Top business schools in the UK 2025

By seeta.bhardwa@…, 17 April, 2025

Best universities for business and economics 2025

UK Business Rank 2025	Global Business Rank 2025	University	Overall	Research Quality	Industry	International Outlook	Research Environment	Teaching
1	2	University of Oxford	91.1	74.5	98.5	95	98.3	95.1
2	5	University of Cambridge	89.7	80.2	72.9	95	92.9	94.8
3	10	London School of Economics and Political Science	86.6	76.7	65.2	95.9	94.2	86.9
4	22	UCL	76.4	74	67.1	95	83	67.2
5	30	University of Warwick	70.9	74.7	63.1	96.4	66.7	65.5
6	32	University of Manchester	69.7	77.1	68.9	95.2	65.2	60.9
7	59	King’s College London	62	73.9	54.4	94	54.1	52.1
8	73	University of Edinburgh	59.6	72.7	68.6	94.7	47.7	49.6
9	=77	University of Nottingham	58.8	79.6	66.7	96.5	45.6	43.2
10	86	University of Reading	57.5	84.8	65.8	94.3	40.8	40.4
11	95	University of Surrey	56.4	87.2	65.6	98.4	38.6	35.8
12	99	University of Glasgow	55.3	69.4	61	93.6	43.1	44.3
=13	101–125	City, University of London	52.1–55.0	66.9	55.7	97.2	39.6	40.3
=13	101–125	Lancaster University	52.1–55.0	72.3	65.1	97	41.7	39.4
=13	101–125	University of Bath	52.1–55.0	76	62.9	95.5	36.2	43.7
=13	101–125	University of Birmingham	52.1–55.0	79.5	70.6	95.4	35.6	41.2
=13	101–125	University of Leeds	52.1–55.0	73.1	66.7	94.9	43	37
=13	101–125	University of Southampton	52.1–55.0	88.2	66.3	98.3	34.1	33.9
=13	101–125	University of York	52.1–55.0	65	51.8	92.7	43.3	41.2
=20	126–150	Durham University	48.8–51.8	76	44.5	97.8	32.7	35.7
=20	126–150	University of Sussex	48.8–51.8	80.4	45.9	94.5	38.4	24.7
=22	151–175	Cardiff University	47.2–48.7	69.8	66.3	88.8	33.4	30.1
=22	151–175	Loughborough University	47.2–48.7	71.7	66.8	90.7	27.7	31.8
=22	151–175	University of Bristol	47.2–48.7	77.1	47.8	91.3	27.2	34.5
=22	151–175	University of Essex	47.2–48.7	75.6	47.9	97.7	31.3	25.2
=22	151–175	University of Liverpool	47.2–48.7	69	51.1	96.4	30.6	35.3
=22	151–175	University of Sheffield	47.2–48.7	83	58.7	92.6	26.8	28
=28	176–200	Aston University	45.8–47.0	90.5	59.8	91.7	18.6	23.5
=28	176–200	Swansea University	45.8–47.0	96.9	48.6	90.6	20.8	19.5
=28	176–200	University of Strathclyde	45.8–47.0	71.1	65.6	89.5	27	32.9
=31	201–250	Bournemouth University	44.0–45.7	86.2	47.4	87.9	19.8	21
=31	201–250	Newcastle University	44.0–45.7	83.9	49.3	91.2	22.1	22.6
=31	201–250	SOAS University of London	44.0–45.7	67.6	17.1	88.8	28.4	33.4
=31	201–250	University of Bradford	44.0–45.7	92.1	55.1	96.5	19.1	16.4
=31	201–250	University of Exeter	44.0–45.7	74.9	57	96.6	26.9	24
=31	201–250	University of Portsmouth	44.0–45.7	87.6	51.7	95.1	17.9	19.7
=37	251–300	Brunel University of London	41.5–43.9	72.8	60.9	97.5	22.4	17.8
=37	251–300	Heriot-Watt University	41.5–43.9	66.4	74.8	95	24.7	19
=37	251–300	Queen Mary University of London	41.5–43.9	72.6	63.1	96.9	26.1	20.6
=37	251–300	University of Aberdeen	41.5–43.9	69.7	60.2	97.7	21.6	25.5
=37	251–300	University of East Anglia	41.5–43.9	71.2	56.8	94.9	20.9	23.5
=37	251–300	University of Huddersfield	41.5–43.9	78.4	58.7	95.5	18	21.6
=37	251–300	University of Kent	41.5–43.9	76.6	48.6	92.1	19.8	20.8
=37	251–300	University of Plymouth	41.5–43.9	85.6	66.4	93.3	14.3	19.5
=44	301–400	Birkbeck, University of London	38.1–41.4	65.5	66.9	94.3	19.9	23.8
=44	301–400	Coventry University	38.1–41.4	73.1	41.7	94.7	11.8	19.9
=44	301–400	London Metropolitan University	38.1–41.4	80.8	49.3	95.4	11.9	14.7
=44	301–400	Northumbria University	38.1–41.4	75.2	42.9	91.7	19.3	20.1
=44	301–400	Oxford Brookes University	38.1–41.4	56.3	33	84.8	21.6	28.6
=44	301–400	Queen’s University Belfast	38.1–41.4	69.1	40.9	96.6	21.9	21.2
=44	301–400	Royal Holloway, University of London	38.1–41.4	68	43.7	93.5	19.7	18.7
=44	301–400	Teesside University	38.1–41.4	77.7	36.3	97.6	13	18.6
=44	301–400	University of Derby	38.1–41.4	84.6	30.8	90.7	12.8	15.3
=44	301–400	University of Greenwich	38.1–41.4	86.4	37.2	96.9	13	14.7
=44	301–400	University of Hull	38.1–41.4	69.8	58.8	94	17.7	23.4
=44	301–400	University of Lincoln	38.1–41.4	81	34.7	90.7	13	14.7
=44	301–400	University of St Andrews	38.1–41.4	60.3	41.2	93.8	19.9	30.2
=57	401–500	Bangor University	35.0–38.0	55.7	52	90.4	16.6	19.9
=57	401–500	De Montfort University	35.0–38.0	76.5	44.6	92.6	11.8	11.4
=57	401–500	Leeds Beckett University	35.0–38.0	68.7	49.6	68.1	15.2	16.2
=57	401–500	Liverpool John Moores University	35.0–38.0	80.6	51.1	77.8	10.8	15.5
=57	401–500	Manchester Metropolitan University	35.0–38.0	74	56.2	72.3	14.7	15
=57	401–500	Middlesex University	35.0–38.0	59.3	38.4	94.8	16.5	18
=57	401–500	Nottingham Trent University	35.0–38.0	68.8	38.2	89.7	11.4	17.6
=57	401–500	University of Brighton	35.0–38.0	66.2	67.5	90.5	12.8	16.1
=57	401–500	University of Dundee	35.0–38.0	58.7	40.6	94.6	16.5	17.4
=57	401–500	University of Leicester	35.0–38.0	60.7	26.8	92.5	18	18.9
=57	401–500	University of Stirling	35.0–38.0	62.3	36.2	86.6	18.2	18.1
=57	401–500	University of the West of Scotland	35.0–38.0	65	72.8	86.7	11.9	19.9
=69	501–600	Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)	32.2–34.9	60.4	17.1	93	11.5	16.3
=69	501–600	Edinburgh Napier University	32.2–34.9	61.3	17.1	91.9	12.5	15.9
=69	501–600	Kingston University	32.2–34.9	59.6	55.6	92.6	13.7	16.1
=69	501–600	University of Salford	32.2–34.9	61.2	65.5	83.2	12.5	16.5
=69	501–600	UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)	32.2–34.9	65.6	44.2	83.9	12.2	13.9
=74	601–800	Birmingham City University	26.6–32.1	54.8	29.8	93	9.3	10.9
=74	601–800	Cardiff Metropolitan University	26.6–32.1	51	17.1	84.3	10.3	17.2
=74	601–800	Glasgow Caledonian University	26.6–32.1	55.2	60.9	70.7	10.2	13.1
=74	601–800	London South Bank University	26.6–32.1	49	66.6	90.9	8.7	14.1
=74	601–800	Sheffield Hallam University	26.6–32.1	54.2	38.8	76.3	10.9	15.8
=74	601–800	The Open University	26.6–32.1	55.3	52.5	56.8	10.8	16.9
=74	601–800	Ulster University	26.6–32.1	46	52	76.1	13.4	13.1
=74	601–800	University of Central Lancashire	26.6–32.1	61	42.7	76.5	9.4	12.9
=74	601–800	University of Roehampton	26.6–32.1	59.8	24.5	95.4	12.5	11.6
=74	601–800	University of Westminster	26.6–32.1	54.8	36.5	87.2	10.9	12.5
=74	601–800	University of Wolverhampton	26.6–32.1	45.3	34	77	11.3	13.1
=85	801+	University of East London	14.2–26.5	42.3	34.4	84.3	11.1	9.8
=85	801+	University of Hertfordshire	14.2–26.5	46.8	28	75.3	8.4	11.9

