100 Best universities for Ecology in France

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in France ranked based on their research performance in Ecology. A graph of 11.2M citations received by 356K academic papers made by 128 universities in France 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. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#19 in Europe

#79 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

2. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Ecology

#61 in Europe

#196 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

3. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Ecology

#70 in Europe

#225 in the World

Enrollment: 46,578
Founded: 1289

4. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Ecology

#109 in Europe

#320 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

5. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Ecology

#147 in Europe

#399 in the World

Enrollment: 54,000
Founded: 1441

6. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Ecology

#155 in Europe

#412 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

7. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Ecology

#164 in Europe

#433 in the World

Enrollment: 57,000
Founded: 1339

8. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Ecology

#171 in Europe

#455 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 60,404
Founded: 2012

9. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Ecology

#174 in Europe

#463 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

10. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#222 in Europe

#600 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,536
Founded: 1794

11. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Ecology

#239 in Europe

#651 in the World

Enrollment: 71,429
Founded: 2018

12. Paris Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#240 in Europe

#657 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 2,300
Founded: 2007

13. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Ecology

#256 in Europe

#699 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,316
Founded: 1794

14. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Ecology

#258 in Europe

#705 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

15. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Ecology

#274 in Europe

#763 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

16. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Ecology

#313 in Europe

#855 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 14,690
Founded: 1854

17. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Ecology

#319 in Europe

#879 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

18. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Ecology

#326 in Europe

#894 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

19. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Ecology

#336 in Europe

#920 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 37,252
Founded: 1460

20. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Ecology

#342 in Europe

#960 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

21. Montpellier SupAgro

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Ecology

#346 in Europe

#969 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 2007

22. Paris-Est Creteil Val-de-Marne University

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Ecology

#350 in Europe

#985 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

23. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Ecology

#359 in Europe

#1009 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

24. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Ecology

#367 in Europe

#1036 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,820
Founded: 1431

25. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Ecology

#383 in Europe

#1102 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

26. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

For Ecology

#384 in Europe

#1103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 8,238
Founded: 1970

27. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Ecology

#386 in Europe

#1106 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

28. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Ecology

#387 in Europe

#1108 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

29. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#391 in Europe

#1116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 1,500
Founded: 1783

30. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

For Ecology

#404 in Europe

#1158 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

31. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Ecology

#405 in Europe

#1160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 7,646
Founded: 1900

32. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Ecology

#412 in Europe

#1191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,465
Founded: 1432

33. Agrocampus Ouest

Brittany | Rennes

For Ecology

#413 in Europe

#1192 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 2008

34. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#415 in Europe

#1212 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

35. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

For Ecology

#416 in Europe

#1224 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

36. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Ecology

#418 in Europe

#1229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 25,687
Founded: 1971

37. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

For Ecology

#423 in Europe

#1242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 27,900
Founded: 1970

38. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Ecology

#430 in Europe

#1254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,067
Founded: 1957

39. National School of Bridges and Roads

Ile-de-France | Champs sur Marne

For Ecology

#434 in Europe

#1273 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1747

40. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

For Ecology

#436 in Europe

#1275 in the World

Enrollment: 14,735
Founded: 1979

41. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

For Ecology

#447 in Europe

#1338 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

42. Paris Institute of Political Studies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#454 in Europe

#1383 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 11,196
Founded: 1872

43. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#460 in Europe

#1399 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 25,523
Founded: 1970

44. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

For Ecology

#461 in Europe

#1405 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,629
Founded: 1970

45. University of La Rochelle

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | La Rochelle

For Ecology

#489 in Europe

#1510 in the World

Enrollment: 7,832
Founded: 1993

46. TELECOM ParisTech

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#504 in Europe

#1590 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1878

47. University of Technology of Compiegne

Hauts-de-France | Compiegne

For Ecology

#511 in Europe

#1631 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 4,367
Founded: 1972

48. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#516 in Europe

#1644 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 31,690
Founded: 2019

49. University of Toulon

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | La Garde

For Ecology

#520 in Europe

#1664 in the World

Enrollment: 11,014
Founded: 1979

50. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

For Ecology

#522 in Europe

#1668 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

51. Paris Dauphine University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#529 in Europe

#1710 in the World

Enrollment: 11,281
Founded: 1968

52. University of Avignon and the Vaucluse

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Avignon

For Ecology

#532 in Europe

#1730 in the World

Enrollment: 6,434
Founded: 1984

