Rankings edition: 2027 | Published: 14 October 2026
Students and families comparing Canadian universities will need to take a closer look at how this year’s Maclean’s rankings are organized. The 2027 edition groups institutions by full-time student enrolment into Large, Mid-Size and Small categories, replacing Medical Doctoral, Comprehensive and Primarily Undergraduate.
The three lists include 56 universities. McGill University, Simon Fraser University and Mount Allison University place first in the Large, Mid-Size and Small categories, respectively. Below are the complete rankings, followed by an explanation of what the new categories mean for choosing a university and comparing results over time.
How are the three categories defined?
Maclean’s sets out the enrolment thresholds in its 2027 ranking pages, while Mount Allison’s announcement specifies that the categories are based on full-time student enrolment:
- Large: more than 30,000 students; 15 universities
- Mid-Size: 10,000 to 30,000 students; 19 universities
- Small: fewer than 10,000 students; 22 universities
Universities are ranked within each category, so a position should always be read alongside its category. The lists below preserve the published ties and use institutions’ English or French names to make them easier to identify and verify.
Complete 2027 Large University Rankings
The Large category includes 15 universities. McGill University ranks first, followed by the University of Toronto in second place and the University of British Columbia in third.
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | McGill University |
| 2 | University of Toronto |
| 3 | University of British Columbia |
| 4 | University of Waterloo |
| 5 | Queen’s University |
| 6 | University of Alberta |
| 7 | McMaster University |
| 8 | University of Ottawa |
| 9 | University of Calgary |
| 10 | Western University |
| 11 | Université Laval |
| 12 | Université de Montréal |
| 13 | York University |
| 14 | Toronto Metropolitan University |
| 15 | Concordia University |
Source: Maclean’s 2027 Large University Rankings
Complete 2027 Mid-Size University Rankings
The Mid-Size category includes 19 universities. Simon Fraser University ranks first, followed by the University of Victoria in second place and Dalhousie University in third.
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | Simon Fraser University |
| 2 | University of Victoria |
| 3 | Dalhousie University |
| 4 | Carleton University |
| 5 | University of Guelph |
| 6 | University of Saskatchewan |
| 7 | University of Manitoba |
| 8 | Université de Sherbrooke |
| 9 | Wilfrid Laurier University |
| 10 | Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) |
| 11 (tie) | Brock University |
| 11 (tie) | Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| 11 (tie) | Trent University |
| 11 (tie) | University of Windsor |
| 15 | Ontario Tech University |
| 16 | University of Regina |
| 17 | Thompson Rivers University |
| 18 | Mount Royal University |
| 19 | MacEwan University |
Brock, Memorial, Trent and Windsor share 11th place, so the next position is 15th.
Source: Maclean’s 2027 Mid-Size University Rankings
Complete 2027 Small University Rankings
The Small category includes 22 universities. Mount Allison University ranks first, followed by the University of Northern British Columbia in second place and St. Francis Xavier University in third.
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Allison University |
| 2 | University of Northern British Columbia |
| 3 | St. Francis Xavier University |
| 4 | Acadia University |
| 5 | University of New Brunswick |
| 6 | Bishop’s University |
| 7 | Saint Mary’s University |
| 8 | Lakehead University |
| 9 | University of Lethbridge |
| 10 | University of Prince Edward Island |
| 11 | St. Thomas University |
| 12 | Université de Moncton |
| 13 | University of Winnipeg |
| 14 | Laurentian University |
| 15 | Nipissing University |
| 16 | Brandon University |
| 17 | Mount Saint Vincent University |
| 18 | University of the Fraser Valley |
| 19 | Cape Breton University |
| 20 (tie) | Algoma University |
| 20 (tie) | Concordia University of Edmonton |
| 22 | Vancouver Island University |
Algoma University and Concordia University of Edmonton share 20th place, so the next position is 22nd. Concordia University of Edmonton, in the Small category, is located in Edmonton. Concordia University, in the Large category, is located in Montréal. They are separate institutions, so applicants should check the full name when preparing application materials.
Source: Maclean’s 2027 Small University Rankings
What changes under the new categories?
The previous Medical Doctoral, Comprehensive and Primarily Undergraduate categories emphasized institutions’ academic offerings and research profiles. For 2027, the grouping is based on full-time student enrolment. Mount Allison announcement
Some universities are therefore being compared with a different set of peers. There is no direct one-to-one correspondence between the old and new categories.
The University of Waterloo and the University of New Brunswick, for example, previously appeared together in the Comprehensive category. In 2027, Waterloo ranks fourth in the Large category, while New Brunswick ranks fifth in the Small category. Institutions that once shared a category may now fall into different size groups. Maclean’s 2026 Comprehensive University Rankings
Trent University has moved from Primarily Undergraduate to Mid-Size. The university attributes the move to continued growth in enrolment, graduate education and research activity. Its tie for 11th place in the 2027 Mid-Size rankings reflects its position within this new peer group. Trent announcement
The assessment framework has also changed. Mount Allison’s announcement describes new measures covering four areas: student experience and success, faculty quality, student resources and support, and reputation. Comparisons across years should take changes in methodology into account as well. Mount Allison announcement
iPerform’s perspective: comparing universities by size
The following is iPerform’s analysis of what size-based categories can offer students comparing universities. It is not Maclean’s official explanation for the changes.
Grouping institutions with similar enrolments can provide a common starting point for comparing resources and campus environments. Student numbers are relevant to how teaching, libraries, housing and support services are organized, as well as to the structure of campus life. For families, the Large, Mid-Size and Small labels are relatively straightforward and can help students consider the learning and living environment they prefer.
Universities within the same category can still differ considerably. Even institutions with similar enrolments may differ substantially in program offerings, research focus, campus locations and student needs. Students will need to look more closely at the particular programs they want to study.
Large, Mid-Size and Small describe enrolment; the categories do not form a hierarchy of quality. Nor does a small university guarantee small classes in every course. Class size should be checked by discipline, year of study and course format. Total enrolment provides only part of the picture.
When comparing rankings across years, retain both the edition and its category label, such as “Maclean’s 2026: Primarily Undergraduate” and “Maclean’s 2027: Mid-Size.” A change in peer group or methodology affects how a ranking should be interpreted. A difference in position alone is not enough to conclude that a university has improved or declined.
For students preparing undergraduate applications, these rankings can help establish an initial shortlist. Program content, internship opportunities, costs, housing and learning support can then help narrow the options to those that best suit the student.
Compiled on 14 October 2026 from the text and ranking tables in Maclean’s three 2027 university lists. All published ties have been preserved.