49 Best universities for Development Studies in the Philippines

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the Philippines ranked based on their research performance in Development Studies. A graph of 109K citations received by 10.8K academic papers made by 49 universities in the Philippines 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 the Philippines Manila

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#306 in Asia

#1188 in the World

Founded: 1908

2. University of the Philippines Diliman

Philippines | Quezon

For Development Studies

#321 in Asia

#1227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1908

3. De La Salle University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#350 in Asia

#1310 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1911

4. Ateneo de Manila University

Philippines | Quezon

For Development Studies

#481 in Asia

#1651 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Founded: 1859

5. University of Santo Tomas

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#646 in Asia

#2015 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1611

6. Asian Institute of Management

Philippines | Makati

For Development Studies

#679 in Asia

#2091 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1968

7. University of the Philippines Los Banos

Philippines | Los Banos

For Development Studies

#712 in Asia

#2165 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1909

8. Philippine Normal University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1096 in Asia

#2979 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1901

9. University of Mindanao

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#1201 in Asia

#3205 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1946

10. Laguna State Polytechnic University

Philippines | Sta. Cruz

For Development Studies

#1231 in Asia

#3258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Founded: 1956

11. Visayas State University

Philippines | Baybay

For Development Studies

#1398 in Asia

#3591 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1924

12. Angeles University Foundation

Philippines | Angeles

For Development Studies

#1418 in Asia

#3624 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1962

13. Mapua University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1448 in Asia

#3688 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

14. Cebu Normal University

Philippines | Cebu

For Development Studies

#1463 in Asia

#3720 in the World

Founded: 1902

15. Mindanao State University

Philippines | Marawi

For Development Studies

#1575 in Asia

#3992 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1961

16. Lyceum of the Philippines University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1585 in Asia

#4011 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1952

17. West Visayas State University

Philippines | Iloilo

For Development Studies

#1695 in Asia

#4251 in the World

Founded: 1902

18. Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology

Philippines | Iligan

For Development Studies

#1751 in Asia

#4390 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1968

19. Technological Institute of the Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1756 in Asia

#4403 in the World

Founded: 1962

20. Bulacan State University

Philippines | Malolos

For Development Studies

#1758 in Asia

#4409 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1993

21. University of San Carlos

Philippines | Cebu

For Development Studies

#1766 in Asia

#4428 in the World

Founded: 1595

22. Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1773 in Asia

#4441 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1904

23. University of the Philippines in the Visayas

Philippines | Iloilo

For Development Studies

#1838 in Asia

#4581 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1979

24. Surigao del Sur State University

Philippines | Tandag

For Development Studies

#1840 in Asia

#4585 in the World

Founded: 1993

25. Bukidnon State University

Philippines | Malaybalay

For Development Studies

#1843 in Asia

#4591 in the World

Founded: 2007

26. Caraga State University

Philippines | Butuan

For Development Studies

#1855 in Asia

#4619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 2009

27. Samar State University

Philippines | Catbalogan City

For Development Studies

#1880 in Asia

#4668 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1912

28. Leyte Normal University

Philippines | Tacloban

For Development Studies

#1893 in Asia

#4695 in the World

Founded: 1921

29. Central Luzon State University

Philippines | Science City of Munoz

For Development Studies

#1919 in Asia

#4755 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 1907

30. University of Southeastern Philippines

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#2004 in Asia

#4950 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1978

31. Batangas State University

Philippines | Batangas

For Development Studies

#2009 in Asia

#4961 in the World

Founded: 2001

32. University of Asia and the Pacific

Philippines | Pasig

For Development Studies

#2036 in Asia

#5024 in the World

Founded: 1967

33. San Beda University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2048 in Asia

#5056 in the World

Founded: 1901

34. University of Perpetual Help System DALTA

Philippines | Las Pinas

For Development Studies

#2056 in Asia

#5080 in the World

Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1975

35. Isabela State University

Philippines | Echague

For Development Studies

#2057 in Asia

#5081 in the World

Founded: 1926

36. University of the East - Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2083 in Asia

#5141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 16,739
Founded: 1946

37. Adamson University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2090 in Asia

#5158 in the World

Founded: 1932

38. Liceo de Cagayan University

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2095 in Asia

#5170 in the World

Founded: 1955

39. University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2103 in Asia

#5183 in the World

Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 2016

40. Emilio Aguinaldo College

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2143 in Asia

#5275 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1973

41. Mariano Marcos State University

Philippines | Batac

For Development Studies

#2157 in Asia

#5304 in the World

Founded: 1978

42. University of Southern Mindanao

Philippines | Kabacan

For Development Studies

#2170 in Asia

#5335 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1952

43. University of Zamboanga

Philippines | Zamboanga

For Development Studies

#2171 in Asia

#5337 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Founded: 1968

44. Ateneo de Davao University

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#2186 in Asia

#5372 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1948

45. Benguet State University

Philippines | La Trinidad

For Development Studies

#2188 in Asia

#5374 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1986

46. Adventist University of the Philippines

Philippines | Cavite City

For Development Studies

#2200 in Asia

#5402 in the World

Founded: 1917

47. Silliman University

Philippines | Dumaguete City

For Development Studies

#2220 in Asia

#5438 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Founded: 1901

48. Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2243 in Asia

#5484 in the World

Founded: 1933

49. University of Bohol

Philippines | Tagbilaran City

For Development Studies

#2244 in Asia

#5485 in the World

Founded: 1946

The best cities to study Development Studies in the Philippines based on the number of universities and their ranks are Manila, Quezon, Makati, and Los Banos.

Economics subfields in the Philippines

Agricultural Economics2

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics10

Environmental Economics4

Finance22

International Economics3

International Relations and Diplomacy2

International Trade4

Investment Banking and Stock trading2

Political Economy3