Rankings · enrolment 2023 · QS 2025

Australian University Rankings

All 39 TEQSA-registered higher-education providers, ranked three ways: by enrolment, by QS World University Rank 2025, and by university group. Enrolment is a headcount, not a quality score.

Largest
RMIT University
Top QS
#13
Universities
39
Students
1,461,000

The short answer

RMIT University is the largest of 39 TEQSA-registered universities at 91,000 students; University of Melbourne leads the QS 2025 board at #13 with 53,000 students. Enrolment and QS do not share a winner. The 8 Group of Eight members enrol 409,500 between them.

91,000
RMIT University enrolment (largest, 2023)
#13
University of Melbourne QS 2025 (best published rank)
8
Group of Eight members
409,500
Go8 combined enrolment

According to the Department of Education 2023 higher-education statistics and QS World University Rankings 2025 (May 2026 corpus). Enrolment is a headcount, not a quality score.

Size mix · universities.enrolment

How 39 providers split by enrolment headcount band

Exclusive bands on the live enrolment column; parts sum to the ranked set. Orthogonal to the QS and group boards below. Source: Department of Education 2023 higher-education statistics.

According to the Department of Education 2023 higher-education statistics, RMIT University enrolled 91,000 students, the largest of 39 TEQSA-registered universities on this board. QS World University Rankings 2025 place the University of Melbourne at 13. See the methodology. Enrolment is a headcount, not a quality score. Corpus dated May 2026.

Top 10 by enrolment

University Students
  1. 1 RMIT University VIC 91,000
  2. 2 Monash University VIC 86,000
  3. 3 University of Sydney NSW 74,000
  4. 4 University of New South Wales NSW 67,000
  5. 5 Deakin University VIC 62,000
  6. 6 Curtin University WA 58,000
  7. 7 University of Queensland QLD 55,000
  8. 8 University of Melbourne VIC 53,000
  9. 9 Queensland University of Technology QLD 52,000
  10. 10 Griffith University QLD 50,000

The bar to make this top-10 list

Where Griffith University, the #10 cutoff, sits among all 39 TEQSA-registered universities by enrolment.

Griffith University vs every TEQSA-registered university by enrolment

2023 Department of Education higher-education statistics

50,000 Top 26% highest Higher than 74% of 38 other universities

Griffith University (#10 cutoff)

TEQSA-registered universities, equal-width bands

Each bar spans 10,000. Taller bars contain more universities; the dashed marker locates this university. Hover, focus or tap a bar for its exact count and share.

Source Department of Education 2023 higher-education statistics · 2026-05-20

Does enrolment #1 mean QS #1?

Each dot is one of the 39 profiled universities with both figures, placed by total enrolment and relative QS standing (higher = better rank). The highlighted dot is RMIT University, the largest by enrolment.

Large and eliteSmall and eliteLarge, lower-rankedSmall, lower-ranked17523962.54775071537.5953250233.1466.2699.3932.4Total enrolmentRelative QS standing (higher = better)Australian Catholic …, Total enrolment: 33000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 311Australian National …, Total enrolment: 21500 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 871Bond University, Total enrolment: 4500 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 431Charles Darwin Unive…, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 101Charles Sturt Univer…, Total enrolment: 34000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 201CQUniversity, Total enrolment: 31000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 301Curtin University, Total enrolment: 58000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 727Deakin University, Total enrolment: 62000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 704Edith Cowan University, Total enrolment: 30000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 369Federation Universit…, Total enrolment: 20000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 101Flinders University, Total enrolment: 26000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 521Griffith University, Total enrolment: 50000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 611James Cook University, Total enrolment: 21000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 486La Trobe University, Total enrolment: 38000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 684Macquarie University, Total enrolment: 45000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 771Monash University, Total enrolment: 86000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 864Murdoch University, Total enrolment: 24000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 470Queensland Universit…, Total enrolment: 52000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 712RMIT University, Total enrolment: 91000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 778Southern Cross Unive…, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 51Swinburne University…, Total enrolment: 32000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 616University of Adelaide, Total enrolment: 28000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 819University of Canberra, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 480University of Melbou…, Total enrolment: 53000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 888University of New En…, Total enrolment: 22000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 151University of New So…, Total enrolment: 67000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 882University of Newcas…, Total enrolment: 38000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 728University of Notre …, Total enrolment: 12000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 50University of Queens…, Total enrolment: 55000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 861University of South …, Total enrolment: 37000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 575University of Southe…, Total enrolment: 26000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 201University of Sydney, Total enrolment: 74000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 883University of Tasmania, Total enrolment: 28000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 588University of Techno…, Total enrolment: 46000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 813University of the Su…, Total enrolment: 18000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 1University of Wester…, Total enrolment: 25000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 824University of Wollon…, Total enrolment: 33000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 734Victoria University, Total enrolment: 40000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 141Western Sydney Unive…, Total enrolment: 49000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 509
RMIT University enrols the most students (91,000), but University of Melbourne holds the #1 QS World Ranking placement -- two different winners. The crosshair marks the corpus median on both axes -- across this dataset, larger enrolment is moderately associated with a stronger QS ranking, but not absolutely: several smaller universities still out-rank larger ones.
Read the chart as text
  • Australian Catholic …: Total enrolment 33000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 311
  • Australian National …: Total enrolment 21500, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 871
  • Bond University: Total enrolment 4500, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 431
  • Charles Darwin Unive…: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 101
  • Charles Sturt Univer…: Total enrolment 34000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 201
  • CQUniversity: Total enrolment 31000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 301
  • Curtin University: Total enrolment 58000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 727
  • Deakin University: Total enrolment 62000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 704
  • Edith Cowan University: Total enrolment 30000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 369
  • Federation Universit…: Total enrolment 20000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 101
  • Flinders University: Total enrolment 26000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 521
  • Griffith University: Total enrolment 50000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 611
  • James Cook University: Total enrolment 21000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 486
  • La Trobe University: Total enrolment 38000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 684
  • Macquarie University: Total enrolment 45000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 771
  • Monash University: Total enrolment 86000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 864
  • Murdoch University: Total enrolment 24000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 470
  • Queensland Universit…: Total enrolment 52000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 712
  • RMIT University: Total enrolment 91000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 778
  • Southern Cross Unive…: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 51
  • Swinburne University…: Total enrolment 32000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 616
  • University of Adelaide: Total enrolment 28000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 819
  • University of Canberra: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 480
  • University of Melbou…: Total enrolment 53000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 888
  • University of New En…: Total enrolment 22000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 151
  • University of New So…: Total enrolment 67000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 882
  • University of Newcas…: Total enrolment 38000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 728
  • University of Notre …: Total enrolment 12000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 50
  • University of Queens…: Total enrolment 55000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 861
  • University of South …: Total enrolment 37000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 575
  • University of Southe…: Total enrolment 26000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 201
  • University of Sydney: Total enrolment 74000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 883
  • University of Tasmania: Total enrolment 28000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 588
  • University of Techno…: Total enrolment 46000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 813
  • University of the Su…: Total enrolment 18000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 1
  • University of Wester…: Total enrolment 25000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 824
  • University of Wollon…: Total enrolment 33000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 734
  • Victoria University: Total enrolment 40000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 141
  • Western Sydney Unive…: Total enrolment 49000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 509

