By Whitney Baxter
Climbing five spots from last year, Iowa State University’s agriculture and forestry programs now rank No. 7 globally among 475 institutions, according to the 2026 QS World University Rankings. Compared to U.S. institutions offering the same programs, Iowa State ranks No. 4.
This is the 13th consecutive year Iowa State’s programs have been in the top 4% worldwide.
The QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings are a resource for students deciding which university to attend. Factors considered in the rankings include institutions’ academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper, H-index (a measurement of the impact of a scientist or scholar’s published work) and international research network.
Students see value of their CALS education
Two College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students can attest to the value of their Iowa State education and the opportunities it has opened so far in their academic journey.
Alaina Gebel, a junior in agricultural and life sciences education and global resource systems, has taken advantage of Iowa State’s international network. Her participation in the CALS Dean’s Global Agriculture and Food Leadership program in Rome, Italy, marked the start of a string of international agriculture experiences.
Gebel serves as president of the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences (IAAS) club at Iowa State.
Source : iastate.edu