The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) has retained its position as one of the top five universities for the study of music in the world.
For the second year running it has been ranked fifth in the QS World University Rankings — headed by the Royal College of Music in London with an overall score of 98.2, ahead of the Royal Academy of Music (97.0) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (93.8).
The top 10
The Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique at de Dance de Paris (93.1) was ranked fourth with the RNCM fifth (88.7).
The Julliard School in New York, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and the Moscow State Conservatory made up the top 10, with Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the only other British institution ranked in the top 20 (11th).
Global
The 2025 survey of more than 1,700 international institutions also placed the College in the top 10 globally for performing arts.
The QS Rankings analyse 55 individual subjects across five broad subject areas (including Arts and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, and Natural Sciences), positioning institutions and programmes based on academic excellence, employer reputation, scholarly research, sustainability, and impact.
I wish to express my gratitude to the exceptional staff and outstanding students who strive to create an innovative environment that ambitiously drives forward our industry and strives for excellence in everything we doProfessor Linda Merrick CBE
Proud
Speaking about the latest rankings, RNCM Principal, Professor Linda Merrick CBE, said: "We are extremely proud to be in the top five institutions in the world for music and to have retained our position in the QS World University Rankings — a prestigious recognition that affirms our reputation as a world-leading conservatoire.
I wish to express my gratitude to the exceptional staff and outstanding students who strive to create an innovative environment that ambitiously drives forward our industry and strives for excellence in everything we do."
