5 of Wales’ universities have risen and three fallen within the newest UK rankings which were launched at present
Cardiff has been ranked prime college in Wales once more however nonetheless has the least happy college students, in line with the most recent itemizing within the Full College Information out on Tuesday. The CUG rankings 2026 once more put Swansea in second place and Aberystwyth in third.
The CUG has launched knowledge on what it says are one of the best universities within the UK, primarily based on markers together with drop out charges, pupil satisfaction and employees pupil ratios in addition to graduate outcomes. 5 of the eight Welsh universities have risen within the CUG rankings this 12 months and three have fallen.
The College of South Wales has leapt up 18 locations from ninety fifth to 77th in UK however stays quantity six in Wales. Wrexham Glyndwr languishes on the backside of the record for Wales. It ranks 129th within the UK however is up one place in comparison with 130 final 12 months.
Cardiff is now listed as twenty second within the UK, up 5 on final 12 months. Swansea in second place for Wales comes fortieth within the UK, down three locations on final 12 months whereas Aberystwyth in third for Wales has fallen three locations to forty fifth within the UK.
Bangor has overtaken Cardiff Metropolitan College to fourth place in Wales hovering 15 locations as much as 53rd within the UK in comparison with 68th final 12 months.
Every summer time time period the Full College Information publishes its UK college and topic league tables which it says goals to assist potential college students make selections about weighing up late choices or exploring Clearing choices. Sign up for our free every day briefing on the largest points going through the nation signal as much as the Wales Issues publication right here.
As in earlier years the CUG tables for Wales are nearly totally reversed for pupil satisfaction with the bottom CUG rating universities scoring finest on that measure.
Cardiff and Swansea lead the record on graduate prospects Cardiff Metropolitan College with USW in third place and Bangor fourth on that rating.
Drop out charges are highest at Wrexham, adopted by Cardiff Met after which the College of Wales Trinity St David. Cardiff College scores finest on college students persevering with their research.
How all Wales’ eight universities rank within the CUG 2026
Cardiff (22 in UK up 5)
Swansea (40 in UK down 3)
Aberysywyth (45 in UK down 3)
Bangor (53 in UK up 15)
Cardiff Metropolitan College (66 in UK down 4)
College of South Wales (77 in UK up 18)
UWTSD (110 in UK up 17)
Wrexham (129 in UK up one)
Satisfaction rating
Wrexham 3.30
UWTSD 3.27
Aberystwyth 3.23
Cardiff Met 3.15
USW 3.14
Swansea/Bangor joint 3.10
Cardiff 3.04
Greatest for Pupil/employees ratio
Cardiff
Aberystwyth
Swansea
Bangor
USW
Cardiff Met
Wrexham
Graduate prospects and end result CUG scores
Cardiff 84.4
Swansea 80.1
Cardiff Met 73.5
Wrexham 70.9
College of South Wales 69.7
Bangor 69.2
Wrexham 70.9
College students persevering with their course CUG scores
Cardiff 94.7
Swansea 91.4
Aberystwyth 92.3
Bangor 89.3
USW 89.1
UWTSD 88.3
Cardiff Met 87.3
Wrexham 80.7
The highest 10 UK college in line with CUG:
1. Cambridge
2. Oxford
3. London Faculty of Economics
4. St Andrew’s
5. Durham
6. Imperial
7. Loughborough
8. Tub
9. Warwick
10. Lancaster
