York University and McMaster University are two of the top public research universities in Ontario. They rank at #18 and #4 in Canada respectively according to THE World University Rankings 2020.
| York University | McMaster University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.3 Out of 10 | 5.5 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 333 QS World University 2026 # 401 Times Higher Education 2026 # 362 QS World University 2025 | # 116 Times Higher Education 2026 # 173 QS World University 2026 # 116 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 501 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 551 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 63 for Law by Times Higher Education 2025 | # 176 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 41 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -59 PG Programs -41 Doctorate Programs -6 | UG Programs -69 PG Programs -47 Doctorate Programs -6 |
| Acceptance Rate | 48.0 % | 59.0 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-7 TOEFL-100 | Duolingo-120 GMAT-600 GRE-305 IELTS-6.5 PTE-60 TOEFL-86 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 24861 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 10033 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 16865 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 53040 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 17096 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 15470 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Graduate Employability Rankings (QS 2023)- #301-500
| Ranked #81 for graduation emplyment rate Salaries by degree:
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| application requirements | Supplementary Program Information Form | LOR; |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Schulich School of Business Osgoode Hall Law School | DeGroote School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 6.8/10 Read 41 reviews | 7.7/10 Read 29 reviews |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | York University | McMaster University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1959 | 1887 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 12:1:1 | 62:1:1 |
| Male:Female | 43% Male, 57% Female | 43% Male, 0% Female |
| Location Facts | Completely bilingual Gledon campus- home to Southern Ontario’s Center for Excellence for French Langauge & Bilingual Postsecondary education. Third largest university in Canada. | Located on the western end of lake Ontario, McMaster University is located in the Golden Horshoe. It is surrounded by Cootes Paradise and natural marshlands. |
| Library | Four main and one archive libraries with more than 2,500,000 volumes | McMaster University has a total of 4 libraries. There are 1.9 million print and electronic books, 86,000 print and electronic journal titles, 14,000 linear feet of archival resources combined. |
| Campus Life | 25 organized research centers | Located in the Waterfall Capital of Canada- Hamilton, the campus has McMaster Museum of Art, W.J. McCallion Planetarium, McMaster Nuclear Reactor, McMaster Hall, 16 sports clubs, Bertrand Rusell Archives, etc. |
| Hostel | #Residence/Apartment - $13800 | #Housing - $9750 |
| Famous Alumni | Lily Singh (Youtuber), Steve Maclean (astronaut), John Tory (Mayor of Toronto), Dr. Miguna Miguna (Canadian-Kenyan Author), Jack Layton (Former MP), Shawn Doyle (Actor), Navdeep Bains (Minister of innovation, science and industry), Eric Walter (Author). | Tihomir Oreškovi (11th PM of Croatia); Bertram Brockhouse (Nobel Laureate in Physics); Stephen Elop (President and CEO of Nokia Corporation); Myron Scholes (Nobel Laureate in Economics); Roberta Bondar (Canada’s first female astronaut and neurologist in space) |
| Weather |
Based on the global and national rankings, McMaster University would be the first choice among students looking for higher education in Canada. However, York University also has its own highlights. A brief discussion below might help students choose between these two Canadian universities.
Why choose McMaster University?
- McMaster University Rankings are higher for engineering & technology, life sciences, computer science, medicine, nursing.
- Admissions at McMaster University are less selective than admissions at York University with lower average scores requirements.
- Renowned for its research as it is the only university in Canada that is a part of Universitas 21 (a group of 26 research intensive universities in the world).
- Ranks #4 in Canada according to QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
- McMaster graduates earn a higher salary package than York graduates.
Why choose York University?
- Ranks higher for law, arts & humanities, accounting & finance, social sciences.
- York's Schulich School of Business (#5) ranks higher than McMaster's DeGroote School of Business (#13) in Canada according to QS Global MBA Rankings.
- Even though the average salary packages for McMaster graduates are higher, law and MBA graduates at York University earn higher.
- York University is the only university in Canada that offers a space engineering program.
Based on the above parameters, it can be noted that the choice of institution for studies in Canada between York and McMaster would depend highly on the choice of program.
