for median graduate salary2
for Skills Development3
for Student Support4
JCU is uni... but not as you know it.
#1 in Qld for undergraduate and full-time employment
JCU is top for full-time employment, ranked #1 in QLD for full-time employment by the Good Universities Guide 2026, at both undergraduate and postgraduate study levels.
We’re also ranked #1 in Australia for median graduate salary for international student graduates, in the QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022.
JCU graduates are highly valued, emerging job-ready with the knowledge, confidence and practical experience to transition straight into the workplace.
#2 in the world for collaborative partnerships
In pursuit of the 17 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, JCU is ranked:
- #2 in the world for forming collaborative partnerships
- #10 in the world for promoting good health and wellbeing
- #19 in the world for encouraging gender equality
- #22 in the world for supporting life on the land
by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for 2024.
These goals represent a shared set of global priorities to achieve a more sustainable future and tackle global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Subject rankings: global highlights
Subject rankings: national highlights
Top 10 in Australia
- #2 in Australia for Ecology1
- #3 in Australia for Marine and Freshwater Biology2
- #4 in Australia for Ecology2
- Top 5 in Australia for Hospitality and Leisure Management3
- Top 7 in Australia for Agriculture and Forestry3
- #10 in Australia for Infectious Diseases2
- Top 10 in Australia for Biological Sciences1
- Top 10 in Australia for Plant and Animal Science2
- Top 10 in Australia for Life Sciences4
- Top 10 in Australia for Mining and Mineral Engineering1
- Top 10 in Australia for Earth and Marine Sciences3
- Top 10 in Australia for Environmental Sciences3
- Top 10 in Australia for Human Biological Sciences1
1 2024 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects | 2 2025-2026 US News Best Global Universities Rankings | 3 2026 QS World University Rankings | 4 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject
Top 400 in the world
JCU is rated in the top 400 universities in the world by the ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities for 2024.
With research connections to more than 100 countries and 25 specialised research centres and institutes, JCU is connected to the world and globally engaged.
In Northern Australia, our locations in Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane attract international students from all over the world. JCU was also the first Australian university to establish a branch campus in Singapore.
Ranked world class for research
JCU achieved the ranking of ‘world class’ or higher in 83 percent of research fields, including eight as ‘well above world class’, by Excellence in Research for Australia for 2018.
Six JCU researchers who produced multiple highly cited papers are ranked in the top 1% for their field of research, by Web of Science for 2023.
These internationally recognised research outcomes are in fields including biodiversity, ecology and environments, global warming, marine sciences, public health care, tourism and tropical medicine.
JCU delivers global, ground-breaking research and discoveries that make a difference to people and societies, experiential learning, the built environment and the natural world.
and postgraduate student support2
Discover more JCU ratings and rankings
- ShanghaiRanking - Academic Ranking of World Universities
- ShanghaiRanking - Global Ranking of Academic Subjects
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
- Center for World University Rankings
- QS World University Rankings
- QS Stars Rankings
- QS Graduate Employability Rankings
- US News Best Global Universities Rankings
- Good Universities Guide
- Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)
- Excellence in Research for Australia
- Web of Science