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Overall Rankings 2017
This year’s overall rankings are based on reputational surveys completed by 211 philosophers throughout the English-speaking world and Continental Europe; 274 philosophers participated in either the overall or specialty rankings, often both. Evaluators included 15 Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and nearly 10 Fellows of either the British Academy or the Royal Society of Canada, among other learned societies, as well as leading senior and junior philosophers in every area of philosophy. In the overall rankings, evaluators were asked to evaluate randomly ordered faculty lists that did not include the university’s name. They were giving the following prompt:
Please rate the overall quality of the graduate program’s faculty.
Evaluators were given a drop down menu to select their rating from the following scale:
The evaluators could move forwards and backwards in the survey, but there was no ability for those taking the survey to compare their ratings from faculty list to faculty list at the end. A full description of the methodology of the survey is explained in the “description of the report” section of the report. (include link).
Because evaluators do not have reliable access to information about the quality of graduate teaching and mentoring for most departments, this was not a component of the evaluation. As always, students are advised to talk to current students before enrolling at any program.
The rank of each department is based on the “overall” mean. We have included the median, mode(s), confidence intervals, and results from past surveys (2014, 2009, 2006, & 2004) in adjacent columns.
All programs in the top 50 in the U.S., the top 15 in the U.K., and the top 5 in Canada and Australasia from the prior survey were included in this year’s survey. Based on this and past year results, we have reason to think that no program not included in the survey would have ranked ahead of these programs. Other programs evaluated this year are listed unranked afterwards; there may well have been programs not surveyed this year that could have fared as well.
Evaluators were asked not to evaluate either their own department or the department from which they received their highest degree (PhD, DPhil, sometimes the BPhil) and were told that such ratings would be removed. All instances of improper or stray ratings were removed from the survey data.
Ranking Of Faculties In The United States
| RANK | INSTITUTION | Mean | Median | Mode | Upper CI | Lower CI | Region | Rank in 2021 | Rank in 2017 | Rank in 2024 | Rank in 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.7 | USA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Rutgers University, New Brunswick | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | USA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Princeton University | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.3 | USA | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.1 | USA | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Yale University | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | USA | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | University of California, Berkeley | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | USA | 7 | 9 | 10 | 14 |
| 6 | University of Southern California | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | USA | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 |
| 8 | University of Pittsburgh | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA | 4 | 7 | 8 | 11 |
| 8 | University of Texas, Austin | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | USA | 17 | 18 | 17 | 20 |
| 10 | Harvard University | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
| 10 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 7 | 13 | 7 |
| 10 | University of California, Los Angeles | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | USA | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 13 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | USA | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 14 | Stanford University | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | 12 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| 14 | University of Notre Dame | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.6 | USA | 12 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| 16 | City University of New York Graduate Center | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 12 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
| 16 | Cornell University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 19 | 25 | 17 | 14 |
| 16 | Johns Hopkins University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 31 | 40 | 40 | 37 |
| 16 | University of California, San Diego | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | USA | 19 | 20 | 23 | 22 |
| 16 | University of Chicago | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.4 | USA | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
| 21 | Columbia University | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | USA | 12 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 21 | University of California, Irvine | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | USA | 24 | 21 | 24 | 29 |
| 23 | Brown University | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | USA | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin, Madison | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | USA | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
| 25 | Ohio State University | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | 25 | 28 | 28 | 24 |
| 25 | University of Pennsylvania | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.0 | USA | 27 | 27 | 31 | 29 |
| 27 | University of Arizona | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 22 | 16 | 13 | 14 |
| 27 | University of California, Riverside | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 32 | 28 | 31 |
| 27 | University of Colorado, Boulder | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 28 | 31 | 24 |
| 27 | University of Massachusetts, Amherst | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 27 | 28 | 28 | 24 |
| 27 | Washington University, St. Louis | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | USA | 25 | 21 | 24 | 31 |
| 32 | Duke University | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 33 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| 32 | University of Maryland, College Park | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 38 | 40 | 31 | 31 |
| 32 | University of Virginia | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | USA | 33 | 32 | 31 | 37 |
| 35 | Carnegie Mellon University | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 40 | 35 | 40 | 40 |
| 35 | Georgetown University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.7 | USA | 31 | 35 | 37 | 36 |
