Top business schools in the UK 2026
Discover the Times Higher Education subject rankings for the top business schools in the UK 2026.
This list below reveals the best universities for business and economics offering prospective students data-backed insights into the highest-ranking institutions in the field.
The list of universities across the UK are evaluated based on teaching, research, and international outlook.
The Times Higher Education rankings use a robust methodology, created by the in-house data team, relied upon by students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide.
Share
Best universities for business and economics 2026
| UK Business Rank 2026 | Global Business Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 4 | University of Oxford | 91 | 93.8 | 98.2 | 76.8 | 95.5 | 94 |
| 2 | 6 | University of Cambridge | 90.5 | 93.4 | 93.7 | 83 | 79.7 | 95.4 |
| 3 | 13 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 86.7 | 85.4 | 94.3 | 79 | 63.4 | 95.7 |
| 4 | 22 | UCL | 78.1 | 70.1 | 83.2 | 76.9 | 67.2 | 95.7 |
| 5 | 35 | University of Warwick | 69.5 | 63.5 | 64.5 | 74.1 | 64.5 | 96.4 |
| 6 | 41 | University of Manchester | 68 | 57.8 | 61.6 | 79.2 | 68.1 | 94 |
| 7 | 60 | University of Edinburgh | 61.9 | 52.1 | 48.9 | 77.6 | 68.8 | 94.3 |
| 8 | 63 | King’s College London | 61.5 | 51.1 | 52.3 | 74.9 | 59.5 | 93.3 |
| 9 | =76 | University of Glasgow | 58.6 | 45.2 | 43.4 | 81.3 | 60.3 | 93.9 |
| 10 | 87 | University of Reading | 57.5 | 37.3 | 38.8 | 90.9 | 69.9 | 92.8 |
| 11 | =88 | University of Nottingham | 57.3 | 43.3 | 40.7 | 80.5 | 66.3 | 94.9 |
| 12 | 90 | Lancaster University | 57.2 | 44.1 | 42 | 76.4 | 67.4 | 96.4 |
| 13 | 99 | University of Birmingham | 56.1 | 42.4 | 36.2 | 82 | 68.2 | 95.4 |
| 14 | 100 | University of Surrey | 56 | 33.1 | 36.5 | 91.4 | 66.1 | 98.2 |
| =15 | 101–125 | City St George's, University of London | 52.2–55.9 | 40.4 | 36.4 | 70.2 | 53 | 96.9 |
| =15 | 101–125 | Durham University | 52.2–55.9 | 32.6 | 34.2 | 83.5 | 44.9 | 97.6 |
| =15 | 101–125 | University of Bath | 52.2–55.9 | 42.9 | 35.3 | 79.6 | 62.8 | 94.8 |
| =15 | 101–125 | University of Leeds | 52.2–55.9 | 38.9 | 41.8 | 75.8 | 67.1 | 94.2 |
| =15 | 101–125 | University of Liverpool | 52.2–55.9 | 38.9 | 36.2 | 72.6 | 59.6 | 96.9 |
| =15 | 101–125 | University of Southampton | 52.2–55.9 | 32.5 | 32.9 | 90.3 | 67 | 98.3 |
| =15 | 101–125 | University of York | 52.2–55.9 | 39.2 | 41.2 | 66.6 | 56.4 | 93.2 |
| =22 | 126–150 | University of Essex | 50.0–52.1 | 29.9 | 31.2 | 82.3 | 46.5 | 97.6 |
| =22 | 126–150 | University of Sussex | 50.0–52.1 | 27.7 | 36.5 | 81 | 60.8 | 94.4 |
| =24 | 151–175 | Aston University | 48.4–49.9 | 23.4 | 21.8 | 94.9 | 62.8 | 90.6 |
| =24 | 151–175 | Swansea University | 48.4–49.9 | 20.9 | 23.2 | 98.1 | 52.5 | 93.1 |
| =24 | 151–175 | University of Bristol | 48.4–49.9 | 32.1 | 27.9 | 81.4 | 52.4 | 92.5 |
| =24 | 151–175 | University of Sheffield | 48.4–49.9 | 26.7 | 29.3 | 85.3 | 64.5 | 93.6 |
| =24 | 151–175 | University of Strathclyde | 48.4–49.9 | 35 | 31.8 | 72.1 | 65.6 | 89.6 |
| =29 | 176–200 | Cardiff University | 47.3–48.1 | 28.4 | 33.8 | 69.6 | 66.6 | 88.8 |
| =29 | 176–200 | University of Exeter | 47.3–48.1 | 25.7 | 27.9 | 80.5 | 58.1 | 96 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Loughborough University | 44.9–47.1 | 29.5 | 25.5 | 74.7 | 66.8 | 88.8 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Newcastle University | 44.9–47.1 | 22.2 | 25.7 | 87.2 | 58.4 | 90 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Queen Mary University of London | 44.9–47.1 | 25.4 | 25.2 | 77.6 | 65 | 96.3 |
| =31 | 201–250 | University of Aberdeen | 44.9–47.1 | 26.6 | 20 | 80.2 | 56.9 | 97.3 |
