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Subfield · Aerospace Engineering

Top Aerospace Engineering Research Institutions

Northwestern Polytechnical University ranks first in 2022–2025, out of 795 ranked institutions.

Composite score: field-normalised excellence, output and total citations weighted 50 / 30 / 20, each as a percentile so no single heavy-tailed measure dominates. Floor: 40 fractional works in this field.

Ranked by research quality, 2022–2025

#InstitutionScoreTop-10% rateWorksCitationsAll time
1Northwestern Polytechnical University China · Xi'an 100.0 40.1% 2.6k 23k#18
2National University of Defense Technology China · Changsha 89.6 37.6% 2.3k 13k#8
3Beihang University China · Beijing 83.5 40.7% 2.4k 16k#4
4Harbin Institute of Technology China · Harbin 79.2 38.0% 2.2k 16k#17
5Xidian University China · Xi'an 75.9 39.3% 2k 13k#1
6Beijing Institute of Technology China · Beijing 73.2 35.3% 2.2k 15k#19
7University of Electronic Science and Technology of China China · Chengdu 70.9 34.7% 2.1k 13k#7
8Shanghai Jiao Tong University China · Shanghai 68.9 38.7% 1.6k 13k#31
9Tsinghua University China · Beijing 67.1 40.2% 1.3k 12k#10
10Central South University China · Changsha 65.5 46.7% 894 9.3k#36
11Xi'an Jiaotong University China · Xi'an 64.1 39.0% 1.6k 12k#26
12Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics China · Nanjing 62.8 33.9% 2.1k 11k#38
13Southeast University China · Nanjing 61.6 36.2% 1.2k 9.9k#59
14Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing 60.5 39.2% 1.6k 13k#22
15Zhejiang University China · Hangzhou 59.5 35.6% 865 7.9k—
16Nanyang Technological University Singapore · Singapore 58.5 48.8% 417 5k#27
17Wuhan University China · Wuhan 57.6 48.0% 733 6.7k#50
18Nanjing University of Science and Technology China · Nanjing 56.7 29.5% 1.6k 8.6k#69
19Dalian University of Technology China · Dalian 55.9 38.5% 743 7.2k—
20South China University of Technology China · Guangzhou 55.1 34.1% 770 6.3k#68
21Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications China · Beijing 54.4 33.5% 857 5.7k—
22Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong · Hong Kong 53.7 51.3% 401 4.8k—
23Chongqing University China · Chongqing 53.0 34.8% 623 5.4k—
24Harbin Engineering University China · Harbin 52.4 34.2% 995 6.4k—
25University of Science and Technology Beijing China · Beijing 51.8 34.5% 556 5.7k—
26University of Chinese Academy of Sciences China · Beijing 51.2 40.9% 882 6.2k—
27University of Science and Technology of China China · Hefei 50.6 34.3% 637 5.5k—
28Northeastern University China · Shenyang 50.1 36.4% 570 5k—
29Sun Yat-sen University China · Guangzhou 49.6 36.6% 903 5.3k—
30Southwest Jiaotong University China · Chengdu 49.1 37.3% 583 4.6k—
31Tongji University China · Shanghai 48.6 34.8% 608 4.5k—
32Huazhong University of Science and Technology China · Wuhan 48.1 33.1% 697 5.7k—
33Delft University of Technology Netherlands · Delft 47.6 41.9% 612 4.1k#11
34University of Hong Kong Hong Kong · Pok Fu Lam 47.2 50.9% 172 3.4k—
35Politecnico di Milano Italy · Milan 46.8 38.4% 585 3.2k#46
36Tianjin University China · Tianjin 46.3 31.1% 629 5.3k—
37National University of Singapore Singapore · Singapore 45.9 41.9% 312 3.6k#37
38Shandong University China · Jinan 45.5 35.4% 396 4.6k—
39Shenzhen University China · Shenzhen 45.1 32.3% 453 2.8k—
40North China Electric Power University China · Beijing 44.8 36.3% 378 2.4k—
41Air Force Engineering University China · Xi'an 44.4 38.0% 717 4.1k#93
42Imperial College London United Kingdom · London 44.0 40.3% 290 2.8k#42
43Peking University China · Beijing 43.7 37.3% 344 3k—
44City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong · Hong Kong 43.3 40.2% 309 3.5k#35
45China University of Mining and Technology China · Xuzhou 43.0 47.2% 373 3.5k—
46Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) Germany · Cologne 42.7 32.9% 871 3.4k#3
47Southern University of Science and Technology China · Shenzhen 42.3 39.0% 255 2.7k—
48Sichuan University China · Chengdu 42.0 34.7% 371 4.4k—
49Jiangsu University China · Zhenjiang 41.7 42.9% 270 2.9k—
50Wuhan University of Technology China · Wuhan 41.4 32.1% 412 2.7k—
51University of Luxembourg Luxembourg · Luxembourg 41.1 51.9% 206 2.3k—
52China Academy of Space Technology China · Beijing 40.8 21.7% 916 2.3k—
53Hohai University China · Nanjing 40.5 38.8% 293 2.3k—
54Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology South Korea · Daejeon 40.3 41.5% 424 2.6k#47
55Beijing Jiaotong University China · Beijing 40.0 27.6% 408 2.5k—
56Fudan University China · Shanghai 39.7 37.5% 358 3.3k—
57Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong · Hong Kong 39.5 48.3% 159 2.4k—
58King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Saudi Arabia · Jeddah 39.2 48.0% 195 2.1k—
59Shandong University of Science and Technology China · Qingdao 38.9 36.2% 299 2.5k—
60Hunan University China · Changsha 38.7 34.8% 313 3k—
61Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications China · Nanjing 38.4 30.2% 540 2.8k—
62Dalian Maritime University China · Dalian 38.2 32.2% 338 2.2k—
63Technical University of Munich Germany · Munich 38.0 32.5% 370 2.2k#48
64The Ohio State University United States · Columbus 37.7 31.5% 249 1.8k#16
65Xi'an University of Science and Technology China · Xi'an 37.5 41.3% 198 1.9k—
66Georgia Institute of Technology United States · Atlanta 37.3 27.9% 484 2.1k#13
67UNSW Sydney Australia · Sydney 37.0 38.1% 233 2.2k#73
68Vellore Institute of Technology University India · Vellore 36.8 32.2% 357 1.7k—
69Kunming University of Science and Technology China · Kunming 36.6 38.7% 249 2.4k—
70École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland · Lausanne 36.4 41.4% 183 1.7k#52
71Jilin University China · Changchun 36.2 37.7% 286 2.5k—
72University of Michigan United States · Ann Arbor 36.0 31.6% 376 2.1k#14
73University of Technology Sydney Australia · Sydney 35.8 39.3% 235 2k—
74Technical University of Denmark Denmark · Kongens Lyngby 35.6 36.3% 257 1.7k#57
75Nanjing University China · Nanjing 35.4 28.6% 273 3.1k—
76University of Pisa Italy · Pisa 35.2 39.3% 279 1.5k#43
77Shanghai University China · Shanghai 35.0 27.5% 430 2.7k—
78Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique France · Paris 34.8 28.7% 454 2.7k#25
79Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications China · Chongqing 34.6 28.3% 322 1.7k—
80Xiamen University China · Xiamen 34.4 36.5% 257 2k—
81Zhengzhou University China · Zhengzhou 34.2 33.0% 230 2.9k—
82China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center China · Mianyang 34.0 34.5% 380 1.8k—
83University College London United Kingdom · London 33.8 37.3% 180 1.9k#85
84Tohoku University Japan · Sendai 33.7 25.7% 316 1.9k#72
85Aerospace Information Research Institute China · Beijing 33.5 43.2% 352 1.9k—
86Peng Cheng Laboratory China · Shenzhen 33.3 43.4% 164 2k—
87Nanjing Tech University China · Nanjing 33.1 36.8% 225 2k—
88North University of China China · Taiyuan 33.0 31.7% 319 3k—
89PLA Army Engineering University China · Nanjing 32.8 32.9% 283 1.7k—
90Queen Mary University of London United Kingdom · London 32.6 41.5% 160 1.9k—
91Hangzhou Dianzi University China · Hangzhou 32.5 29.2% 311 2.1k—
92Beijing University of Technology China · Beijing 32.3 31.7% 276 2k—
93Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States · Cambridge 32.1 32.4% 284 2.3k#6
94Sapienza University of Rome Italy · Rome 32.0 33.2% 401 1.9k#44
95ETH Zurich Switzerland · Zurich 31.8 43.9% 143 1.8k#45
96Carleton University Canada · Ottawa 31.7 40.5% 165 1.4k—
97University of Houston United States · Houston 31.5 39.7% 134 1.2k—
98Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong · Hong Kong 31.3 45.1% 132 1.5k—
99Purdue University West Lafayette United States · West Lafayette 31.2 29.7% 400 2.1k#30
100KTH Royal Institute of Technology Sweden · Stockholm 31.0 35.8% 243 1.8k#80

