Carleton University
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Carleton University

🇨🇦 Canada / Ontario / Ottawa
Public Est. 1942

About

Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World War II veterans. Carleton was chartered as a university by the provincial government in 1952 through The Carleton University Act, which was then amended in...

Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World War II veterans. Carleton was chartered as a university by the provincial government in 1952 through The Carleton University Act, which was then amended in 1957, giving the institution its current name. The university is named after the now-dissolved Carleton County, which included the city of Ottawa at the time the university was founded.

Ranking Overview

Ranking Snapshot

Ranked Top 501 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems

THE #501–600 (2026)
ARWU #501-600 (2025)

Ranked in 56 subject rankings

QS QS World University Rankings
# 781-790
172
2026
THE Times Higher Education World University Rankings
# 501–600
43.6
2026
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities
# 501-600
2025
US News U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
# =616
1
49.1
2026

Key Facts

Students
27,612
Student-Staff Ratio
27.0 : 1
Int'l Students
22%
Female : Male
49 : 51
Staff
3,055

Historical Trend

Longitudinal View
QS QS
THE THE
ARWU ARWU
US News US News
1 101 201 301 401 501 601 701 800 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Rank
:
Score:

Top Subjects

Best-performing areas
43
Telecommunication Engineering
Top 50
51-70
Library & Information Management
Top 100
76-100
Aerospace Engineering
Top 100
=99
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Top 100
101-150
Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Top 200
101-150
Civil Engineering
Top 200
101-150
Transportation Science & Technology
Top 200
101-150
101-150
Sociology
Top 200
151-200
Automation & Control
Top 200
151-200
Artificial Intelligence
Top 200
151-200
Statistics & Operational Research
Top 200
151-200
Politics
Top 200
151-200
Public Administration
Top 200

Subject Rankings

Detailed breakdown

ARWU

30 subjects

QS

21 subjects

US News

12 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Electrical and Electronic Engineering =99 49.1 2026
Ecology =151 49.1 2026
Civil Engineering =188 49.1 2026
Environment/Ecology =240 49.1 2026
Psychiatry/Psychology 293 49.1 2026
Physics & Astronomy 314 49.1 2026
Computer Science =317 49.1 2026
Engineering =361 49.1 2026
Plant and Animal Science =426 49.1 2026
Social Sciences and Public Health =474 49.1 2026
Geosciences 475 49.1 2026
Biology and Biochemistry =698 49.1 2026

THE

9 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Psychology 201–250 45.3 2026
Computer Science 251–300 45.3 2026
Law & Legal Studies 251–300 34.7 2026
Engineering & Technology 301–400 41.5 2026
Life Sciences 301–400 42.4 2026
Arts & Humanities 301–400 31.0 2026
Social Sciences 401–500 34.6 2026
Physical Sciences 501–600 37.4 2026
Business & Economics 601–800 28.8 2026

Organization Structure

Related units
University 1

Higher education institute in Canada

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ranking of Carleton University?

Carleton University's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank 781-790, THE Rank 501–600, ARWU Rank 501-600, US News Rank =616.

When was Carleton University founded?

Carleton University was founded in 1942.

What are the top subjects at Carleton University?

Top subjects at Carleton University include: Telecommunication Engineering, Library & Information Management, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering.

Where is Carleton University located?

Carleton University is located in Ottawa, Canada.