The 2027 Canadian university rankings from Maclean’s put McGill University first among large institutions, Simon Fraser University first among mid-size universities and Mount Allison University at the top of the small-university category.
The rankings were released on October 15, 2026, and assess 56 Canadian universities using 15 performance indicators.
The new edition also marks the first major restructuring of the Maclean’s university rankings since the system began in 1991.
Table of Contents
What changed in the 2027 Canadian university rankings
Maclean’s has retired its long-standing Medical Doctoral, Comprehensive and Primarily Undergraduate groupings.
The universities are now compared in three categories based on full-time-equivalent enrolment.
| Category | Enrolment threshold | 2027 leader |
|---|---|---|
| Large | More than 30,000 students | McGill University |
| Mid-size | 10,000 to 30,000 students | Simon Fraser University |
| Small | Fewer than 10,000 students | Mount Allison University |
Maclean’s said the change was intended to make the categories easier for students and families to understand.
Six universities were added to the rankings this year: Mount Royal University, Thompson Rivers University, MacEwan University, Concordia University of Edmonton, the University of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island University.
How Maclean’s evaluated universities
The methodology groups the indicators into four broad areas: student experience and success, faculty quality, student resources and support, and reputation.
- Student experience and success: 28 per cent of the final score.
- Faculty quality: 25 per cent.
- Student resources and support: 32 per cent.
- Reputation: 15 per cent.
Four indicators are new for 2027: retention rate, graduation rate, research volume and research impact.
Retention measures the share of students who return for a second year, while graduation measures completion within six years.
Research volume and research impact use publication data from the 2020-to-2023 period, including information drawn from the OpenAlex database.
The rankings also draw on Statistics Canada data, federal research funding agencies and a reputation survey conducted with Angus Reid Group.
Because both the categories and methodology changed, Maclean’s 2027 results create a new comparison point rather than a direct continuation of the 2026 tables.
McGill leads the large-university group
McGill University took the top position among 15 large universities.
The Montreal institution was followed by the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
The University of Waterloo and Queen’s University completed the top five, while the University of Alberta and McMaster University shared sixth place.
McGill’s result was supported by strong performances in faculty awards, student awards and research impact.
The University of Toronto ranked first among large universities for research volume and remained one of the country’s largest research institutions, with more than 102,000 students across three campuses.
Queen’s ranked second in both retention and graduation rates within the large category, behind McGill.
The University of Ottawa led the large-university category for scholarships and bursaries and placed highly in faculty awards and medical-science grants.
Other universities in the large group included Université Laval, Université de Montréal, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University and Concordia University.
Simon Fraser tops the mid-size category
Simon Fraser University in British Columbia ranked first among 19 mid-size universities.
SFU recorded category-leading results in student awards, medical-science grants and operating budget per student.
The University of Victoria placed second, followed by Dalhousie University in third.
Dalhousie led the mid-size group in faculty awards, research volume, scholarships and bursaries, and reputation.
Carleton University ranked fourth, helped by a 90.1 per cent retention rate that placed it second in the category.
The University of Guelph completed the top five and recorded the highest retention rate among mid-size universities.
The University of Saskatchewan placed sixth, while newly ranked institutions Thompson Rivers University, Mount Royal University and MacEwan University entered the category further down the list.
Mount Allison remains first among small universities
Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, ranked first among 22 small universities.
The university has a student population of slightly more than 2,400 and led the small category in faculty awards and library expenses.
The University of Northern British Columbia placed second, followed by St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University.
Atlantic Canadian institutions accounted for five of the top seven positions in the small-university category, including the University of New Brunswick and Saint Mary’s University.
Concordia University of Edmonton, the University of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island University joined the small category as newly ranked institutions.
Concordia led all small universities in student-services spending, which represented 12.7 per cent of its operating budget.
What the rankings mean for international students
University rank alone does not determine an international graduate’s eligibility for permanent residence in Canada.
International students should separately confirm whether their institution and program qualify for a post-graduation work permit, since eligibility depends on federal requirements and the designated learning institution system.
Students should also compare tuition, scholarships, program length, co-op opportunities, graduation outcomes and the immigration options available in the province where they plan to study.
Maclean’s 2027 rankings can help with that comparison, but the overall position does not replace a review of program-level information or official immigration rules.
The complete rankings and methodology are available through Maclean’s university rankings page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which university ranked first overall in the 2027 Maclean’s rankings?
McGill University ranked first among large Canadian universities. Simon Fraser University led the mid-size category, while Mount Allison University led the small-university category.
What are the new Maclean’s university categories for 2027?
Universities are grouped as large, mid-size or small according to full-time-equivalent enrolment. Large universities have more than 30,000 students, mid-size universities have 10,000 to 30,000, and small universities have fewer than 10,000.
Can the 2027 rankings be compared directly with the 2026 rankings?
Comparisons should be made cautiously because Maclean’s changed both the category structure and several methodology indicators for 2027.
Do university rankings affect Express Entry or permanent residence eligibility?
No. A university’s ranking does not directly increase a student’s Express Entry score or guarantee permanent residence. Eligibility depends on the requirements of the relevant immigration program.
Does attending a ranked university guarantee a post-graduation work permit?
No. International students must meet federal PGWP requirements, including rules related to the designated learning institution, program and other eligibility conditions.
Fact-Checked: Key ranking details were checked against Maclean’s 2027 rankings information and supporting university and Government of Canada sources. ([stjoseph.com](https://www.stjoseph.com/news/macleans-2027-canadian-university-rankings?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: University rankings reflect selected academic, financial and reputational indicators and should not be the sole basis for an education or immigration decision.