World University Rankings 2022 by subject: physical sciences

The physical sciences subject ranking uses the same trusted and rigorous performance indicators as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, but the methodology has been recalibrated to suit the individual fields.

It highlights the universities that are leading across the following disciplines: mathematics and statistics, physics and astronomy, chemistry, geology, environmental sciences, and earth and marine sciences.   

This year’s table includes 1,227 universities, up from 1,149 last year.

View the World University Rankings 2022 by subject: physical sciences methodology

The University of California, Berkeley tops the ranking for the first time in 2022, after rising from second. It knocks the California Institute of Technology off the top spot. The US holds all of the top six positions.

Switzerland’s ETH Zurich maintains its position in the top 10 for the sixth consecutive year, ranking once again at ninth.

Both of Singapore’s universities have moved up the table since last year. The National University of Singapore is now 16th, up from 18th, its best position since 2018. Nanyang Technological University is now joint 35th, up from joint 40th.

A record number of universities from mainland China feature in the top 100 (seven), with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (81st) and Zhejiang University (=100th) joining the group.

Read our analysis of the physical sciences subject rankings 2022 results

View the full results of the overall World University Rankings 2022

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