2025 Complete University Guide: See how Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and Harper Adams ranked in latest league tables

The Complete University Guide has released its league tables ranking the UK's universities, overall and in 74 subject areas, with 11 West Midlands universities among 130 universities in total.

The main league table was based on 10 metrics: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, academic services spend, spending on student facilities, continuation, student-staff ratio and graduate prospects, including outcomes and graduate prospects.

The University of Warwick took the top spot for universities in the West Midlands and was ranked ninth in the UK, a rise of one place from last year.

Two Birmingham universities took up second and third on the West Midlands list, with University of Birmingham ranked 14th nationally, a drop of one place, and Aston University in 44th nationally, a drop of five places.

Harper Adams University near Newport in Shropshire was fourth on the regional list and 47th nationally, a drop of 14 places, while Keele University was sixth regionally and had dropped seven places nationally to 68th place.

Staffordshire University was ranked eighth in the West Midlands, and had risen two places to 93rd nationally, with the University of Wolverhampton also rising three places nationally to 108th place, just below Birmingham City University in 102nd place, a drop of 10 places, and Birmingham Newman University in 124th place.

Within the West Midlands were pockets of subject-level excellence, with Aston University ranking fifth nationally for Building, while Keele University was seventh in the UK for Forensic Science and Wolverhampton was eighth for Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies.

Harper Adams University Vice-Chancellor Professor Ken Sloan said: “This year’s rankings have seen changes for a number of specialist and smaller Universities such as ours.

“We remain the second highest ranked specialist University and are pleased to have been ranked both first in the country for facilities spend, and second in the country for our Graduate Prospects in the Guide.

“This follows on from our ninth successive win for Career Prospects at the WhatUni Student Choice awards, and from the most recent Graduate Outcomes figures, which showed we were second among universities in the UK for the proportion of graduates in full time employment, and second in the UK for those in either full-time employment or further study.”

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, chair of the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to The University of Warwick for securing the top spot in this year’s West Midlands Complete University Guide rankings and to all universities in the region for supporting their students to achieve their ambitions.

"Our methodology draws on a range of trusted, independent measures that reflect the factors students care most about, including teaching quality, student satisfaction and graduate outcomes.

“Our regional tables show the strength and quality of Higher Education throughout the UK.

"Whether making early choices or preparing for Clearing, our university and subject league tables, along with regional insights, are here to help students navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives.”

The latest Complete Universities Guide rankings revealed a dip in student continuation rates across the UK.

On average, 90 per cent of students remained on their courses a year after enrolling, down from 92 per cent the previous year, a decline that may reflect broader challenges facing students in higher education.

Simon Emmett, chief executive officer of IDP Education, said: "The rankings demonstrate the breadth of excellence in UK HE.

"We’re proud to provide main tables, subject tables and unique data sets to enable students to make the right choice for them.

"And for the sector, I hope they will be used to track and drive best practice.

"Factors such as course continuation rates and outcomes are important to students, the sustainability of the sector and the economy as a whole.”