| =31 | 201–250 | University of Bradford | 44.9–47.1 | 15.1 | 16.7 | 96.9 | 54.2 | 98.1 |
| =36 | 251–300 | Bournemouth University | 42.5–44.8 | 19.3 | 20.8 | 88.3 | 52.7 | 89.8 |
| =36 | 251–300 | Brunel University of London | 42.5–44.8 | 20.1 | 21.3 | 81.8 | 64.2 | 97.6 |
| =36 | 251–300 | SOAS University of London | 42.5–44.8 | 27.9 | 27.3 | 68.5 | 48.5 | 87.9 |
| =36 | 251–300 | University of East Anglia | 42.5–44.8 | 22.6 | 18.5 | 82.1 | 59.2 | 94.8 |
| =36 | 251–300 | University of Huddersfield | 42.5–44.8 | 18.9 | 16.2 | 83.2 | 65.6 | 94.6 |
| =36 | 251–300 | University of Kent | 42.5–44.8 | 20.5 | 19.7 | 80.8 | 51.1 | 92.1 |
| =36 | 251–300 | University of Portsmouth | 42.5–44.8 | 15.6 | 17 | 94.9 | 51.3 | 95.3 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Birkbeck, University of London | 39.5–42.4 | 21.8 | 21.3 | 66.5 | 67.1 | 95.3 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Heriot-Watt University | 39.5–42.4 | 20.5 | 20.8 | 64.9 | 66 | 94.3 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Liverpool John Moores University | 39.5–42.4 | 14.5 | 11.8 | 90.9 | 55 | 77.8 |
| =43 | 301–400 | London Metropolitan University | 39.5–42.4 | 11.2 | 11.7 | 87.7 | 50 | 95.9 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Northumbria University | 39.5–42.4 | 16 | 20.5 | 81.4 | 42.1 | 94.1 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Queen’s University Belfast | 39.5–42.4 | 18.8 | 23 | 75.5 | 45.3 | 96.6 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 39.5–42.4 | 22.9 | 23.8 | 66.2 | 48.6 | 91.1 |
| =43 | 301–400 | Teesside University | 39.5–42.4 | 19.8 | 12 | 83.4 | 32.4 | 98.2 |
| =43 | 301–400 | University of Derby | 39.5–42.4 | 14.4 | 12.7 | 90.8 | 37 | 90.7 |
| =43 | 301–400 | University of Greenwich | 39.5–42.4 | 15.1 | 11.5 | 93.1 | 41.6 | 96.7 |
| =43 | 301–400 | University of Hull | 39.5–42.4 | 23.7 | 16.2 | 72.6 | 57 | 92.7 |
| =43 | 301–400 | University of Plymouth | 39.5–42.4 | 15.1 | 12.4 | 85.2 | 65.4 | 94.8 |
| =43 | 301–400 | University of St Andrews | 39.5–42.4 | 31.5 | 21.7 | 61.3 | 36.9 | 95.1 |
| =56 | 401–500 | Coventry University | 36.4–39.4 | 16.1 | 11.3 | 73 | 51.9 | 94.6 |
| =56 | 401–500 | De Montfort University | 36.4–39.4 | 10.6 | 11.5 | 81.1 | 51 | 92.2 |
| =56 | 401–500 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 36.4–39.4 | 17.5 | 15.4 | 78.4 | 55.2 | 77.4 |
| =56 | 401–500 | Nottingham Trent University | 36.4–39.4 | 20.2 | 11.7 | 75.4 | 35.4 | 86.4 |
| =56 | 401–500 | Oxford Brookes University | 36.4–39.4 | 26 | 26.2 | 54.8 | 28.8 | 86.9 |
| =56 | 401–500 | University of Brighton | 36.4–39.4 | 15.3 | 12.6 | 67.9 | 69.5 | 90.1 |
| =56 | 401–500 | University of Leicester | 36.4–39.4 | 19.5 | 18.6 | 59.8 | 29.1 | 93.9 |
| =56 | 401–500 | University of Lincoln | 36.4–39.4 | 13.4 | 12.6 | 88.2 | 17.7 | 93.6 |
| =56 | 401–500 | University of Salford | 36.4–39.4 | 16.8 | 11.3 | 74.1 | 67.2 | 86.5 |
| =56 | 401–500 | University of the West of Scotland | 36.4–39.4 | 18.1 | 10.9 | 78 | 71.5 | 89.5 |
| =66 | 501–600 | Bangor University | 33.9–36.3 | 13.2 | 16.4 | 64.4 | 54.9 | 94.7 |
| =66 | 501–600 | Edinburgh Napier University | 33.9–36.3 | 18.6 | 13.1 | 65.8 | 29.5 | 87.9 |
| =66 | 501–600 | Kingston University | 33.9–36.3 | 15.8 | 13.6 | 62.8 | 57.4 | 93.9 |
| =66 | 501–600 | Leeds Beckett University | 33.9–36.3 | 16 | 14.8 | 68.3 | 48.6 | 73.7 |
| =66 | 501–600 | Middlesex University | 33.9–36.3 | 15.1 | 16.5 | 56.6 | 39.1 | 94.5 |
| =66 | 501–600 | UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) | 33.9–36.3 | 14.9 | 11.7 | 70.7 | 39.1 | 81.9 |
| =66 | 501–600 | University of Dundee | 33.9–36.3 | 18.8 | 16.6 | 58.9 | 48.5 | 93.2 |
