Top universities for social science degrees in Australia 2026
| Australia Social Sciences Rank 2026 | Global Social Sciences Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | =35 | Australian National University | 72.6 | 65.7 | 72.9 | 76.7 | 77.4 | 84.6 |
| 2 | 44 | The University of Sydney | 68.9 | 58.7 | 63.6 | 81.6 | 99.1 | 76.6 |
| 3 | 50 | University of Melbourne | 67 | 53.2 | 65.3 | 78.3 | 90.5 | 82.9 |
| 4 | 70 | Monash University | 62.1 | 39.6 | 55.3 | 87.6 | 93 | 84.6 |
| 5 | =83 | The University of Queensland | 60 | 39.8 | 50.5 | 86.1 | 86.3 | 85.2 |
| 6 | =92 | UNSW Sydney | 57.8 | 41.3 | 43.4 | 82.4 | 97.4 | 86.2 |
| 7 | 101–125 | Queensland University of Technology | 53.3–56.7 | 34 | 37.2 | 93 | 75.6 | 80.5 |
| 8 | 126–150 | Griffith University | 50.8–52.9 | 29.3 | 43.5 | 80.3 | 83.3 | 74.7 |
| =9 | 151–175 | Adelaide University | 48.6–50.7 | 28.6 | 37.5 | 74.1 | 96 | 76.9 |
| =9 | 151–175 | Macquarie University | 48.6–50.7 | 28.8 | 32.3 | 85.5 | 72.9 | 75.4 |
| =11 | 176–200 | RMIT University | 47.3–48.5 | 31.4 | 30.4 | 78.2 | 79 | 78.5 |
| =11 | 176–200 | The University of Western Australia | 47.3–48.5 | 27.7 | 31.7 | 79.5 | 87.1 | 84.4 |
| =11 | 176–200 | University of Technology Sydney | 47.3–48.5 | 24.5 | 34 | 78.8 | 89 | 79.3 |
| =14 | 201–250 | Curtin University | 44.4–47.2 | 24.9 | 23.6 | 87.9 | 72.2 | 88.4 |
| =14 | 201–250 | Deakin University | 44.4–47.2 | 21.6 | 32.7 | 80.3 | 83 | 67.6 |
| =14 | 201–250 | La Trobe University | 44.4–47.2 | 27.3 | 33.3 | 76.5 | 70 | 73.7 |
| =14 | 201–250 | University of Tasmania | 44.4–47.2 | 25.6 | 23.9 | 80.8 | 64.4 | 80 |
| =18 | 251–300 | Charles Darwin University | 42.1–44.3 | 18.5 | 26.2 | 82.1 | 64.3 | 69.2 |
| =18 | 251–300 | Flinders University | 42.1–44.3 | 21.7 | 27.4 | 75.2 | 68 | 80.3 |
| =18 | 251–300 | James Cook University | 42.1–44.3 | 19.3 | 26.1 | 76.5 | 77.4 | 85.9 |
| =18 | 251–300 | Swinburne University of Technology | 42.1–44.3 | 18.7 | 24.2 | 83.2 | 71.3 | 64.4 |
| =18 | 251–300 | University of Canberra | 42.1–44.3 | 20.3 | 28.7 | 78.1 | 73 | 83.3 |
| =18 | 251–300 | University of Newcastle | 42.1–44.3 | 24.4 | 26.8 | 74.7 | 71.9 | 72.4 |
| =18 | 251–300 | University of Wollongong | 42.1–44.3 | 20.5 | 25.5 | 79.4 | 87.7 | 72.6 |
| =18 | 251–300 | Western Sydney University | 42.1–44.3 | 26.4 | 28.6 | 74.6 | 56.9 | 71.8 |
| =26 | 301–400 | Edith Cowan University | 37.8–41.9 | 21 | 18.1 | 87.2 | 52.6 | 71.8 |
| =26 | 301–400 | Murdoch University | 37.8–41.9 | 23.7 | 16.6 | 70.6 | 34.2 | 88.8 |
| =26 | 301–400 | Southern Cross University | 37.8–41.9 | 19 | 21.2 | 78.4 | 52.3 | 70.6 |
| =26 | 301–400 | University of Southern Queensland | 37.8–41.9 | 24.5 | 22.8 | 69.9 | 48.5 | 52.3 |
| =30 | 401–500 | Australian Catholic University | 34.6–37.7 | 15.5 | 18.9 | 80.7 | 20 | 53.3 |
| =30 | 401–500 | Central Queensland University | 34.6–37.7 | 19.2 | 21.2 | 68.3 | 69.9 | 51.6 |
| =30 | 401–500 | University of the Sunshine Coast | 34.6–37.7 | 17.2 | 21 | 72.5 | 43.8 | 55.4 |
| =33 | 601–800 | Bond University | 26.6–31.6 | 18.4 | 13.4 | 54.9 | 27.7 | 79 |
| =33 | 601–800 | Charles Sturt University | 26.6–31.6 | 15.1 | 15.6 | 58.7 | 38 | 45 |
Key insights into the top universities for social sciences in Australia
- Australian National University is the number one university for social sciences in Australia
- The ranking includes 34 universities from Australia in total
- The University of Sydney scores highly for its links to industry
- The ranking for social sciences ranks universities that offer courses in media and communications, politics, sociology, geography and anthropology
Choosing the right university for social sciences in Australia
The social sciences include a range of subjects such as geography, politics and sociology. Find out more about what social sciences are here.
Social science is one of the largest fields of study in Australia, second only to business and management. Most Australian universities offer both undergraduate and postgraduate courses across a range of social science subject areas.
The table for the best universities for social sciences in Australia was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Social Sciences. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. 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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