UB 5th in national ranking of NY universities, based on reputation, digital presence

UB was named a top 10 university in New York State in the 2026 Official UniRank Guide, which measures a university’s digital presence, reputation and popularity.

UB ranked No. 5 in the state and was highest among SUNY schools from among the 145 New York higher education institutions meeting the UniRank selection criteria.

Established in 2005, UniRank is a leading international higher education portal and search engine, featuring reviews and rankings of more than 14,000 accredited and recognized universities and colleges in 200 countries.

Unlike other rankings systems, UniRank measures a university’s web presence and popularity. It uses a special algorithm based on intelligence from independent web sources.

UniRank focuses on a university’s digital footprint. It measures web traffic, the quality and number of links pointing to the university’s site and its overall online authority. This provides a snapshot of the institution’s popularity and relevance in the digital world.

The content and structure for much of UB’s digital footprint, including the homepage, is largely developed by staff within University Communications. The UB homepage received more than 1.9 million views in 2025 from visitors all over the world.   

As the largest and most comprehensive public university in the SUNY system, a flagship institution of New York State and a member of the Association of American Universities, UB was recognized for its strong academic programs across a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, law and management.

The ranking also lauded UB for its academic excellence, extensive research portfolio and vast array of courses, clubs and research opportunities for students. UB’s location near the Canadian border, which provides unique international and economic opportunities, was also listed as an attractive feature.

The entire 2026 ranking of New York universities is available on the UniRank website.