| 35 | Northwestern University | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | USA | 38 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
| 35 | University of Connecticut, Storrs | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 35 | 37 | 50 |
| 39 | Indiana University, Bloomington | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 28 | 24 | 24 |
| 39 | University of Miami | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.6 | USA | 33 | 35 | 31 | 31 |
| 41 | Boston University | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.5 | USA | 40 | 44 | not top 50 | 44 |
| 41 | Florida State University | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.5 | USA | 44 | 44 | 45 | 44 |
| 43 | Purdue University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | USA | not top 50 | |||
| 43 | Rice University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | USA | 44 | not top 50 | 47 | 44 |
| 43 | Syracuse University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | USA | 40 | 35 | 37 | 37 |
| 43 | University of California, Santa Barbara | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | USA | 40 | 44 | 42 | 40 |
| 43 | University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 44 | 47 | 44 |
| 43 | University of Utah | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | not top 50 | not top 50 | not top 50 |
| 49 | University of Illinois, Chicago | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 43 | 42 | 40 |
| 49 | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | n/a | |||
| 49 | University of Rochester | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | USA | 46 | 49 | 45 | 44 |
| OUTSIDE TOP 50 | |||||||||||
| Arizona State University | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | USA | not top 50 | ||||
| University of California, Davis | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | USA | 46 | 42 | 42 | 44 | |
| Saint Louis University | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.1 | USA | not top 50 | 49 | |||
| University at Buffalo | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | USA | n/a | ||||
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | USA | n/a | ||||
| Vanderbilt University | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | USA | m/a |
Ranking of Faculties in the United Kingdom
| Institution | Mean | Median | Mode(s) | Lower CI | Upper CI | Region | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 | Rank in 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford University | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | UK | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Cambridge University | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3.8 | UK | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | University of St. Andrews/Stirling Joint Program | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3 | 3.2 | 3.5 | UK | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | King’s College, London | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3 | 3.2 | 3.4 | UK | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 5 | University of Edinburgh | 3.1 | 3 | 3 | 3.0 | 3.2 | UK | 4 | 8 | 12 | 9 |
| 6 | London School of Economics | 2.9 | 3 | 3 | 2.8 | 3.1 | UK | 6 | 11 | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | University of Leeds | 2.9 | 3 | 3 | 2.7 | 3.0 | UK | 8 | 6 | 12 | 9 |
| 8 | University College London | 2.8 | 3 | 3 | 2.7 | 2.9 | UK | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 9 | University of Birmingham | 2.7 | 3 | 3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | UK | 8 | not top 15 | not top 15 | not top 15 |
| 9 | University of Bristol | 2.7 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | UK | 10 | 13 | 12 | 9 |
| 11 | University of Sheffield | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.7 | UK | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| 11 | University of Warwick | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.7 | UK | 12 | 11 | 9 | 14 |
| 13 | University of Durham | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 | UK | n/a | |||
| 13 | University of Manchester | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | UK | not top 15 | |||
| 13 | University of York | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.5 | UK | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| OUTSIDE TOP 15 | |||||||||||
| Birkbeck College, University of London | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | UK | |||||
| University of Glasgow | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | UK | |||||
| University of Reading | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | UK | |||||
| University of Nottingham | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.4 | UK |
Ranking of Faculties in Canada
| Institution | Mean | Median | Mode(s) | Lower CI | Upper CI | Region | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 | Rank in 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Toronto | 3.9 | 4 | 4 | 3.8 | 4.0 | Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | University of British Columbia | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.8 | 3.1 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | University of Western Ontario | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5,3.0 | 2.5 | 2.7 | Canada | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | McGill University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.7 | Canada | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | University of Calgary | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | Canada | 5 | not top 5 | not top 5 | not top 5 |
| OUTSIDE TOP 5 | |||||||||||
| Queen’s University, Kingston | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1.8 | 2.1 | Canada | |||||
| York University, Toronto | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | Canada | |||||
| University of Alberta | 1.9 | 2 | 2 | 1.8 | 2.1 | Canada |
Ranking of Faculties in Australasia
| Institution | Mean | Median | Mode(s) | Lower CI | Upper CI | Region | Rank in 2014 | Rank in 2011 | Rank in 2009 | Rank in 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australian National University | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.3 | 3.6 | ANZ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | University of Sydney | 3.2 | 3 | 3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | ANZ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Monash University | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.6 | ANZ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | University of Melbourne | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.2 | 2.5 | ANZ | 3 | 4 | not top 5 | 3 |
| 5 | University of Auckland | 2.1 | 2 | 2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | ANZ | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| OUTSIDE TOP 5 | |||||||||||
| Victoria University, Wellington | 1.9 | 2 | 2 | 1.7 | 2.0 | ANZ |
Ranking of the Top 50 Faculties in the English Speaking World