NYU is ranked #9 in the USA in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability for 2025, and #52 internationally out of 1,743 participating institutions. The QS Sustainability Rankings measure an institution’s capacity to undertake the world’s greatest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges and feature nearly 1,800 universities from around the world.
There are three categories—Environmental Impact (which comprises 45% of the overall ranking), Social Impact (45%), and Governance (10%)— which impact how universities are ranked:
- Environmental Impact is focused on environmental education, research, and sustainability.
- Social Impact is focused on employability and opportunities, equality, health and well-being, impact of education, and knowledge exchange.
- Governance assesses good governance, which is a set of practices and guidelines that ensure a university is managed effectively and transparently.
NYU’s strong position in the QS sustainability rankings reflects the university’s commitment to tackling the climate crisis in a variety of ways. With new initiatives such as the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge, Sustainability Leaders Fellowship, and the Climate Change Initiative, NYU continues to advance towards climate neutrality in 2040.