46 Best universities for Software Engineering in Canada

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 773K citations received by 35.1K academic papers made by 46 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 Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#12 in North America

#14 in the World

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

2. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Software Engineering

#14 in North America

#18 in the World

Enrollment: 35,900
Founded: 1957

3. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Software Engineering

#15 in North America

#23 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

4. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Software Engineering

#27 in North America

#43 in the World

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

5. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#42 in North America

#83 in the World

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

6. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Software Engineering

#43 in North America

#85 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

7. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#46 in North America

#90 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

8. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Software Engineering

#48 in North America

#92 in the World

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

9. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Software Engineering

#49 in North America

#95 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

10. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Software Engineering

#54 in North America

#110 in the World

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

11. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Software Engineering

#55 in North America

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

12. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#60 in North America

#129 in the World

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

13. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Software Engineering

#65 in North America

#157 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

14. Western University

Ontario | London

For Software Engineering

#67 in North America

#162 in the World

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

15. Polytechnic School of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#81 in North America

#215 in the World

Enrollment: 9,476
Founded: 1873

16. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Software Engineering

#87 in North America

#257 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

17. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Software Engineering

#112 in North America

#342 in the World

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

18. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#114 in North America

#347 in the World

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

19. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#119 in North America

#354 in the World

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

20. School of Higher Technology - University of Quebec

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#128 in North America

#382 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1974

21. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Software Engineering

#136 in North America

#409 in the World

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

22. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Software Engineering

#145 in North America

#451 in the World

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

23. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Software Engineering

#150 in North America

#460 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

24. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Software Engineering

#155 in North America

#489 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

25. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Software Engineering

#164 in North America

#544 in the World

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

26. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Software Engineering

#178 in North America

#582 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

27. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Software Engineering

#179 in North America

#588 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

28. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Software Engineering

#191 in North America

#671 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

29. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Software Engineering

#201 in North America

#723 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 8,059
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 1967

30. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Software Engineering

#208 in North America

#761 in the World

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

31. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Software Engineering

#214 in North America

#786 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

32. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Software Engineering

#234 in North America

#885 in the World

Founded: 2002

33. Royal Military College of Canada

Ontario | Kingston

For Software Engineering

#247 in North America

#950 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1876

34. HEC Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Software Engineering

#268 in North America

#1029 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1907

35. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Software Engineering

#282 in North America

#1099 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

36. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Software Engineering

#299 in North America

#1190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

37. University of Quebec, Trois-Rivieres

Quebec State | Trois-Rivieres

For Software Engineering

#302 in North America

#1202 in the World

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

38. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Software Engineering

#327 in North America

#1332 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

39. University of Quebec in Outaouais

Quebec State | Gatineau

For Software Engineering

#345 in North America

#1464 in the World

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

40. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Software Engineering

#360 in North America

#1547 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

41. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Software Engineering

#377 in North America

#1662 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Enrollment: 18,824
Founded: 1964

42. University of Quebec at Chicoutimi

Quebec State | Chicoutimi

For Software Engineering

#378 in North America

#1665 in the World

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

43. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Software Engineering

#394 in North America

#1726 in the World

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

44. University of Moncton

New Brunswick | Moncton

For Software Engineering

#399 in North America

#1742 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1864

45. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Software Engineering

#412 in North America

#1848 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

46. University of Quebec

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Software Engineering

#419 in North America

#1886 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Founded: 1968

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