institutions ranked worldwide in Aerospace Engineering (795). rank on the composite score within the stated pool. The score track runs 0 to 100; the rate track carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field.

How spread out this pool is

Every row above on one axis — one tick each, right is a higher score. A field where the top few are far clear of everyone and one that runs down evenly look identical as a table.

31 – 34: 21 places34 – 38: 16 places38 – 41: 13 places41 – 45: 11 places45 – 48: 8 places48 – 52: 6 places52 – 55: 6 places55 – 59: 4 places59 – 62: 3 places62 – 66: 2 places66 – 69: 3 places69 – 72: 1 places72 – 76: 1 places76 – 79: 2 places79 – 83: 0 places83 – 86: 1 places86 – 90: 1 places90 – 93: 0 places93 – 97: 0 places97 – 100: 1 places31100

One bar per band of score, counting the rows on this page.

Ranked by volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Weatherford College United States 2.9k works
  2. 2 Northwestern Polytechnical University China 2.6k works
  3. 3 Beihang University China 2.4k works
  4. 4 National University of Defense Technology China 2.3k works
  5. 5 Harbin Institute of Technology China 2.2k works
  6. 6 Beijing Institute of Technology China 2.2k works
  7. 7 University of Electronic Science and Technology of China China 2.1k works
  8. 8 Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics China 2.1k works
  9. 9 Xidian University China 2k works
  10. 10 Human Growth Foundation United States 2k works
  11. 11 Chinese Academy of Sciences China 1.6k works
  12. 12 Nanjing University of Science and Technology China 1.6k works
  13. 13 Shanghai Jiao Tong University China 1.6k works
  14. 14 Xi'an Jiaotong University China 1.6k works
  15. 15 Tsinghua University China 1.3k works

Aerospace Engineering by country