Imperial Tops Daily Mail University Guide for Fourth Year Running

The Daily Mail University Guide 2027 has recently been published.

The Daily Mail University Guide rankings are based on universities’ performance across 12 key areas. The ranking analyses data alongside the views of 360,000 final-year students, covering the quality of teaching, the support students receive and their wider university experience. It also identifies the universities with the strongest graduate employment records and the highest starting salaries.

The rankings additionally take into account research quality, degree outcomes, entry qualifications, dropout rates and universities’ records on widening access and fair admissions.

Unlike global university rankings such as the QS World University Rankings, which place greater emphasis on academic reputation and international standing, the Daily Mail University Guide focuses more heavily on students’ actual university experience and their outcomes after graduation.

In the latest rankings, Imperial College London has once again taken the top spot, marking the fourth consecutive year it has ranked first. Its lead over the university in second place has also nearly doubled. By the Daily Mail’s assessment, Imperial is not only the leading university in the UK but also indisputably one of the world’s top destinations for studying science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine and business. Almost half of its undergraduate intake in September 2025 was recruited from overseas, following a record number of applications.

The University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the University of Warwick complete the top five.

The University of Warwick has climbed one place from last year, making it the highest-ranked university in the Midlands. Its strong performance reflects its continued success in delivering excellent student outcomes and its ongoing improvement across key areas, including:

• Graduate Salaries: ranked 4th, up one place
• First-Year Completion: ranked 6th, up 10 places
• High-Skilled Jobs: ranked 7th, maintaining its position

Describing the University of Warwick in its 2027 Guide, the Daily Mail said:

“Popular with employers, graduates are the fourth-most in demand with top recruiters, according to High Fliers’ latest The Graduate Market research. Warwick is unusual among Russell Group universities in also having a strong presence in the degree apprenticeships market, with close to 1,400 students following ten programmes from advanced clinical care practitioner to electro-mechanical engineering, and more in the offing.”

The full Daily Mail University Guide 2027 rankings are as follows: