The young program places in the world’s top 150 and ranks third in Greater China

SHANGHAI, September 18, 2026 — NYU Shanghai Sociology has entered the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) for the first time, placing in the 101–150 band worldwide in the 2026 ranking released by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy.

The result makes NYU Shanghai the highest-ranked university for Sociology in mainland China, ahead of Peking University. Across Greater China, NYU Shanghai ranks third, behind only the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The achievement is particularly notable given the program’s size and history. Sociology at NYU Shanghai has grown from two faculty members in 2021 to five in 2025, making it substantially smaller and younger than many of the departments included in the ranking.

“This recognition reflects the sustained scholarly productivity of a small but exceptionally accomplished faculty,” said Xiaogang Wu, Area Head of Social Sciences and Yufeng Global Professor of Social Science at NYU Shanghai. “It speaks to the quality of the colleagues we have recruited, the strength of the research environment the University has created, and the support provided through its investment in faculty, research infrastructure, and CASER.”

The GRAS Sociology ranking evaluates universities primarily through research-based indicators, including scholarly output, high-impact research, international collaboration, and publication in leading journals. Drawing on Web of Science and InCites data, the 2026 ranking covers publications from 2021 through 2025. Institutions must meet a minimum publication threshold to be considered, and the methodology does not adjust publication output for faculty size.

NYU Shanghai’s performance was especially strong in the World-Class Faculty indicator, in which it received the highest score among universities in Greater China. For Sociology, this indicator recognizes publications in four leading journals: the American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, Social Forces, and Sociology. NYU Shanghai faculty have published in three of the four—AJS, ASR, and, on multiple occasions, Social Forces.

The result also highlights Sociology as an area of strength across NYU’s global network. New York University ranks No. 7 worldwide, while NYU Abu Dhabi appears in the 201–300 band. Sociology is therefore represented in the global ranking at all three of NYU’s degree-granting campuses.

“This is a distinctive achievement for the Global Network University,” Wu said. “I am grateful to the University’s leadership for its continued support of the social sciences and to my Sociology colleagues, whose outstanding scholarship is ultimately what this ranking recognizes. I hope this milestone will be followed by the inclusion of more NYU Shanghai academic subjects in future global rankings.”

The Global Ranking of Academic Subjects is published annually by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. View the 2026 Sociology results.