PUSH POLL

How should students pay for university?

Graduate tax
Student loan
Other
They shouldn't

Local Guides

England
N. Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Belfast
Birmingham
Bradford
Bristol
Cardiff
Coventry
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Kingston
Leeds
Leicester
Liverpool
London
Manchester
Nottingham
Plymouth
Sheffield
Southampton
Stoke
Wolverhampton

University league table

Before long every newspaper worth its vinegar will run its very own league table of universities. Each will have its own ideas about what makes the best.

The thing is, they’re all wrong.

Any university ranking is based on what its inventors think is important, but their priorities may be a snail’s hike from yours.

To prove the point, Push has come up with our own league table, using a wider variety of factors than most (including money, ease of entry and student life).

The results are no more useful than any other league table, but they may surprise you.

Position	Institution	Financial indicators	Job prospects	Academic indicators	Ease of entry and demand	Student life indicators	TOTAL SCORE
1	Lampeter, University of Wales	833	737	766	473	997	3,807
2	Heythrop College, University of London	503	1,000	849	443	998	3,793
3	Stirling University	864	779	692	615	815	3,764
4	School of Pharmacy, Uni of London	475	1,000	710	581	993	3,759
5	University of St Andrews	621	737	887	517	977	3,739
6	St George's, University of London	602	947	736	587	837	3,710
7	Harper Adams University College	650	895	801	343	980	3,669
8	Bishop Grosseteste University College	683	842	682	441	997	3,645
9	King's College, London	499	789	738	587	994	3,607
10	University of Edinburgh	677	747	683	449	979	3,536
11	University of Bristol	681	737	764	374	969	3,526
12	University of Cambridge	599	1,000	823	109	989	3,520
13	University of Nottingham	690	737	743	515	818	3,502
14	Leicester University	721	632	778	369	995	3,494
15	University of East Anglia	677	579	806	451	971	3,485
16	University of Manchester	784	632	689	548	816	3,468
17	University of Hull	828	684	723	421	807	3,464
18	University of York	762	632	738	335	988	3,454
19	Swansea University	844	684	717	374	832	3,451
20	LSE	526	684	668	584	989	3,450
21	University of Warwick	673	684	804	300	945	3,406
22	University of Essex	665	563	557	629	982	3,397
23	Royal Holloway, London	527	789	692	399	988	3,396
24	Cardiff University	779	737	729	306	824	3,374
25	Keele University	757	632	648	481	832	3,350
26	University of Reading	685	632	714	482	831	3,345
27	University of Southampton	764	684	731	339	825	3,344
28	University of Buckingham	530	647	789	373	997	3,336
29	Abertay Dundee University	961	632	408	497	833	3,330
30	Queens University of Belfast	787	842	653	448	588	3,318
31	Royal College of Music	491	895	639	449	837	3,312
32	SOAS	500	684	609	515	987	3,296
33	Sheffield Hallam University	777	526	535	483	975	3,296
34	University of Birmingham	547	632	644	449	990	3,260
35	Robert Gordon University	832	889	603	456	479	3,260
36	Lancaster University	713	684	736	448	671	3,253
37	Courtauld Institute of Art, London	435	647	786	380	998	3,245
38	University of Bath	630	684	711	409	793	3,227
39	University College, London	418	789	755	449	799	3,211
40	University of Glasgow	701	737	631	481	659	3,209
41	Loughborough University	591	737	797	420	662	3,208
42	University of Kent	559	737	673	415	818	3,202
43	Bangor University	861	526	611	382	819	3,198
44	Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama	663	684	566	449	835	3,198
45	Canterbury Christ Church University	592	895	614	602	488	3,191
46	University of Sussex	651	621	587	338	990	3,187
47	Chichester University	622	737	673	453	676	3,160
48	Bath Spa University	625	737	582	543	669	3,156
49	Worcester University	768	632	538	396	821	3,155
50	University of Liverpool	781	737	653	346	634	3,150
51	Buckinghamshire New University	715	579	517	668	670	3,148
52	Coventry University	744	526	548	488	815	3,122
53	Imperial College London	418	684	702	339	967	3,111
54	Oxford Brookes University	622	579	615	624	666	3,106
55	University of Aberdeen	770	632	566	481	655	3,103
56	Heriot-Watt University	808	684	630	301	667	3,090
57	York St John	758	632	617	410	666	3,083
58	University of Oxford	466	684	843	109	980	3,083