Key Insights into the best business schools in the UK

University of Oxford moves into sole first place for 2025, overtaking its joint position with Cambridge last year, solidifying its leadership in teaching and research.
King’s College London climbs one place from 2024 in 2025, with notable improvements in its teaching and research environment scores.
University of Edinburgh drops one spot from seventh to eighth, despite maintaining strong research quality metrics.
Some 86 universities are ranked for business and economics in this year's ranking.

Choosing the right university in the UK for business

Choosing the right university for a business degree is a critical decision. The Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Business provide transparent, data-driven insights into institutional performance.

Universities are evaluated using five core factors:

Teaching quality
Research environment
Research quality
Industry collaboration
International outlook

These indicators help students align their academic choices with career aspirations. For more details on the ranking process, visit THE’s full methodology page.

The table for the best universities for business in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Business. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.

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Discover the Times Higher Education subject rankings for the top business schools in the UK 2025.

This list below reveals the best universities for business and economics offering prospective students data-backed insights into the highest-ranking institutions in the field.

The list of universities across the UK are evaluated based on teaching, research, and international outlook.

The Times Higher Education rankings use a robust methodology, created by the in-house data team, relied upon by students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide.

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Top business schools in the UK 2025

Best universities for business and economics 2025

Key Insights into the best business schools in the UK

Choosing the right university in the UK for business

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