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University of Cambridge vs University of Oxford

On research quality in 2022-now, University of Oxford ranks #5 in the world and University of Cambridge #16, of 28,054 institutions. University of Cambridge stands higher in 3 of the 12 fields both publish in, University of Oxford in 9.

Research profiles alike: 0.88very similar shapes of research, whatever their size. How it is measured

University of Cambridge

United Kingdom · Cambridge

World rank, 2022-now
#16
#10 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.

University of Oxford

United Kingdom · Oxford

World rank, 2022-now
#5
#12 all time
Works, 2022-now
26k
fractional
Top-10% rate
26.7%
share of its work among the world's most cited
Open access
43%
of its works free to read

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

Who leads in each field?

University of Cambridge stands higher in 3 of 12 fields, University of Oxford in 9. Each bar is that side's standing among all institutions ranked in the field: the full bar is first place.

University of Cambridge 39 University of Oxford
  1. #6Arts and Humanities#4
  2. #16Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology#13
  3. #59Computer Science#37
  4. #30Economics, Econometrics and Finance#17
  5. #114Engineering-
  6. #12Health Professions#9
  7. #20Mathematics-
  8. #46Medicine#8
  9. #8Neuroscience#4
  10. #15Physics and Astronomy#16
  11. #9Psychology#6
  12. #5Social Sciences#1

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. Veterinary1.6× 0.5×
  2. Engineering0.8× 0.5×
  3. Dentistry0.1× 0.1×
  4. Materials Science0.9× 0.6×
  5. Chemical Engineering1.0× 0.7×
  6. Physics and Astronomy2.5× 1.9×
  7. Energy0.7× 0.6×
  8. Business, Management and Accounting0.7× 0.6×
  9. Earth and Planetary Sciences1.4× 1.2×
  10. Arts and Humanities3.5× 3.2×
  11. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.4× 0.4×
  12. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology1.2× 1.1×
  13. Computer Science0.8× 0.8×
  14. Neuroscience1.8× 1.9×
  15. Social Sciences1.4× 1.4×
  16. Environmental Science0.8× 0.8×
  17. Economics, Econometrics and Finance1.5× 1.6×
  18. Psychology1.3× 1.4×
  19. Chemistry0.8× 1.0×
  20. Decision Sciences0.9× 1.1×
  21. Mathematics1.8× 2.1×
  22. Medicine0.6× 0.8×
  23. Nursing0.4× 0.5×
  24. Health Professions0.6× 0.9×
  25. Immunology and Microbiology0.8× 1.3×
  26. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.3× 0.5×
University of CambridgeUniversity of Oxford

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 University of Cambridge leans further are at the top, University of Oxford's at the bottom. How research profiles are compared.

How has their output grown?

2.5k5k7.5kUniversity of Oxford6,151 in 2025University of Cambridge5,445 in 20251990200020102020

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

Which publishes more research, University of Cambridge or University of Oxford?

University of Oxford publishes 1.2× as much research as University of Cambridge in 2022-now (26k against 22k fractional works).

Whose research has more impact, University of Cambridge or University of Oxford?

26.7% of University of Oxford's research reaches the world's top 10% most cited, against 25.0% for University of Cambridge.

Other comparisons

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Questions people ask

Which is stronger in research, Oxford or Cambridge?

On research quality in 2022-now, University of Oxford ranks #5 in the world and University of Cambridge #16, of 28,054 institutions. University of Cambridge stands higher in 3 of the 12 fields both publish in, University of Oxford in 9.

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