Top 10 by QS World University Rank 2025

University QS rank
  1. 1 University of Melbourne VIC · Go8 #13
  2. 2 University of Sydney NSW · Go8 #18
  3. 3 University of New South Wales NSW · Go8 #19
  4. 4 Australian National University ACT · Go8 #30
  5. 5 Monash University VIC · Go8 #37
  6. 6 University of Queensland QLD · Go8 #40
  7. 7 University of Western Australia WA · Go8 #77
  8. 8 University of Adelaide SA · Go8 #82
  9. 9 University of Technology Sydney NSW · ATN #88
  10. 10 RMIT University VIC · ATN #123

By university group

Five informal groupings divide Australian universities. Group of Eight is the research-intensive cluster. ATN clusters technology-focused metropolitan institutions. IRU is a research-collaborative network. RUN covers regional providers prioritising access. The remaining institutions are independent or specialist. Ranked here by combined 2023 enrolment, not by prestige.

Group Students
  1. 1 Group of Eight 8 members · avg QS 40 409,500
  2. 2 Independent / other public 13 members · avg QS 430 408,500
  3. 3 Australian Technology Network 5 members · avg QS 180 284,000
  4. 4 Innovative Research Universities 7 members · avg QS 418 225,000
  5. 5 Regional Universities Network 6 members · avg QS 767 134,000

All universities ranked by enrolment

The complete list of TEQSA-registered Australian universities, ordered by 2023 enrolment. Click any institution to see its enrolment, QS rank, founding date, group membership, and indicative HECS-HELP costs across representative degree programs.

  1. RMIT University - VIC, 91,000 students
  2. Monash University - VIC, 86,000 students
  3. University of Sydney - NSW, 74,000 students
  4. University of New South Wales - NSW, 67,000 students
  5. Deakin University - VIC, 62,000 students
  6. Curtin University - WA, 58,000 students
  7. University of Queensland - QLD, 55,000 students
  8. University of Melbourne - VIC, 53,000 students
  9. Queensland University of Technology - QLD, 52,000 students
  10. Griffith University - QLD, 50,000 students
  11. Western Sydney University - NSW, 49,000 students
  12. University of Technology Sydney - NSW, 46,000 students
  13. Macquarie University - NSW, 45,000 students
  14. Victoria University - VIC, 40,000 students
  15. La Trobe University - VIC, 38,000 students
  16. University of Newcastle - NSW, 38,000 students
  17. University of South Australia - SA, 37,000 students
  18. Charles Sturt University - NSW, 34,000 students
  19. Australian Catholic University - NSW, 33,000 students
  20. University of Wollongong - NSW, 33,000 students
  21. Swinburne University of Technology - VIC, 32,000 students
  22. CQUniversity - QLD, 31,000 students
  23. Edith Cowan University - WA, 30,000 students
  24. University of Adelaide - SA, 28,000 students
  25. University of Tasmania - TAS, 28,000 students
  26. Flinders University - SA, 26,000 students
  27. University of Southern Queensland - QLD, 26,000 students
  28. University of Western Australia - WA, 25,000 students
  29. Murdoch University - WA, 24,000 students
  30. University of New England - NSW, 22,000 students
  31. Australian National University - ACT, 21,500 students
  32. James Cook University - QLD, 21,000 students
  33. Federation University Australia - VIC, 20,000 students
  34. University of the Sunshine Coast - QLD, 18,000 students
  35. Charles Darwin University - NT, 17,000 students
  36. Southern Cross University - NSW, 17,000 students
  37. University of Canberra - ACT, 17,000 students
  38. University of Notre Dame Australia - WA, 12,000 students
  39. Bond University - QLD, 4,500 students

Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds QS World University Rankings 2025 · 2024 Enrolment data from Department of Education higher-education statistics 2023 release.

Download the HECS and university extract cited on this page: hecs-university-statistics.csv (CC BY 4.0).

This page identifies the source records and data vintage used for its figures. The enrolment and QS ranking boards on this page are rendered from the Department of Education release and the published QS ranking fields, so enrolment is never presented as a measure of quality. Nothing here is financial advice; for any decision that matters, follow the primary source and consult a qualified professional (see our disclaimer). See also our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-20.