U.S. News & World Report has recognized the University of Missouri-Kansas City among the world's top universities in its 2026-2027 Best Global Universities rankings. Out of more than 2,250 institutions across more than 100 countries, UMKC earned a national ranking of No. 145 and overall global ranking of No. 727.
UMKC is ranked in the top third of universities globally. Of the 289 U.S. universities in the rankings, UMKC is one of only four Missouri public universities recognized among the world's best universities, including the University of Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Among those Missouri public universities, UMKC ranked No. 2 in the state.
Among all 197 public U.S. universities included in the rankings, UMKC earned the No. 98 spot.
"UMKC earning recognition among the world's best universities is a testament to the excellence of our research enterprise and the dedication of our faculty, staff and students," said Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. "This achievement reflects the momentum we are building as Kansas City's only Carnegie Research 1 university and affirms our commitment to advancing discovery, innovation and student success while serving Kansas City and communities around the world."
The UMKC School of Medicine also earned strong subject-specific rankings, including No. 18 nationally and No. 50 globally in Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems, as well as No. 98 nationally and No. 482 globally in Clinical Medicine.
In Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems, the UMKC School of Medicine ranked No. 1 among all Missouri and Kansas universities.
In Clinical Medicine, the UMKC School of Medicine ranked No. 1 among public Missouri universities.
"The UMKC School of Medicine is exceptionally proud of this truly appreciated recognition and honor," said Dean Alexander Norbash, M.D., M.S., FACR. "As the flagship six-year BA/MD school, we are proud of our Cardiac, Cardiac Vascular and Clinical Medicine divisions and see their recognition as a reflection of the remarkable work our school is doing."
This marks the second time in 2026 that UMKC has received global recognition for its research and reputation excellence.
Earlier this year, TIME magazine named UMKC among the world's top universities in its inaugural global rankings. UMKC was one of only two public universities in Missouri included among the 500 institutions recognized.
In the U.S. News & World Report global rankings, universities achieving an overall ranking in the top 50% worldwide receive "Best" status, a distinction awarded to 1,125 institutions this year.
The Best Global Universities methodology, powered by data and metrics from Clarivate, evaluates institutions based on factors measuring research reputation and academic research performance, affirming UMKC’s standing as a leading public research university.