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Ranking Source: U.S. News Best Global Universities
The subject rankings are powered by Clarivate™. Clarivate provided the data and metrics used in the rankings, and the bibliometric data was based on the Web of Science.
These subject-specific rankings – which are not of academic majors, departments or specific schools at universities, such as business or medical schools – are based on academic research performance in those subjects. U.S. News used various bibliometric measures, including publications and citations, as well as indicators for global and regional reputation in each specific subject.
In many cases, institutions with a strong focus on a certain subject were ranked in that subject but excluded from the overall Best Global Universities ranking.
Please keep in mind that a school’s Best Global Universities ranking should be one consideration – not the lone determinant – in where a student applies. The rankings assess academic research and reputation, but personal considerations, including location, campus culture, strength of particular programs, and cost, are also very important considerations.
In total, 21,950 universities are ranked in 51 subjects in the 2024-2025 rankings, which is a 27.6% increase from the 17,200 ranked in the previous edition.
Many universities appear in more than one subject ranking.
Table: Ranking indicator and weights used to compute the subject rankings (For Microbiology)
| Ranking indicator | Weights used in the hard sciences with 11 ranking factors |
| Global research reputation | 12.50% |
| Regional research reputation | 12.50% |
| Publications | 15% |
| Normalized citation impact | 10% |
| Total citations | 15% |
| Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited | 10% |
| Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited | 5% |
| Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective field | 5% |
| Percentage of total publications that are among the top 1% most highly cited papers | 5% |
| International collaboration – relative to country | 5% |
| International collaboration | 5% |
The microbiology category comprises studies dealing with the biology and biochemistry of protozoa and microorganisms. Covering topics that range from the medical implications of organisms known to cause diseases to the biotechnology applications of microorganisms for basic science and clinical use, publications within this category focus on the study of microscopic organisms.
These are the top 10 microbiology universities in the United States.
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of California San Diego
- University of Washington Seattle
- Cornell University
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of California San Francisco
- Washington University (WUSTL)
- University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- University of California Berkeley
Interesting Science Videos
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138 United States
Subject Score: 100.0
The Microbiology department harbors a collaborative scientific community whose members share a passion for microbes and scientific exploration. We are uncovering the mechanisms used by diverse microbes to survive in nature and to interact with host organisms. Our research ranges from understanding fundamental biological mechanisms to addressing specific infectious disease challenges that are critical for human health.
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 United States
Subject Score: 82.2
The MIT Microbiology Graduate PhD Program is an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary program representing all aspects of microbiological research. There are over 50 faculty from various MIT departments and divisions who study or use microbes in significant ways in their research.
3. University of California San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 United States
Subject Score: 79.0
The Microbiology major encompasses a wide range of topics from human health to biotechnology, synthetic biology to microbiomes, and biofuels to bioremediation. This major provides students with a solid background in biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and basic microbiology, and then allows them to tailor their studies for an emphasis in general, medical, biotechnological, or environmental microbiology. The Microbiology major provides a foundation for careers in a variety of fields including healthcare, epidemiology, clinical diagnostics, food microbiology, microbial fermentation, environmental testing, health and environmental public policy, biotechnology, bioenergy, and biomanufacturing. The Microbiology major will also provide an excellent foundation for graduate studies in microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, biotechnology, and related fields, as well as for medical, dental, nursing, veterinary and pharmacy school.
4. University of Washington Seattle
Seattle, WA 98195 United States
Subject Score: 73.7
The UW Department of Microbiology was founded in 1915 and the first Ph.D. was awarded in 1930. It quickly became and still remains one of the premier biological science departments in the country. The department has a national reputation for high quality teaching and an international reputation for excellence in research. The department is in the School of Medicine but it is responsible for an undergraduate microbiology major, and a graduate program. More than 30 departmental faculty serve as graduate student research advisors. While the majority of faculty members have research laboratories within the South Lake Union Campus and at the Health Sciences Building, several faculty work at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children’s Research Institute and at the Northwest Regional Primate Research Center.
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853 United States
Subject Score: 71.6
Research in the Department of Microbiology, Cornell University is internationally recognized and focused on diverse aspects of microbial biological processes, with specific expertise in:
- molecular genetics and gene regulation
- microbial cell biology, and genome evolution
- host/microbe interactions and co-phylogeny
- pathogens and pathogenicity
- bioremediation
- globally relevant, microbially mediated ecosystem functions
- (meta)genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics
6. Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 United States
Subject Score: 68.9
The Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology integrates many disciplines concerned with the study of the transmission, immunobiology and pathogenesis of bacterial, parasitic, viral, immunological, and infectious diseases of public health importance. Research is at the population, organismal, cellular and molecular levels.
7. University of California San Francisco
500 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143 United States
Subject Score: 68.6
Creativity, curiosity, technology, and medical necessity are driving a modern renaissance in molecular microbiology and immunology. These fields are the focus of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UCSF, and we endeavor to work at the forefront of both basic science and clinical innovation. Our department is the home for the multidisciplinary UCSF iMicro (https://imicro.ucsf.edu) and ImmunoX (https://immunox.ucsf.edu) Programs. Research in the department focuses on areas related to infectious diseases, basic molecular microbiology, immunology, cancer, and the microbiome. There are twenty full-time faculty members in the Department, and our emeritus faculty include 1989 Nobel Prize winner J. Michael Bishop, the former Chancellor of UCSF, and Lewis Lanier, the prior director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at UCSF. Our faculty are located at multiple sites, including Parnassus, Mission Bay, and the Gladstone Institute, and further information about research area can be found at the individual faculty links.
The department is committed to scientific discovery and education. We are a critical contributor to the research and teaching missions at Parnassus and Mission Bay, both to graduate students pursuing their PhD degree in the basic sciences and for professional students in the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry. Our educational curriculum provides the opportunity to understand the role of microbes and the immune system in health and disease. The majority of graduate students in the department are enrolled in either the Tetrad or Biomedical Sciences graduate programs. Our department also provides advanced research training to more than one hundred postdoctoral fellows.
8. Washington University (WUSTL)
1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130 United States
Subject Score: 67.5
Microbiology remains a key discipline of modern biomedical science. Apart from causing infectious diseases, microbes and microbial communities play critical roles in human health and evolution. The domestication of microbes for medical and scientific purposes promises to have a profound impact on health and medicine. These topics are well-represented throughout the Washington University community, and I view the Department of Molecular Microbiology as providing a central home for the broader Washington University microbiology community.
9. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599 United States
Subject Score: 66.5
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UNC – Chapel Hill represents a dynamic and exciting blend of disciplines and technology. Research and training are largely focused in the areas of immunology, virology, and microbial interactions, but the questions and strategies are broadly based in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics. Besides offering a comprehensive set of courses and seminar/tutorials for graduate students, the department provides instruction in microbiology and immunology to students enrolled in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, as well as undergraduate students who seek admission into degree programs offered in the School of Nursing and Pharmacy.
10. University of California Berkeley
110 Sproul Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-5800 United States
Subject Score: 66.0
UC Berkeley’s graduate program in microbiology provides an outstanding and rigorous course of study and is repeatedly ranked among the best in the world. The program is both immersive and thorough. Students take a variety of classes, teach as graduate student instructors, work with top scientists and perform research in our labs.
UC Berkeley’s graduate program consistently ranks best in the world for Microbiology. Their faculty is inclusive and engaging, and each graduate student is fully funded for five years.
Very informative and helpful article for students! Will check these microbiology universities out!