53. National Veterinary School of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Ecology

#533 in Europe

#1736 in the World

Founded: 1828

54. National Advanced School of Engineering

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#541 in Europe

#1791 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1780

55. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

For Ecology

#544 in Europe

#1803 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

56. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#548 in Europe

#1846 in the World

Enrollment: 565
Founded: 1896

57. School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#563 in Europe

#1909 in the World

Enrollment: 2,613
Founded: 1947

58. Paul Valery University, Montpellier 3

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Ecology

#566 in Europe

#1925 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 21,997
Founded: 1970

59. University of Corsica Pascal Paoli

Corsica | Corte

For Ecology

#572 in Europe

#1939 in the World

Enrollment: 4,183
Founded: 1981

60. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Ecology

#575 in Europe

#1945 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 3,077
Founded: 1963

61. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

For Ecology

#603 in Europe

#2082 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 2,920
Founded: 1857

62. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

For Ecology

#605 in Europe

#2090 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

63. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

For Ecology

#606 in Europe

#2104 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 22,023
Founded: 1968

64. University of the Littoral Opal Coast

Hauts-de-France | Dunkirk

For Ecology

#608 in Europe

#2117 in the World

Enrollment: 10,381
Founded: 1991

65. Upper Alsace University

Grand Est | Mulhouse

For Ecology

#619 in Europe

#2179 in the World

Enrollment: 9,921
Founded: 1975

66. Artois University

Hauts-de-France | Arras

For Ecology

#625 in Europe

#2208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,051
Founded: 1992

67. School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#636 in Europe

#2261 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

68. University of New Caledonia

New Caledonia | Noumea

For Ecology

#637 in Europe

#2263 in the World

Enrollment: 3,536
Founded: 1987

69. CentraleSupelec

Ile-de-France | Gif-sur-Yvette

For Ecology

#639 in Europe

#2283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 4,300
Founded: 1894

70. National Veterinary School of Alfort

Ile-de-France | Maisons-Alfort

For Ecology

#646 in Europe

#2313 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 800
Founded: 1765

71. Central School of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Ecology

#651 in Europe

#2323 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Enrollment: 2,287
Founded: 1919

72. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Ecology

#656 in Europe

#2359 in the World

Enrollment: 427
Founded: 1957

73. EHESP School of Public Health

Brittany | Rennes

For Ecology

#661 in Europe

#2386 in the World

Enrollment: 433
Founded: 1945

74. Jean Monnet University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint-Etienne

For Ecology

#669 in Europe

#2446 in the World

Enrollment: 17,195
Founded: 1970

75. Central School of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Ecology

#673 in Europe

#2463 in the World

Enrollment: 2,272
Founded: 1872

76. University of Le Havre

Normandy | Le Havre

For Ecology

#675 in Europe

#2468 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 7,591
Founded: 1984

77. University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Belfort

For Ecology

#676 in Europe

#2471 in the World

Enrollment: 2,455
Founded: 1999

78. University of French Polynesia

French Polynesia | Puna'auia

For Ecology

#698 in Europe

#2577 in the World

Enrollment: 2,944
Founded: 1987

79. ESSEC Business School Paris

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

For Ecology

#705 in Europe

#2611 in the World

Founded: 1907

80. Kedge Business School

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Ecology

#714 in Europe

#2667 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 14,800
Founded: 2013

81. University of Southern Brittany

Brittany | Lorient

For Ecology

#727 in Europe

#2720 in the World

Enrollment: 9,477
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1995

82. University of the French West Indies

Guadeloupe | Pointe-a-Pitre

For Ecology

#729 in Europe

#2725 in the World

Enrollment: 11,593
Founded: 1850

83. National Graduate School of Chemistry of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Villeneuve-d'Ascq

For Ecology

#736 in Europe

#2774 in the World

Enrollment: 363
Founded: 1894

84. HEC School of Management

Ile-de-France | Jouy-en-Josas

For Ecology

#738 in Europe

#2785 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 5,453
Founded: 1881

85. Eurecom

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Biot Sophia-Antipolis

For Ecology

#741 in Europe

#2806 in the World

Founded: 1991

86. University of Evry-Val d'Essonne

Ile-de-France | Evry

For Ecology

#744 in Europe

#2844 in the World

Enrollment: 6,458
Founded: 1991

87. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rouen

Normandy | Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

For Ecology

#754 in Europe

#2882 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,003
Founded: 1985

88. National School Mines - Telecom Lille Douai

Hauts-de-France | Douai

For Ecology

#763 in Europe

#2931 in the World

Founded: 2017

89. University of French Guiana

French Guiana | Cayenne

For Ecology

#769 in Europe

#2992 in the World

Enrollment: 2,580
Founded: 2014

90. University of Technology of Troyes

Grand Est | Troyes

For Ecology

#772 in Europe

#2999 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 3,196
Male:Female: 77:23
Founded: 1994

91. EMLYON Business School

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Ecology

#781 in Europe

#3060 in the World

Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1872

92. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France | Valenciennes

For Ecology

#785 in Europe

#3093 in the World

Enrollment: 10,994
Founded: 1964

93. Graduate School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Ecology

#802 in Europe

#3197 in the World

Founded: 1994

94. Pantheon-Assas Paris II University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#804 in Europe

#3210 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 19,018
Founded: 1970

95. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

Brittany | Rennes

For Ecology

#819 in Europe

#3282 in the World

Enrollment: 2,073
Founded: 1966

96. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#828 in Europe

#3334 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 15,232
Founded: 1971

97. University of Rennes 2

Brittany | Rennes

For Ecology

#842 in Europe

#3399 in the World

Enrollment: 23,365
Founded: 1969

98. Lille Catholic University

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Ecology

#846 in Europe

#3407 in the World

Enrollment: 32,000
Founded: 1875

99. National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Ecology

#861 in Europe

#3480 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 897
Founded: 1970

100. SKEMA Business School

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Ecology

#863 in Europe

#3488 in the World

Founded: 1892

The best cities to study Ecology in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Villeurbanne, Montpellier, and Toulouse.

Environmental Science subfields in France

Agricultural Science100

Earth science and Geophysics102

Environmental Chemistry85

Environmental Engineering69

Environmental Management110

Geography and Cartography130

Geotechnical Engineering89

Hydrology and Water resources management11

Meteorology and Atmospheric Science109

Mining Engineering16

Oceanography116

Paleontology128

Petrology and Geochemistry90

Urban and Regional planning26

Wildlife and Fisheries Management & Conservation78