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

Aerospace Engineering by country