for lab strength and faculty access.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
Caltech ranking signals translate cleanly into outcomes that matter for Indian families: degree brand at hiring, research-pipeline strength for PhD entry and peer position versus IITs at the same applicant stage.
| Ranking Signal | Latest Position | What it means for Indian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| QS World rank (research, employer, faculty mix) |
#7 | Hiring managers in India treat top-10 QS schools in the same prestige tier as the IITs and IIM Ahmedabad. |
| THE Physical Sciences rank | #1 | Strongest single global signal for an Indian Physics, Chemistry or Earth Sciences PhD applicant. |
| ARWU 2025 rank | #9 | Caltech is the smallest school inside the ARWU top 10, where Nobel laureate count and research papers drive the score. |
| IIT Bombay QS 2027 rank (closest Indian alternative for engineering) |
#134 | The 127-position QS gap means a Caltech engineering degree carries notably higher overseas weight at hiring or PhD admission. |
| U.S. News Best Global rank | #23 | The lower US News number does not affect global degree value, since QS and THE drive employer brand outside the United States. |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) QS World University Rankings 2027
Caltech climbed 3 positions year on year in QS 2027, the largest single-year jump for any current US top-10 university in this edition. QS, which scores universities on academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international research network and sustainability, gives Caltech its second-best position of the past five editions.
| Year | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) QS World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2027 | #7 |
| 2026 | #10 |
| 2025 | #10 |
| 2024 | #15 |
| 2023 | #6 |
The 5-year average lands at #9.6, with a 9-position dip in 2024 followed by a steady 8-position recovery into 2027. For Indian applicants applying in the 2027 cycle, this V-shaped pattern signals that the 2024 dip was a one-off rather than a structural slide, and the brand carries top-10 weight again at offer time.
Read More: California Institute of Technology Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students
Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Collegedunia Study Abroad scores universities on the parameters most relevant to Indian applicants: degree return on investment, hiring brand, research depth and Indian student outcomes. Caltech ranks inside the global top 10 on this list and the top 5 in the United States.
| Category | Collegedunia Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad Global 2026 | #6 |
| Collegedunia Study Abroad USA 2026 | #4 |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
Caltech has been ranked at exactly #7 on the THE list four years in a row, the longest unbroken top-10 streak by any US university outside MIT and Stanford. THE, which scores universities on teaching reputation, research quality, citations, international outlook and industry income, gives Caltech its single highest peak: #=2 in 2022.
| Year | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) THE World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2026 | #7 |
| 2025 | #7 |
| 2024 | #7 |
| 2023 | #6 |
| 2022 | #=2 |
What it signals: Caltech’s THE score is built on the highest research-citation density per faculty member in the global top 50, a metric that directly maps to lab access and individual mentoring time for Indian PhD candidates.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Subject Rankings
Caltech is officially ranked across more than 21 subjects, with its strongest scores concentrated in physical sciences, chemistry, engineering and mathematics. The pattern matters for Indian applicants because subject-level ranks decide PhD lab placements and industry recruitment more than the overall rank.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Engineering Rankings
| Ranking Body | Caltech Rank |
|---|---|
| THE Engineering 2026 | #7 globally |
| QS Engineering & Technology 2026 | #14 globally |
| QS Electrical & Electronic Engineering 2026 | #16 globally |
| ARWU Mechanical Engineering 2025 | #11 globally |
| ARWU Aerospace Engineering 2025 | #13 globally |
| U.S. News Engineering 2026 | #6 globally |
Caltech engineering sits inside the top 20 on every major body, with its strongest score on THE and US News at #6. The 7-position spread between THE Engineering #7 and QS Engineering #14 reflects QS’s heavier weight on employer survey volume, which goes against Caltech’s smaller graduating class of 200 engineering students per year.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Physical Sciences Rankings
| Ranking Body | Caltech Rank |
|---|---|
| THE Physical Sciences 2026 | #1 globally |
| U.S. News Physics 2026 | #1 globally |
| ARWU Physics 2025 | #5 globally |
| U.S. News Earth Sciences 2026 | #1 globally |
| ARWU Earth Sciences 2025 | #6 globally |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Computer Science Rankings
| Ranking Body | Caltech Rank |
|---|---|
| THE Computer Science 2026 | #11 globally |
| QS Computer Science and Information Systems 2026 | #40 globally |
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Mathematics and Life Sciences Rankings
| Ranking Body | Caltech Rank |
|---|---|
| U.S. News Mathematics 2026 | #8 globally |
| THE Life Sciences 2026 | #9 globally |
Read More: California Institute of Technology Scholarships 2026 for Indian Students
Caltech rankings give Indian applicants a tight, research-led signal: a 5-year QS average of #9.6, a four-year flat THE position at #7 and a 5-year ARWU band of #8 to #9. Three subject #1 ranks in Physical Sciences, Chemistry and Earth Sciences make it a clear top pick for science PhD applicants, while the 127-position QS gap versus IIT Bombay sets the scale of the brand uplift on offer.
FAQs
Ques. What is the QS ranking of California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2027?
Ans. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) ranks #7 in QS World University Rankings 2027, up from #10 in QS 2026. It is the #4 ranked university in the United States on this edition.
Ques. Why is Caltech ranked lower in US News than in QS or THE?
Ans. Caltech ranks #23 on US News Best Global Universities 2026-2027 but #7 on both QS and THE, because US News weights publication volume and undergraduate-survey reputation higher. Caltech has under 300 faculty members, so total publication count counts against it, while research density per faculty (the QS and THE measure) stays world-leading.
Ques. What is Caltech’s best subject ranking for Indian students?
Ans. Caltech ranks #1 globally in THE Physical Sciences 2026, #1 in US News Chemistry 2026 and #1 in US News Earth Sciences 2026. For Indian PhD applicants in physics, chemistry, planetary science or seismology, this is the strongest single subject signal available globally.
Ques. How does Caltech rank against MIT for Indian engineering applicants?
Ans. MIT ranks #1 on QS 2027 and Caltech ranks #7, a 6-position gap on the headline list. In engineering subjects, MIT leads on QS Engineering at #1 while Caltech sits at #13, though THE Engineering places Caltech at #7. Indian applicants reading research depth get a closer call than QS headlines suggest.
Ques. Has Caltech’s ranking dropped over the last 5 years?
Ans. Caltech ranking pattern is mixed: it dropped from #2 to #7 on THE between 2022 and 2024 after methodology changes, but climbed back from #15 in QS 2024 to #7 in QS 2027. ARWU has stayed inside a tight 1-position band at #8 to #9 for five editions.
Ques. What is the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of Caltech?
Ans. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) ranks #6 globally and #4 in the United States on Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026. The Collegedunia rank weights degree return on investment, hiring brand and Indian student outcomes more heavily than reputation surveys.
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