49 Best universities for Development Studies in the Philippines

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 117K citations received by 10.4K 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

#312 in Asia

#1221 in the World

Founded: 1908

2. University of the Philippines Diliman

Philippines | Quezon

For Development Studies

#313 in Asia

#1222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1908

3. De La Salle University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#360 in Asia

#1364 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1911

4. Ateneo de Manila University

Philippines | Quezon

For Development Studies

#492 in Asia

#1697 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Founded: 1859

5. University of Santo Tomas

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#640 in Asia

#2016 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1611

6. Asian Institute of Management

Philippines | Makati

For Development Studies

#656 in Asia

#2053 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1968

7. University of the Philippines Los Banos

Philippines | Los Banos

For Development Studies

#699 in Asia

#2160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1909

8. Philippine Normal University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1095 in Asia

#3000 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1901

9. University of Mindanao

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#1176 in Asia

#3174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1946

10. Visayas State University

Philippines | Baybay

For Development Studies

#1189 in Asia

#3198 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1924

11. Laguna State Polytechnic University

Philippines | Sta. Cruz

For Development Studies

#1260 in Asia

#3337 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Founded: 1956

12. Angeles University Foundation

Philippines | Angeles

For Development Studies

#1405 in Asia

#3634 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1962

13. Cebu Normal University

Philippines | Cebu

For Development Studies

#1445 in Asia

#3706 in the World

Founded: 1902

14. Mapua University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1480 in Asia

#3782 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

15. Lyceum of the Philippines University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1574 in Asia

#4023 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 1952

16. Mindanao State University

Philippines | Marawi

For Development Studies

#1593 in Asia

#4066 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1961

17. University of San Carlos

Philippines | Cebu

For Development Studies

#1743 in Asia

#4396 in the World

Founded: 1595

18. West Visayas State University

Philippines | Iloilo

For Development Studies

#1744 in Asia

#4403 in the World

Founded: 1902

19. Technological Institute of the Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1749 in Asia

#4411 in the World

Founded: 1962

20. Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology

Philippines | Iligan

For Development Studies

#1755 in Asia

#4422 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1968

21. Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#1800 in Asia

#4519 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1904

22. Bulacan State University

Philippines | Malolos

For Development Studies

#1818 in Asia

#4551 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1993

23. University of the Philippines in the Visayas

Philippines | Iloilo

For Development Studies

#1851 in Asia

#4619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1979

24. Surigao del Sur State University

Philippines | Tandag

For Development Studies

#1881 in Asia

#4684 in the World

Founded: 1993

25. Caraga State University

Philippines | Butuan

For Development Studies

#1883 in Asia

#4686 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 2009

26. Bukidnon State University

Philippines | Malaybalay

For Development Studies

#1891 in Asia

#4705 in the World

Founded: 2007

27. Leyte Normal University

Philippines | Tacloban

For Development Studies

#1895 in Asia

#4718 in the World

Founded: 1921

28. Samar State University

Philippines | Catbalogan City

For Development Studies

#1907 in Asia

#4756 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1912

29. Central Luzon State University

Philippines | Science City of Munoz

For Development Studies

#1922 in Asia

#4779 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 1907

30. Batangas State University

Philippines | Batangas

For Development Studies

#2008 in Asia

#4990 in the World

Founded: 2001

31. University of Southeastern Philippines

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#2013 in Asia

#5004 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1978

32. University of Asia and the Pacific

Philippines | Pasig

For Development Studies

#2017 in Asia

#5010 in the World

Founded: 1967

33. Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies

Philippines | Silang

For Development Studies

#2024 in Asia

#5019 in the World

Founded: 1986

34. University of the East - Philippines

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2048 in Asia

#5076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1946

35. San Beda University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2050 in Asia

#5080 in the World

Founded: 1901

36. Isabela State University

Philippines | Echague

For Development Studies

#2080 in Asia

#5149 in the World

Founded: 1926

37. Adamson University

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2093 in Asia

#5172 in the World

Founded: 1932

38. University of Perpetual Help System DALTA

Philippines | Las Pinas

For Development Studies

#2095 in Asia

#5177 in the World

Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1975

39. University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2112 in Asia

#5217 in the World

Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 2016

40. Benguet State University

Philippines | La Trinidad

For Development Studies

#2133 in Asia

#5259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1986

41. Liceo de Cagayan University

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2136 in Asia

#5264 in the World

Founded: 1955

42. Emilio Aguinaldo College

Philippines | Manila

For Development Studies

#2146 in Asia

#5288 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Founded: 1973

43. Mariano Marcos State University

Philippines | Batac

For Development Studies

#2155 in Asia

#5306 in the World

Founded: 1978

44. Ateneo de Davao University

Philippines | Davao

For Development Studies

#2175 in Asia

#5351 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1948

45. University of Southern Mindanao

Philippines | Kabacan

For Development Studies

#2177 in Asia

#5360 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1952

46. Silliman University

Philippines | Dumaguete City

For Development Studies

#2203 in Asia

#5411 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Founded: 1901

47. Adventist University of the Philippines

Philippines | Cavite City

For Development Studies

#2219 in Asia

#5436 in the World

Founded: 1917

48. Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

Philippines | Cagayan de Oro

For Development Studies

#2230 in Asia

#5456 in the World

Founded: 1933

49. University of Bohol

Philippines | Tagbilaran City

For Development Studies

#2233 in Asia

#5461 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