Best Universities in Colombia According to QS Ranking

Colombian universities have gained international recognition in the 2024 QS World University Rankings, a highly regarded global university assessment. The top Colombian institutions, University of the Andes (Universidad de los Andes), National University of Colombia (Universidad Nacional de Colombia), and Javeriana University (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), all based in Bogota, have secured positions within the QS Top Global Universities ranking, placing 198th, 226th, and 347th, respectively, among the 1,500 institutions featured. Regionally, these universities stand out as well in the QS Latin America & Caribbean ranking, positioning 6th, 12th, and 16th. Additionally, Universidad de Antioquia in Medellin is recognized among the top 20 in the region, placing 19th.

Colombian universities’ excellence in academic disciplines

QS Rankings offers specific rankings by subject and course, with Colombian universities managing to place 23 disciplines in the top 100 globally.

University of the Andes leads Colombian universities with 11 disciplines. Specifically, these are Development Studies, ranked 40th globally and the second-best in Latin America; Law, ranked 45th globally and 4th in Latin America; along with Petroleum Engineering, Anthropology, Art & Design, Modern Languages, Architecture, Geography, History, Political Science & International Studies, and Business Administration.

National University of Colombia is the second-best Colombian university, featuring eight disciplines, including Mining Engineering, ranked as the best course in Latin America and 24th globally; Anthropology, ranked 42nd globally and 4th in Latin America; in addition to Petroleum Engineering, Art and Design, Development Studies, Modern Languages, Political Science, and Sociology.

The other areas of excellence are offered by Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with its courses in Modern Languages and Theology and Religious Studies; Universidad Industrial de Santander, with its Petroleum Engineering, ranked 40th globally and 5th in Latin America; and Universidad Externado de Colombia, with its Law program.

The best universities in Colombia by academic discipline

• Arts & Humanities: University of the Andes, 98th globally, 6th in Latin America

• Engineering & Technology: University of the Andes, 198th globally, 9th in Latin America

• Life Sciences & Medicine: National University of Colombia, 360th globally, 12th in Latin America

• Natural Sciences: National University of Colombia, 350th globally, 10th in Latin America

• Social Sciences & Management: University of the Andes, 60th globally, 6th in Latin America

Higher education in Colombia

Colombia has made significant progress in higher education recently. Initially, only 20 percent of young people aged 17 to 21 were enrolled in the higher education system, but this figure climbed to 37 percent by 2021, with a total of 2,466,228 students registered for the 2022 academic year, according to the Ministry of Education of Colombia. This progression is also reflected in the rankings of Colombian universities, with University of the Andes moving from 335th in 2012 to 198th in 2024, and National University of Colombia advancing from the 381st position in 2012 to 226th in the 2024 QS Top Global Universities ranking.

Colombia’s higher education landscape is marked by a predominance of private universities and a concentration of its premier institutions in Bogota, with a significant presence in other major cities such as Medellin and Cali. Reflecting this educational prominence the QS Rankings have identified Bogota and Medellín as Colombia’s leading student cities. Globally, Bogota ranks 90th and Medellín 139th, while in Latin America, they are positioned 4th and 12th, respectively.

The best universities in Colombia, according to QS Rankings

1. University of the Andes (Universidad de los Andes) ; Bogota – Private
2. National University of Colombia (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) ; Bogota – Public
3. Javeriana University (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana) ; Bogota – Private
4. University of Antioquia (Universidad de Antioquia) ; Medellin – Public
5. University of the Rosary (Universidad del Rosario) ; Bogota – Private
6. University EAFIT (Universidad EAFIT) ; Medellin – Private
7. Externado University of Colombia (Universidad Externado de Colombia) ; Bogota – Private
8. University of La Sabana (Universidad de La Sabana) ; Bogota – Private
9. Pontifical Bolivarian University (Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana) ; Medellin – Private
10. University ICESI (Universidad ICESI) ; Cali – Private