Best Universities for Linguistics in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Linguistics. A graph of 166M citations received by 9.05M academic papers made by 5,870 universities in the World 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. Stanford University

United States | California

For Linguistics

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

2. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Linguistics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

3. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Linguistics

#3 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

4. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Linguistics

#4 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Linguistics

#5 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Linguistics

#6 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

7. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

8. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

9. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Linguistics

#7 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

10. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Linguistics

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

11. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Linguistics

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

12. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

13. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Linguistics

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

14. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Linguistics

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

15. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Linguistics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

16. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Linguistics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

17. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Linguistics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

18. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Linguistics

#15 in North America

#2 in Canada

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

19. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Linguistics

#16 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

20. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Linguistics

#17 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

21. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Linguistics

#18 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

22. New York University

United States | New York State

For Linguistics

#19 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

23. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Linguistics

#20 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

24. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Linguistics

#21 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

25. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Linguistics

#22 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

26. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Linguistics

#23 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

27. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Linguistics

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

28. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Linguistics

#24 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

29. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Linguistics

#25 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,698

30. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Linguistics

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 63%

31. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Linguistics

#27 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

32. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Linguistics

#5 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

33. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#6 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

34. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Linguistics

#28 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

35. University of Tokyo

For Linguistics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

36. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Linguistics

#7 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

37. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Linguistics

#29 in North America

#3 in Canada

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

38. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Linguistics

#2 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

39. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Linguistics

#30 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

40. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Linguistics

#31 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 70%

41. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Linguistics

#1 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

42. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Linguistics

#32 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,140
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

43. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Linguistics

#33 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

44. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Linguistics

#34 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

45. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Linguistics

#35 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,381
Enrollment: 80,065

46. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Linguistics

#36 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

47. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Linguistics

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

48. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#8 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

49. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Linguistics

#3 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

50. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Linguistics

#37 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

51. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Linguistics

#38 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

52. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Linguistics

#4 in Asia

#2 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

53. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Linguistics

#39 in North America

#4 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

54. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Linguistics

#40 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

55. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Linguistics

#41 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

56. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Linguistics

#5 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

57. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Linguistics

#42 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,432

58. Kyoto University

For Linguistics

#6 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Male:Female: 76:24
Founded: 1897

59. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Linguistics

#9 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

60. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Linguistics

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

61. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Linguistics

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

62. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Linguistics

#43 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

63. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Linguistics

#10 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

64. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Linguistics

#44 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

65. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Linguistics

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

66. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Linguistics

#11 in Europe

#3 in the Netherlands

Founded: 1923

67. Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israel | Jerusalem

For Linguistics

#7 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 23,500
Founded: 1918

68. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Linguistics

#6 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

69. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Linguistics

#45 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

70. University of Auckland

New Zealand | Auckland

For Linguistics

#1 in New Zealand

Founded: 1883

71. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#12 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1829

72. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Linguistics

#46 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,606

73. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Linguistics

#47 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

74. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Linguistics

#48 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 73%

75. University of Oslo

For Linguistics

#13 in Europe

#1 in Norway

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

76. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Linguistics

#8 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

77. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Linguistics

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

78. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Linguistics

#49 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

79. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Linguistics

#50 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

80. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Linguistics

#14 in Europe

#1 in France

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

81. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Linguistics

#10 in Asia

#4 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

82. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#15 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1905

83. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#16 in Europe

#9 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1900

84. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#17 in Europe

#10 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1948

85. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Linguistics

#51 in North America

#5 in Canada

Enrollment: 35,900
Founded: 1957

86. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Linguistics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

87. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Linguistics

#18 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

88. University of Montreal

Canada | Quebec State

For Linguistics

#52 in North America

#6 in Canada

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

89. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Linguistics

#19 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

90. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Linguistics

#20 in Europe

#11 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

91. University of Ottawa

Canada | Ontario

For Linguistics

#53 in North America

#7 in Canada

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

92. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Linguistics

#54 in North America

#47 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

93. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Linguistics

#21 in Europe

#4 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

94. McMaster University

Canada | Ontario

For Linguistics

#55 in North America

#8 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

95. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Linguistics

#56 in North America

#48 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

96. Western University

Canada | Ontario

For Linguistics

#57 in North America

#9 in Canada

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

97. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Linguistics

#58 in North America

#49 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 99%

98. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Linguistics

#22 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

99. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Linguistics

#11 in Asia

#5 in China

Founded: 1963

100. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Linguistics

#23 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in the World

Anthropology4117

Archaeology6040

Art History1941

Broadcast Journalism1052

Classics and Ancient History2556

Communications and Public Relations3255

Criminology and Criminal Justice1307

Early Childhood Education1039

Education Majors4239

Forensic Science1000

Gender Studies2091

Human Rights Law1000

Intellectual Property and Patent Law1054

International Law1021

International Relations and Diplomacy1024

Journalism and Digital Media1510

Law Enforcement1013

Library and Information science2980

Media Studies1385

Military science1139

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution1019

Occupational Safety and Health1027

Political Economy1244

Political Science6606

Public Policy / Administration1677

Radio and Television broadcasting1187

Social Work1028

Special Education1011

Sports / Exercise science1145

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies4103

Urban and Regional planning1321