University of San Francisco (USF), a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, ranks #1201-1400 in QS World University Rankings 2027. U.S. News Best Colleges 2026 places it at #59 nationally for Social Mobility and #22 of 683 U.S. programs in Nursing, its strongest single subject rank.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: #1201-1400 globally, #103 in USA
- Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #384 globally, #178 in USA
- U.S. News National Universities 2026: #110 (top 25%)
- U.S. News Nursing 2026: #22 out of 683 U.S. programs
What this means for Indian applicants: USF’s Nursing rank of #22 sits 88 places above its national rank of #110. The QS band of #1201-1400 sits below IIT Bombay’s #134, yet USF still holds top 25% U.S. nationally. The #59 social-mobility rank, in the top 15% on income lift, supports faster loan repayment for Indian-loan-funded students.
Read More: University of San Francisco Admissions 2026
Table of Contents
- University of San Francisco Overall Rankings
- University of San Francisco Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
- University of San Francisco QS World University Rankings
- Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of San Francisco
- University of San Francisco U.S. News National Universities Rankings
- University of San Francisco Subject Rankings
- University of San Francisco Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
- University of San Francisco Ranking FAQs
University of San Francisco Overall Rankings 2026
Three ranking bodies currently publish a verified position for USF, and the strongest is the U.S. News National Universities rank of #110, which puts USF inside the top 25% of all 436 ranked U.S. universities.
| Ranking Body (Edition) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 | #384 globally, #178 in USA |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #1201-1400 globally, #103 in USA |
| U.S. News National Universities 2026 | #110 (out of 436 in USA) |
The widest gap is between the QS band and the U.S. News national rank. USF sits in the bottom 15% of QS-ranked universities globally but the top 25% of ranked U.S. universities. USF’s strength is therefore most visible to U.S. recruiters, not to global research metrics.
University of San Francisco Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
USF’s rank pattern is a teaching-and-employability story, not a research-elite story. The gap between its global QS band and its strongest U.S. subject ranks is the single most useful signal for Indian applicants.
| Signal | Rank | What it means for Indian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #1201-1400 globally | Lower QS band than IIT Bombay (#134), but stronger U.S. recognition than band suggests. |
| U.S. News National Universities 2026 | #110 | Top 25% of U.S. universities; carries U.S. employer signal for STEM and business hires. |
| U.S. News Nursing 2026 | #22 of 683 | Top 3% in U.S.; strongest subject for Indian nursing aspirants on NCLEX-RN pathway. |
| U.S. News Social Mobility 2026 | #59 | Top 15% on income lift; supports faster loan repayment for Indian education-loan holders. |
| U.S. News Best Value 2026 | #90 | Top 50% on cost-to-outcome; relevant for Indian families weighing fee outlay against placement. |
Key insight
- Subject-vs-overall gap: USF’s Nursing rank (#22) sits 88 positions above its national rank (#110), the widest subject-vs-overall delta on its U.S. News card.
- Peer positioning: Inside the U.S., USF ranks one place below Marquette (#109), a peer Catholic private Indian applicants commonly compare.
- Decision signal: Pick USF for Nursing, social-mobility outcomes or Bay Area tech access; pick a higher-banded institution if your goal is academia or research-grade STEM.
University of San Francisco QS World University Rankings 2027
QS, which ranks universities on academic reputation, employer opinion and research output, places USF in the #1201-1400 global band for the second consecutive year. The band tightened from a wider #1201-1503 in 2025.
| Year | University of San Francisco QS World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2027 | #1201-1400 |
| 2026 | #1201-1400 |
| 2025 | #1201-1503 |
| 2024 | #1001+ |
The four-year QS line is flat at the band level. USF’s U.S. national position moved between #100 and #113 across the same period, a narrower 13-place swing inside the U.S. pool. A flat global band signals stable QS inputs, so current Indian applicants will see the same USF degree weight in QS-referencing recruiter databases as 2024 applicants did.
