The University of Nairobi (UoN) has maintained its position as Kenya’s top-ranked university in the latest national rankings, while Strathmore University has emerged as one of the biggest movers after rising to second place ahead of Kenyatta University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
The latest rankings released by higher education directory UniRank evaluated 69 accredited universities and colleges across Kenya, measuring factors such as institutional visibility, digital presence, popularity and academic recognition.
According to the rankings, UoN continues to lead the country’s higher education sector, reinforcing its longstanding reputation as Kenya’s premier institution of learning.
Strathmore Records Major Rise
Strathmore University’s climb to second position represents one of the most notable shifts in the 2026 rankings.
The private institution overtook both Kenyatta University and JKUAT, highlighting growing competition among Kenya’s leading universities for students, research opportunities and international partnerships.
Kenyatta University ranked third nationally, followed by Mount Kenya University in fourth place, while JKUAT completed the top five.
Top 10 Universities in Kenya
The rankings placed the following institutions among the country’s top ten universities:
- University of Nairobi
- Strathmore University
- Kenyatta University
- Mount Kenya University
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
- United States International University–Africa (USIU-Africa)
- Moi University
- Egerton University
- Technical University of Kenya (TUK)
- Kenya Methodist University
The Catholic University of Eastern Africa ranked eleventh, followed by KCA University in twelfth position and Murang’a University in thirteenth.
Maseno University secured fourteenth place, while the University of Embu rounded out the top fifteen.
Competition Intensifies
Daystar University and Pwani University were ranked sixteenth and seventeenth respectively, while Zetech University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Tangaza University, Kabarak University, Chuka University, Kisii University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and Africa Nazarene University were among institutions placed between eighteenth and twenty-fifth positions.
Other universities featuring prominently in the rankings include Kirinyaga University, the University of Eastern Africa Baraton, Kibabii University and the Technical University of Mombasa.
Criteria Used
UniRank noted that only institutions officially accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) were considered.
To qualify, universities had to be chartered or accredited, offer recognized degree programmes and conduct learning through traditional face-to-face instruction.
The rankings come at a time when universities are increasingly competing to attract students, secure research funding and strengthen global partnerships.
Higher rankings often enhance an institution’s visibility, boost student enrollment and strengthen its appeal to international collaborators and employers.
Education analysts say the latest results underscore the growing importance of innovation, digital visibility and institutional reputation in shaping the competitiveness of Kenya’s higher education sector.
 has maintained its position as Kenya’s top-ranked university in the latest national rankings, while Strathmore University has emerged as one of the biggest movers after rising to second place ahead of Kenyatta University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).){kind=link}