50 Best universities for Software Engineering in Canada

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Software Engineering. A graph of 1.11M citations received by 39.1K academic papers made by 50 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Software Engineering

#10 in North America

#10 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

2. University of Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#13 in North America

#15 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

3. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Software Engineering

#16 in North America

#22 in the World

Founded: 1957

4. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Software Engineering

#28 in North America

#47 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

5. Western University

Ontario | London

For Software Engineering

#32 in North America

#51 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

6. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Software Engineering

#45 in North America

#88 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

7. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#47 in North America

#91 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

8. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#48 in North America

#92 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

9. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Software Engineering

#49 in North America

#97 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,109
Founded: 1942

10. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Software Engineering

#52 in North America

#104 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

11. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#56 in North America

#113 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

12. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Software Engineering

#58 in North America

#123 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

13. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Software Engineering

#59 in North America

#126 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

14. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Software Engineering

#64 in North America

#148 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

15. Polytechnic School of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#84 in North America

#237 in the World

Enrollment: 9,476
Founded: 1873

16. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Software Engineering

#94 in North America

#286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

17. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#106 in North America

#328 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

18. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#112 in North America

#341 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1969

19. School of Higher Technology - University of Quebec

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#123 in North America

#377 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1974

20. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Software Engineering

#126 in North America

#382 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 29,800
Founded: 1877

21. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Software Engineering

#134 in North America

#419 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 20,953
Founded: 1907

22. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Software Engineering

#143 in North America

#457 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

23. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#145 in North America

#465 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

24. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Software Engineering

#146 in North America

#466 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 30,867
Founded: 1818

25. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Software Engineering

#160 in North America

#535 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

26. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Software Engineering

#162 in North America

#538 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 32,036
Founded: 1785

27. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Software Engineering

#178 in North America

#620 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

28. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Software Engineering

#193 in North America

#718 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

29. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Software Engineering

#201 in North America

#752 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 16,092
Founded: 1857

30. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Software Engineering

#215 in North America

#795 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

31. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Software Engineering

#223 in North America

#862 in the World

Founded: 2002

32. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Software Engineering

#225 in North America

#871 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

33. Royal Military College of Canada

Ontario | Kingston

For Software Engineering

#256 in North America

#1004 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1876

34. HEC Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#289 in North America

#1138 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1907

35. University of Quebec, Trois-Rivieres

Quebec State | Trois-Rivieres

For Software Engineering

#301 in North America

#1202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1969

36. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Software Engineering

#312 in North America

#1306 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

37. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Software Engineering

#318 in North America

#1341 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

38. University of Quebec in Outaouais

Quebec State | Gatineau

For Software Engineering

#333 in North America

#1446 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1981

39. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Software Engineering

#336 in North America

#1468 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

40. University of Quebec at Chicoutimi

Quebec State | Chicoutimi

For Software Engineering

#337 in North America

#1473 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1969

41. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Software Engineering

#364 in North America

#1595 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

42. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Software Engineering

#378 in North America

#1677 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

43. University of Moncton

New Brunswick | Moncton

For Software Engineering

#396 in North America

#1815 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1864

44. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Software Engineering

#399 in North America

#1829 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 9,323
Founded: 1960

45. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Software Engineering

#406 in North America

#1864 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1871

46. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Software Engineering

#422 in North America

#1964 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

47. University of Quebec

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Software Engineering

#449 in North America

#2151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Founded: 1968

48. University of Quebec in Rimouski

Quebec State | Rimouski

For Software Engineering

#495 in North America

#2518 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1969

49. Brandon University

Manitoba | Brandon

For Software Engineering

#496 in North America

#2519 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1899

50. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Software Engineering

#504 in North America

#2601 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

The best cities to study Software Engineering in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Vancouver, Toronto, Waterloo, and Calgary.