59	Royal Agricultural College	519	526	624	408	1,000	3,078
60	St Mary's University College, Twickenham¹	450	842	692	449	641	3,074
61	Leeds Metropolitan University	806	579	541	488	656	3,069
62	Edge Hill University¹	708	632	561	494	671	3,066
63	Aberystwyth University	695	526	602	459	767	3,050
64	Aston University	806	684	661	387	510	3,048
65	Roehampton University	734	684	505	475	647	3,046
66	Newcastle University	724	684	682	448	502	3,040
67	University of Cumbria¹	724	647	569	449	646	3,035
68	Birkbeck, University of London¹	527	647	725	449	672	3,020
69	University of Bolton	866	368	397	614	766	3,012
70	Swansea Institute of Higher Education	861	684	432	526	507	3,010
71	Royal Academy of Music	152	842	797	381	838	3,009
72	Surrey University	749	842	626	272	511	3,001
73	Goldsmiths, University of London	652	579	584	504	665	2,984
74	University of Sheffield	740	684	740	481	333	2,978
75	University of Gloucestershire	761	737	578	415	487	2,977
76	University of Durham	452	684	779	233	827	2,975
77	Nottingham Trent University	682	842	500	451	498	2,973
78	Brunel University	594	479	581	481	832	2,968
79	University of Bradford	754	474	573	497	662	2,960
80	University of Teesside	784	368	510	478	818	2,960
81	University of Chester	651	737	434	459	663	2,944
82	University of Strathclyde	790	737	586	314	504	2,931
83	Queen Mary, University of London	591	663	646	371	653	2,924
84	University of Derby	767	474	446	573	663	2,923
85	University of Portsmouth	689	579	546	448	655	2,917
86	Trinity College, Carmarthen	803	789	527	449	347	2,917
87	Queen Margaret University	701	684	414	449	651	2,900
88	Newport, University of Wales	795	474	533	424	663	2,888
89	Dundee University	728	737	616	323	468	2,872
90	University of London¹	508	647	594	449	655	2,854
91	University of Winchester	578	632	623	507	514	2,853
92	University of Brighton	587	632	518	461	654	2,851
93	Leeds University	765	789	648	309	338	2,850
94	Northumbria University	777	737	509	348	464	2,835
95	Royal Veterinary College, London	439	947	660	109	676	2,832
96	University College Falmouth	510	421	618	442	836	2,827
97	University College for the Creative Arts	758	474	413	348	832	2,825
98	University of Northampton	803	632	462	449	463	2,810
99	University of Huddersfield	764	489	566	494	491	2,805
100	University of Central Lancashire	723	737	503	507	329	2,798
101	University of Ulster	788	684	476	527	321	2,797
102	UWE, Bristol	636	684	514	477	485	2,796
103	Bournemouth University	577	684	449	417	664	2,791
104	Southampton Solent University	776	632	423	431	502	2,763
105	Manchester Metropolitan University	614	579	434	485	641	2,752
106	The Open University¹	667	647	654	449	335	2,752
107	University of Bedfordshire	806	421	420	589	508	2,744
108	UWIC	794	579	489	541	326	2,730
109	Napier University	697	684	410	437	499	2,727
110	Glamorgan University	946	632	433	381	335	2,727
111	University of Lincoln	650	579	455	515	515	2,713
112	Liverpool Hope University	714	579	417	499	496	2,705
113	University of Exeter	586	632	730	419	333	2,699
114	University of Plymouth	715	537	584	478	334	2,648
115	Birmingham City University	691	526	502	449	451	2,619
116	Thames Valley University	369	737	425	565	506	2,602
117	City University	462	632	508	648	339	2,588
118	De Montfort University	723	579	453	483	332	2,571
119	Liverpool John Moores University	793	526	481	449	315	2,565
120	University of Hertfordshire	688	579	487	458	338	2,550
121	University of Wolverhampton	786	421	380	614	341	2,542
122	Salford University	711	526	508	449	319	2,513
123	Sunderland University	819	526	406	449	305	2,506
124	Kingston University	514	474	558	459	487	2,491
125	Staffordshire University	708	526	508	415	329	2,486
126	North East Wales Institute	799	316	348	502	502	2,467
127	University of the West of Scotland	891	526	298	449	300	2,464
128	University of East London	639	684	406	381	305	2,415
129	University of Westminster	668	368	477	526	352	2,392
130	Glasgow Caledonian University	574	579	406	448	341	2,348
131	Anglia Ruskin University	672	526	527	449	160	2,335
132	Middlesex University	625	474	401	480	334	2,315
133	London South Bank University	435	421	524	415	328	2,122
134	University of Greenwich	494	316	445	472	295	2,020
135	University of the Arts, London	358	263	544	315	494	1,974
136	London Metropolitan University	470	0	482	449	298	1,700

