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ETH Zurich vs University of Cambridge

On research quality in 2022–now, ETH Zurich ranks #20 in the world and University of Cambridge #22, of 28,054 institutions. ETH Zurich stands higher in 9 of the 17 fields both publish in, University of Cambridge in 8.

Research profiles alike: 0.46similar shapes of research, whatever their size. How it is measured

ETH Zurich

Switzerland · Zurich

World rank, 2022–now
#20
#24 all time
Works, 2022–now
14k
fractional
Top-10% rate
30.1%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
47%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics, Theoretical Computer Science, Hardware and Architecture.

University of Cambridge

United Kingdom · Cambridge

World rank, 2022–now
#22
#8 all time
Works, 2022–now
22k
fractional
Top-10% rate
25.0%
share of its work among the world’s most cited
Open access
38%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Theoretical Computer Science, Classics, History and Philosophy of Science.

Who leads in each field?

ETH Zurich stands higher in 9 of 17 fields, University of Cambridge in 8. Each bar is that side’s standing among all institutions ranked in the field: the full bar is first place.

ETH Zurich 98 University of Cambridge
  1. #19Agricultural and Biological Sciences—
  2. —Arts and Humanities#8
  3. #43Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology#25
  4. #95Business, Management and Accounting#41
  5. #60Chemistry—
  6. #17Computer Science#69
  7. #9Earth and Planetary Sciences#23
  8. —Economics, Econometrics and Finance#39
  9. #78Engineering#101
  10. #17Environmental Science#39
  11. #89Materials Science—
  12. #12Mathematics—
  13. #386Medicine#87
  14. —Neuroscience#24
  15. #8Physics and Astronomy#17
  16. —Psychology#31
  17. #153Social Sciences#4

Standing is the percentile of world rank within each field, 2022–now; the printed number is the rank itself. A dash means the field is too small there to rank. How sides are compared.

Where does each put its research?

Not who is better, but what each side chooses to work on. A country or institution that puts twice the world’s share of its research into a field sits at 2×, whatever its size.

  1. Chemistry2.1× 0.8×
  2. Earth and Planetary Sciences3.2× 1.4×
  3. Chemical Engineering2.1× 1.0×
  4. Engineering1.6× 0.8×
  5. Environmental Science1.5× 0.8×
  6. Computer Science1.6× 0.8×
  7. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.7× 0.4×
  8. Energy1.3× 0.7×
  9. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.5× 0.3×
  10. Materials Science1.4× 0.9×
  11. Mathematics2.6× 1.8×
  12. Physics and Astronomy3.3× 2.5×
  13. Decision Sciences1.2× 0.9×
  14. Nursing0.4× 0.4×
  15. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology1.2× 1.2×
  16. Dentistry0.1× 0.1×
  17. Business, Management and Accounting0.5× 0.7×
  18. Immunology and Microbiology0.5× 0.8×
  19. Economics, Econometrics and Finance0.9× 1.5×
  20. Neuroscience1.1× 1.8×
  21. Medicine0.3× 0.6×
  22. Health Professions0.2× 0.6×
  23. Veterinary0.6× 1.6×
  24. Psychology0.4× 1.3×
  25. Social Sciences0.4× 1.4×
  26. Arts and Humanities0.3× 3.5×
ETH ZurichUniversity of Cambridge

Location quotient in 2022–now: the share of each side’s research in the field over the world’s share. 1× is the world’s balance; the axis runs from a quarter of it to four times. Fields where ETH Zurich leans further are at the top, University of Cambridge’s at the bottom. How research profiles are compared.

How has their output grown?

2.5k5k7.5kUniversity of Cambridge5,445 in 2025ETH Zurich3,251 in 20251990200020102020

Fractional works per year. The latest, partial year is left off.

Which publishes more research, ETH Zurich or University of Cambridge?

University of Cambridge publishes 1.6× as much research as ETH Zurich in 2022–now (22k against 14k fractional works).

Whose research has more impact, ETH Zurich or University of Cambridge?

30.1% of ETH Zurich's research reaches the world's top 10% most cited, against 25.0% for University of Cambridge.

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