Note: A QS band outside the top 1000 typically reflects lower research publication volume, not weaker teaching. USF’s parallel #22 U.S. Nursing position confirms this read.
Read More: University of San Francisco Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students
Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of San Francisco
Collegedunia Study Abroad gives USF #384 globally in its 2026 edition. That places USF in the top 47% of the 824 international universities Collegedunia tracks for Indian outbound students.
| Category | Collegedunia Rank |
|---|---|
| Global | #384 out of 824 |
| USA | #178 out of 357 |
USF’s Collegedunia global rank of #384 sits 817 positions above its QS world rank of #1201. Collegedunia weights admissions accessibility, scholarship signals and Indian student demand alongside academic metrics. The closer match between Collegedunia’s #384 and U.S. News’s national #110 confirms USF’s value to a student moving from India is higher than the QS band suggests.
University of San Francisco U.S. News National Universities Rankings 2026
U.S. News, which ranks U.S. universities on outcomes, faculty resources, peer reputation and selectivity, places USF at #110 among National Universities in 2026. That position holds the top 25% of all 436 ranked U.S. universities.
| U.S. News Category (2026) | Rank |
|---|---|
| National Universities | #110 (top 25%) |
| Best Value Schools | #90 (top 50%) |
| Top Performers on Social Mobility | #59 (top 15%) |
| Best Colleges for Veterans | #167 |
The strongest U.S. News signal is the Social Mobility rank of #59, which sits 51 places above the national rank. That puts USF inside the top 15% on graduate income-lift outcomes. For Indian applicants funding a USF degree through education loans, that gap is the most decision-relevant single number on the page.
Trend signal: USF moved from #115 in U.S. News 2024 to #110 in 2026, a five-place lift that aligns with a parallel rise into the top 15% on social mobility.
University of San Francisco Subject Rankings 2026
USF holds four officially published U.S. News subject ranks in 2026, and the spread across them is wide. Nursing sits at #22 while Computer Science sits at #154, a 132-position gap between the strongest and weakest discipline.
Key insight
- Nursing leads: #22 of 683 U.S. programs is USF’s only top-3% subject and its only subject ranked above the national overall position of #110.
- STEM mid-tier: Computer Science (#154) and Business (#131) both sit inside top 25% of ranked U.S. programs but below USF’s institutional rank.
- Decision use: Indian applicants targeting Nursing get the strongest subject signal; CS and Business applicants should weigh USF against higher-ranked subject peers.
University of San Francisco Nursing Rankings 2026
U.S. News places USF Nursing at #22 out of 683 U.S. programs in 2026. This is the institution’s highest discipline-level rank and sits inside the top 3% of all ranked U.S. nursing programs.
India-relevance: The #22 nursing rank carries direct weight for Indian students entering the U.S. NCLEX-RN pathway, since U.S. health employers screen by program rank when filtering candidate pools.
University of San Francisco Business Rankings 2026
USF’s School of Management ranks #131 in U.S. News Business 2026. That sits inside the top 25% of ranked U.S. business programs but 21 places below USF’s institutional national rank of #110.
University of San Francisco Computer Science Rankings 2026
U.S. News places USF Computer Science at #154 in 2026, inside the top 25% of ranked U.S. CS programs. It is the weakest of USF’s four published 2026 subject ranks.
What it signals: A CS rank 44 places below the institutional national rank flags USF as a Bay Area access play for Indian CS applicants, not a subject-elite choice.
University of San Francisco Psychology Rankings 2026
USF Psychology ranks #130 in U.S. News 2026. That holds the top 20% of ranked U.S. psychology programs and sits within 20 places of USF’s overall national position.
University of San Francisco Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
USF’s rank pattern is a subject-and-outcome story (Nursing #22, Social Mobility #59) layered on an average research band (QS #1201-1400). It is most relevant for Indian students whose plan is U.S. employment, not global research mobility.
Programs Indian students most commonly choose at USF, based on USF’s enrolment mix and Collegedunia demand data, cluster around STEM-Designated Master’s tracks and the School of Nursing:
- MS Data Science: Bay Area location and STEM-OPT eligibility drive demand from Indian applicants.
