The University of Alberta is the sixth-best large university in Canada, according to Maclean’s 2027 university rankings. The University of Calgary is ninth.
Both schools made the top 10 in a ranking Maclean’s rebuilt from scratch this year. McGill is first, followed by the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
Maclean’s changes how Canadian universities are ranked
Maclean’s dropped the three categories it had used for decades: medical doctoral, comprehensive and primarily undergraduate. Schools are now grouped by full-time enrolment.
Large: more than 30,000 students
Mid-size: 10,000 to 30,000
Small: fewer than 10,000
It also added four new measures: first-year retention, six-year graduation rate, research output per faculty member, and research impact. It dropped total research dollars.
Because so much changed, Maclean’s says the 2027 results can’t be compared directly with earlier years. A school’s rank this year isn’t a rise or fall from last year.
Canada’s top 15 large universities for 2027
McGill University
University of Toronto
University of British Columbia
University of Waterloo
Queen’s University
University of Alberta
McMaster University
University of Ottawa
University of Calgary
Western University
Université Laval
Université de Montréal
York University
Toronto Metropolitan University
Concordia University
University of Alberta ranks third for research output
Research is where the U of A does best. It ranks third among large universities for research output per faculty member, behind only Toronto and McMaster. It is also third for operating budget per student and fourth for major faculty awards.
It also places fourth nationally in Maclean’s separate reputation survey of faculty, administrators and employers, which covers all 56 ranked universities. Only Toronto, UBC and McGill scored higher.
U of A ranks 14th of 15 for first-year retention
At the other end of the scale, the U of A ranks 14th of the 15 large universities for keeping first-year students.
Maclean’s says 84.3% of U of A first-year students continue into second year. At McGill, the leader, the figure is 95%. Only the University of Ottawa, at 84.2%, is lower.
Retention is one of the four new measures and counts for 5% of the overall score.
The U of A does better on finishing. Its six-year graduation rate is 73.8%, ninth among large schools.
University of Calgary beats U of A on class sizes and retention
The two Alberta universities do well on different measures.
Calgary has far fewer students per professor. It averages 20.5 students per full-time faculty member, third-best among large universities. The U of A averages 29.2, which ranks 10th.
Calgary also keeps more of its first-year students, at 86.9%. It places higher for research impact (seventh to the U of A’s ninth) and for social sciences and humanities grants (fifth to seventh).
The U of A leads on graduation rate, research output, faculty awards, medical and science grants, and reputation. Calgary is 12th of 15 for graduation, at 72.5%, and eighth in the reputation survey.
University of Alberta vs. University of Calgary: tuition and entering grades
| University of Alberta | University of Calgary | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rank (large) | 6th | 9th |
| Tuition | $9,184 | $8,764 |
| First-year retention | 84.3% | 86.9% |
| Six-year graduation | 73.8% | 72.5% |
| Students per faculty | 29.2 | 20.5 |
| Arts entering grade | 82% | 84.1% |
| Science | 89% | 89.5% |
| Commerce | 85% | 88% |
| Engineering | 88.5% | 91.6% |
Maclean’s lists Calgary’s tuition $420 lower. Actual costs vary by program, course load and student status.
Calgary reports higher median entering grades in all four program areas. The biggest gap is in engineering: 91.6% at Calgary, 88.5% at the U of A. These are the median grades of students who were admitted, not minimum requirements or cutoffs.
How Alberta’s other universities ranked
Alberta’s other four universities fall into the smaller categories. A school’s rank only compares it with schools of the same size. Lethbridge’s ninth among small schools is not the same as Calgary’s ninth among large ones.
| University | Category | 2027 rank | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alberta | Large | 6th of 15 | $9,184 |
| University of Calgary | Large | 9th of 15 | $8,764 |
| University of Lethbridge | Small | 9th of 22 | $8,585 |
| Mount Royal University | Mid-size | 18th of 19 | $9,180 |
| MacEwan University | Mid-size | 19th of 19 | $8,103 to $9,123 |
| Concordia University of Edmonton | Small | Tied 20th of 22 | $11,292 |
Lethbridge is third among small universities for research output per faculty member. Maclean’s says most MacEwan classes have 20 to 30 students. Concordia of Edmonton has the highest tuition of any Alberta school on the list.
How U of A and U of C compare in global rankings
The gap looks similar on the world stage. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, released Sept. 30, placed the U of A tied for 118th in the world, with a perfect 100 for industry. Calgary was tied for 185th. Read our full breakdown of the U of A’s global ranking.
What the rankings mean for students
The U of A finished three spots ahead overall, but the two schools are closer than the ranks suggest.
A student picking an undergraduate program may care more about class sizes, first-year support and entering grades, where Calgary does well. A grad student may care more about research output, faculty awards and grant funding, where the U of A leads.
Maclean’s doesn’t measure everything. Housing costs, commute, campus life and job results for specific programs aren’t part of the score. A higher overall rank doesn’t make a school the better pick for every student.
Sources
Maclean’s, Canada’s Best Large Universities for 2027: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-large-universities-for-2027/
Maclean’s, Mid-Size Universities for 2027: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-mid-size-universities-for-2027/
Maclean’s, Small Universities for 2027: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-small-universities-for-2027/
Maclean’s 2027 methodology: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/macleans-university-rankings-methodology-2027/
Maclean’s 2027 retention rate: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-universities-in-2027-by-retention-rate/
Maclean’s 2027 graduation rate: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-universities-in-2027-by-graduation-rate/
Maclean’s 2027 student/faculty ratio: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-universities-in-2027-by-student-faculty-ratio/
Maclean’s 2027 research volume: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-universities-for-2027-by-research-volume/
Maclean’s 2027 reputational ranking: https://macleans.ca/education/university-rankings/canadas-best-universities-in-2027-by-national-reputational-ranking/
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