NOTES

¹ Insufficient data is available for these institutions. Their position in the league table cannot be considered reliable. They have, however, been included since the same is true to a lesser or greater extent of any university in any league table. We are not pretending anything to the contrary.

Last updated on: 05 December 2008

Comments posted for this article

hel21

Posted: 5/22/2010 1:24:14 PM

yorkresearch

Posted: 4/25/2010 11:25:30 PM

schnapster

Posted: 3/27/2010 5:11:57 PM

jecca91

Posted: 3/22/2010 11:42:47 AM

camadsmith

Posted: 11/12/2009 9:39:11 AM

paulnash

Posted: 9/28/2009 1:38:32 AM

bennyboy456

Posted: 9/7/2009 3:43:18 PM

NathunG

Posted: 8/19/2009 2:38:21 AM

DramaLama3000

'...just for fun, Push has come up with its own criteria to rank them. It's all arbitrary...' That is what the website states before you click on the link to look at the table.; it's all based on personal opinion!! So why are you all getting so offended? Besides you should never choose a university solely on its rank in a league table, its ridiculous! The only way you will find the right university for you is through personal research - different universities do better in different subjects so its not a good idea to just choose the university from the top of a list. Jeez, I've never seen anybody get so worked up over a table of numbers! :/

Posted: 6/8/2009 12:49:44 PM

kian

tommynaughton: don't you mean "uneducated" lol.

Posted: 3/16/2009 4:56:09 PM

Patch

Oh dear, have you all listened to yourselves, it amazes me to see how a few facts and figures send people up in arms! League tables May or may not be a reliable source, but at the end of the day they are a good place to start, and comparing tables, created from different statistics and viewpoints including this one is a very very small step towards choosing where to get yourself into debt for the next three years. If you want to know the truth, go, see, talk to people in the know, send emails, make phone calls, watch youtube video's, asking your mum and a college advisor does not constitute as research. And yes obviously, the point is we all want a good education, but a large part of that does rely on factors asides from academic status, look at how you all grew up, and tell me would you not be different if you'd gone to a private school, boarding school, public school or home school instead of where you went? You are more likely to absorb things if you are happy in your surroundings. At the end of the day everyones entitled to an opinion and push has a different one to the conventional sources. If you don't agree with it, invest the time and effort you spend blowing hot air on a website in looking elsewhere for advice on the next three years of your life.

Posted: 3/16/2009 12:13:48 AM

Naijakid

Y'all shud go easy on this comments. Just because all those newspapers owned by the middle and upper class says that Ox and Cam r d best dont mean they r. I suppose this goes to demonstrate that everything thing we read about unis r one sided nd biased. so when choosing ur uni, dont base ur ideology on league tables and fancy prospectus or buildings or websites. Find out the teacher to student ratio, how many students apply and how much space they have for admission, check if the uni is into research and ask what are the chances of you been taught by students in their final year. Thesere what you need to know and if student lufe is the most important 4 u ... visit d uni and check out the surroundings. Y'all gotta stop been lazy and do your research rather than sit der .. let some1 else do it ... nd den start complaining dat suntin's rubbish ... cuz dats annoying. so ya'll gotta PUSH for d best!