- MS Computer Science: Top 25% U.S. CS rank (#154) with proximity to San Francisco tech employers.
- MBA: School of Management at #131 U.S.; fits Indian applicants targeting Bay Area finance and consulting.
- MS Information Systems: STEM-Designated Master’s chosen by Indian engineering graduates moving into IT roles.
- MS Nursing: USF’s top-ranked discipline at #22 of 683; the strongest single subject for Indian nursing aspirants.
| India-relevant signal | USF rank | Indian comparator |
|---|---|---|
| QS World 2027 | #1201-1400 | IIT Bombay #134 |
| Strongest subject (Nursing) | #22 of 683 U.S. | No Indian institution ranked in U.S. News U.S. Nursing list |
| U.S. National rank | #110 (top 25%) | U.S.-only ranking; not comparable to Indian universities |
| Social Mobility | #59 (top 15%) | No equivalent Indian ranking; supports loan-repayment math |
Key insight
- CD-vs-QS gap: Collegedunia ranks USF at #384, 817 positions above its QS world rank. Collegedunia weights Indian-relevant admissions and outcome metrics that QS does not capture.
- Subject-vs-overall gap: Nursing sits 88 places above the institutional national rank, the sharpest signal for Indian applicants screening USF by subject fit.
- Stability: Four years of QS data show a flat band at #1201-1400, removing rank-volatility risk for Indian students whose loan tenures cross multiple ranking cycles.
Across the three ranking bodies that currently publish a USF position, the read is consistent: USF is a top-25% U.S. national university with a top-3% nursing program and a top-15% social-mobility position. It sits outside the top 1000 globally in QS only because research volume runs lower than its peer U.S. Catholic privates. Indian applicants targeting U.S. employment, especially in nursing or Bay Area tech, will find USF’s strongest ranks line up with their decision criteria.
FAQs
Ques. What is the QS ranking of University of San Francisco in 2027?
Ans. University of San Francisco ranks #1201-1400 in QS World University Rankings 2027, with a U.S. position of #103. The band has stayed in the #1201-1400 range for two consecutive editions, signalling stable QS inputs.
Ques. What is the U.S. News ranking of University of San Francisco in 2026?
Ans. U.S. News 2026 ranks USF #110 among National Universities, inside the top 25% of all 436 ranked U.S. universities. Its strongest U.S. News position is #59 in Social Mobility, putting it in the top 15% on graduate income lift.
Ques. What is University of San Francisco’s strongest subject ranking?
Ans. Nursing is USF’s strongest subject, ranked #22 out of 683 U.S. programs in U.S. News 2026 (top 3%). This sits 88 positions above the institutional national rank of #110.
Ques. Is University of San Francisco ranked in THE World University Rankings 2026?
Ans. USF does not appear in the current Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, so no THE world rank is published this year. Indian applicants comparing ranks should use the QS and U.S. News positions instead.
Ques. How is University of San Francisco ranked for Indian students by Collegedunia Study Abroad?
Ans. Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 ranks USF #384 globally and #178 in the USA. The global position is 817 places above USF’s QS band, reflecting Collegedunia’s weighting of Indian-relevant admissions and outcome signals.
Ques. How does University of San Francisco’s ranking compare to IIT Bombay for Indian students?
Ans. IIT Bombay sits at #134 in QS World 2027 versus USF’s #1201-1400 band, a gap of more than 1000 positions on QS metrics. The two are not direct substitutes: IIT Bombay is research-elite, while USF is a U.S. top-25% national university with a top-3% nursing program.
Ques. Has University of San Francisco’s ranking improved over the last few years?
Ans. The QS band has stayed flat at #1201-1400 across the last two editions, tightening from a wider #1201-1503 in 2025. U.S. News National rank improved five places from #115 in 2024 to #110 in 2026.
1546425900.png?h=40&w=60&mode=stretch)
Comments