| =66 | 501–600 | University of Stirling | 33.9–36.3 | 17.2 | 17.3 | 57.4 | 38 | 86.1 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) | 28.8–33.8 | 12.2 | 10.2 | 52.6 | 17.2 | 91.1 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Birmingham City University | 28.8–33.8 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 64.2 | 33.6 | 94.7 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 28.8–33.8 | 19.8 | 10.9 | 57.7 | 17.2 | 88.5 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 28.8–33.8 | 12.1 | 9.5 | 56.5 | 59.2 | 77.4 |
| =74 | 601–800 | London South Bank University | 28.8–33.8 | 12.3 | 8.6 | 45.9 | 63 | 94 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Sheffield Hallam University | 28.8–33.8 | 17 | 9.8 | 58.1 | 37.1 | 80.5 |
| =74 | 601–800 | The Open University | 28.8–33.8 | 20.3 | 11 | 54.8 | 54.3 | 57.2 |
| =74 | 601–800 | Ulster University | 28.8–33.8 | 11.2 | 12.6 | 49.2 | 50.8 | 90.4 |
| =74 | 601–800 | University of Lancashire | 28.8–33.8 | 11.6 | 9 | 61.7 | 35.5 | 74 |
| =74 | 601–800 | University of Roehampton | 28.8–33.8 | 9.7 | 12 | 60.1 | 23.9 | 96.2 |
| =74 | 601–800 | University of Westminster | 28.8–33.8 | 12.7 | 9.7 | 57.2 | 37.5 | 82.5 |
| =85 | 801–1000 | University of East London | 21.2–28.7 | 11.1 | 10.8 | 51.1 | 31.8 | 85.6 |
| =85 | 801–1000 | University of Hertfordshire | 21.2–28.7 | 11.1 | 8.3 | 46.1 | 33.8 | 73.9 |
| =85 | 801–1000 | University of Sunderland | 21.2–28.7 | 11.8 | 7.2 | 36.1 | 31.6 | 80.9 |
| =85 | 801–1000 | University of Wolverhampton | 21.2–28.7 | 12.8 | 10.9 | 40.9 | 29.5 | 72.6 |
Key Insights into the best business schools in the UK
- The University of Oxford retains its position as the top university for business and economics in the UK
- The University of Warwick scores highly in international outlook
- Some 88 universities are ranked for business and economics in this year's ranking.
- The business and economics ranking ranks universities across business and management; accounting and finance; and economics and econometrics.
Choosing the right university in the UK for business
Students with a degree in business studies are considered employable because the skills they learn are so transferrable. Business degrees cover a broad range of subjects, such as economics, accounting and entrepreneurial training among much more and can set students up for a number of career paths.
Universities that offer business studies degrees often enrich the student learning experience by providing practical teaching outside of the classroom. Partnerships with companies from the public and private sectors offer students the opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with possible future employers.
The UK is a great place to study business because it is home to one of the world’s leading financial capitals, London. London has a number of major business districts and more overseas banks than any other city and is the world’s biggest currency trading centre.
Choosing the right university for a business degree is a critical decision. The Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Business provide transparent, data-driven insights into institutional performance.
Universities are evaluated using five core factors:
- Teaching quality
- Research environment
- Research quality
- Industry collaboration
- International outlook
These indicators help students align their academic choices with career aspirations. For more details on the ranking process, visit THE’s full methodology page.
The table for the best universities for business in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Business. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