Posted: 11/9/2008 9:52:57 AM

LuceRose

I like the way Durham is like 76...

Posted: 11/1/2008 10:44:00 PM

DChero89

i like the league table appart from one thing i can't see bangor university could someone point it ut to me because ithink im going blind

Posted: 10/13/2008 9:53:46 AM

tommynaughton

These comments completely some up what is wrong with many schools today. You're told over and over again, force fed it in a way, that going to an academic university will get you a high paid job and therefore the greatest life in the world ever. You see the thing you narrow minded people are missing is the fact that not all of us believe what we are told that getting a good degree from a good university is really all that matters. Personally I'd rather have fun for three years of my life, I don't know about the rest of you, but that's what is the most important things to me. This league table is an excellent way of poking fun at what you have all been shown and without thought just taken on board. But then again, why take my opinion seriously I'm not going to Oxford or Cambridge. That must make me ineducated and below the rest of society.

Posted: 9/3/2008 12:05:56 PM

leminh92

How in the earth can Cambridge ranked 12 and Oxford 58? I don't truly believe in this league. I think the first priority is teaching and studying quality.

Posted: 8/31/2008 5:30:42 AM

loopylou678

I think you guys are misunderstanding this league table, it is designed to demonstrate that you shouldnt trust a league table because it is not neccesarily comparing the most important factors to YOU. We are all individual and I think this is what PUSH is trying to demonstrate. A funny way of doing it I admit...but chill the beans people!

Posted: 8/23/2008 4:24:04 PM

AlyssaBarnes

Oh my, this league table is pitiful beyond belief and further confirms that Push isn't a website to be taken seriously. What, with the misguided, ill informed, biased opinions that are groundless with no basis or proper understanding. It's unfortunate that many students will view this table, amongst the other nonsensical rubbish on this website, and make a judgement on many universities that have been extremely and disgustingly misrepresented. Bad play.

Posted: 8/1/2008 4:04:37 PM

Rupert

more specific factors might help!

Posted: 7/2/2008 11:26:05 AM

Kaiya

utter crap!

Posted: 5/20/2008 9:47:22 AM

Chimera

Agreed. I want a refund!

Posted: 4/24/2008 7:46:08 PM

Suki

Lampeter was #101 in the independents league of unis today. it dropped from #59 and their religious studies/theology department didn't even make the top 20, in 2006 it gained a special mention by the independent for being so good, says it all really I think...

Posted: 4/24/2008 5:17:25 PM

pwcca

Lampeter University in the top spot???? How on earth???? The university is terrible, its a very very very bad place. Anyone coming here would be wasting thousands of £'s.

Posted: 4/15/2008 11:49:04 AM

177

utter rubbish

Posted: 4/9/2008 7:04:22 AM

Littlepig

Do you hav to register? it worked ok for me. katandko - I agree - how are we supposed to know where to go?! I think the only way is to visit the unis, maybe talk to ex students..

Posted: 4/7/2008 3:33:16 PM

anisaanisa

now i do not think it's appropriate to call all the other Newspaper tables 'all wrong' - they have been trusted for a long time.

Posted: 4/5/2008 10:51:20 AM

katandko

Academic indicators = what, exactly? Ease of entry and demand = how easy it is to get in? Surely the easier it is the less in demand the university is and the lower it should be rated. People don't want to apply to somewhere considered 'naff'. Student life indicators = surely a matter of opinion?! If the league tables all display such varied results, how on earth are we meant to know which one is right?!

Posted: 4/4/2008 8:39:38 PM

adamjeffs

i don't think people should be forced to register with push.co.uk to view the league table. however i support the stance on the variety of factors that lead to the position of a uni.

Posted: 4/4/2008 7:08:47 PM

Please type your comment here

Please log in to post comments

Advertisement

University league table

Comments posted for this article