"Even before U.S. universities lost billions of dollars in federal research funding and international students struggled to obtain visas, America's dominance in research impact and global reputation was waning. According to the latest rankings from Times Higher Education, the U.S. has continued to cede influence to universities in Asia. For several years, the rankings from Inside Higher Ed 's parent company have documented a steady decline in the U.S.'s leadership in global higher education."
"The 2026 World University Rankings reflect that ongoing trend: Just 102 universities from the United States cracked the top 500-the lowest figure on record, down from a high of 125 in 2018. (The rankings started in 2004.) The downward trend is less apparent in the overall top 10, where seven U.S. institutions appear. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the highest-ranking American institution, coming in at No. 2, just behind the top-ranked University of Oxford."
U.S. leadership in global higher education has declined, with only 102 American universities in the top 500—the lowest since rankings began. The Times Higher Education 2026 World University Rankings show influence shifting toward Asian institutions. Seven U.S. universities remain in the overall top 10, led by MIT at No. 2 and Princeton tied for third, while many mid-ranked U.S. colleges fell: 25 recorded worst-ever scores and 62 dropped. THE evaluates institutions with 18 measures across teaching, research quality, and international outlook using 2022–2023 data, and recent policy changes could further affect U.S. positions.
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