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Cardiff University is a well-regarded public research university in Cardiff, Wales, in the Cardiff metropolitan area. It is a large research university with about 33,000 students, with 24,450 of them being undergraduates. Admissions are competitive, with an estimated acceptance rate of about 20%. The most popular majors are Biology, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Psychology, and Political Science. The six-year graduation rate is excellent, and Cardiff grads have a median starting salary of around INR 64,00,000 (approximately converted from ~$76,800 median salaries a decade after graduation).
Cardiff Metropolitan University is another well-regarded public university located in Cardiff, Wales, providing a more vocational and industry-oriented education. It is a mid-sized school with approximately 11,000 students. The admissions are relatively competitive, with an acceptance rate of about 64%. Popular majors are Business, Art & Design, Engineering, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is average, and Cardiff Met graduates command a median starting salary of about INR 48,00,000 (converted from ~$57,600 median earnings ten years after graduation).
| Cardiff University | Cardiff Metropolitan University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 5.2 Out of 10 | 4 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 37 The Guardian 2026 # 181 QS World University 2026 # 201 Times Higher Education 2026 | # 87 The Guardian 2026 # 1001 Times Higher Education 2026 # 1001 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 201 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 155 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 51 for Law by The Guardian 2026 | # 1001 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2023 # 907 for Medicine by US News 2022 # 52 for Law by The Guardian 2026 |
| Programs | UG Programs -225 PG Programs -163 Doctorate Programs -139 | UG Programs -59 PG Programs -58 |
| Acceptance Rate | 20.0 % | 64.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-570 IELTS-7 PTE-70 TOEFL-90 | IELTS-6 PTE-59 SAT-1100 TOEFL-83 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 25288 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28974 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 8670 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 15314.4 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 16417.7 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 713 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | 96% of Cardiff University graduates receive full-time employment within 15 months of their graduation. Top companies: Accenture, Google, HSBC, JLL, Deloitte, KPMG, BBC, Pfizer, Unilever, Jacobs, IBM, etc.
| Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Masters in Science: $50,000 MBA: $37,000 Masters in Finance: $34,000 Masters in Management: $33,000 Bachelor of Arts: $32,000 Bachelor of Science: $29,000 |
| application requirements | Submit official transcripts Submit English language proficiency Check program specific requirements | Submit official transcripts Submit English language proficiency scores Check program specific requirements |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.0/10 Read 20 reviews | 7.8/10 Read 4 reviews |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Cardiff University | Cardiff Metropolitan University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1883 | 1996 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 18:1 |
| Male:Female | 42% Male, 58% Female | 45% Male, 55% Female |
| Location Facts | Cardiff is located on the coast of South Wales and is easy to reach from many places in the UK and overseas. Cardiff is an accessible city, benefiting from excellent road, rail, and air communications. Using the high-speed train service, London is reached in approximately two hours. | University has three locations: Llandaff campus, Cyncoed campus and Plas Gwyn residential campus. |
| Library | Cardiff’s libraries hold over 1.1 million printed books and provide access to more than 1.5 million online books, journals, and resources. 10 separate libraries spread throughout both campuses. Some libraries and IT rooms are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Specialist libraries include architecture, health and journalism. 100,000 rare items, several of which can be viewed on a 40" 3D touch-screen and turning pages software. | Library provides access to various resources like e-books, publications, journals, research papers, databases etc. |
| Campus Life | Cardiff University is made up of two large, well-located campuses. Over 90 languages are spoken here. Cardiff University Students' Union supports over 200 student societies and 60 sports clubs with more than 10,000 members. | A busy campus that has benefitted from millions of pounds worth of recent investment in learning, teaching and social spaces; offering excellent sporting facilities, on-site shop, and places to eat. The campus is located approximately 2 miles from the centre of Cardiff, surrounded by parks, playing fields and the historic village of Llandaff. The Plas Gwyn accommodation campus is close by. Cardiff Met has established itself as one of the leading universities for sport in the UK. University offers a unique performance environment, focused on ensuring you achieve both your sporting and academic aspirations, setting the foundations for your future.Whether you want to live in Cardiff Met halls, or need help finding a place to live, the dedicated accommodation team will help. Offering an award-winning Res Life community, the team aims to make living in halls one of the best experiences of your university life. The student union supports the students in enjoying activities including sports, societies, workshops, volunteering and more. The student union aims to make your student experience with us as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible. |
| Hostel | #Rooms - $6720 | #Room Rent - $561 |
| Famous Alumni | Gwilym Lee (British actor), Susanna Reid (English television presenter and journalist), Alice May Roberts (English biological anthropologist, biologist, television presenter, and author), Barham Salih (Iraqi politician of Kurdish origin), Vedhika Kumar (Indian actress), Susmita Bhattacharya (Writer, Poet), Sir Karl Jenkins (Composer and Musician). | Blandina Khondowe, actor and activist Rory Burns, international cricketer Chris Elmore, Member of the UK Parliament |
| City Life | Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is a lively and student-friendly city. 2nd friendliest city in the UK and the top 5 most welcoming cities in the UK. There is a lot on offer whether students are looking for culture, outdoor activities, shopping, or great nightlife and the city has the added bonus that almost everything is within walking distance. Top Companies: Delloite, Amazon, Tesco, NHS, PwC, Starbucks, and many more. | As the Welsh capital, Cardiff plays host to a wide variety of events. From major sporting fixtures such as the UEFA Champions League Final, Six Nations Rugby, championship boxing and WWE (arriving this September), to major theatre productions, big-name touring comedy acts, and musicians. Top this off with a variety of quirkier events such as music concerts at Cardiff Castle, street food festivals, pop-ups, and secret cinemas, and you’ll find that there’s always something different to do here. Cardiff’s big city attitude combined with its small city benefits make it the ideal place to live, work and study. |
Cardiff University vs Cardiff Metropolitan University
Subject Strength & World Rankings (2025/2026)
Cardiff University is on ranking scales to be arguably the best public research university in Wales and the UK and has always been rated considerably higher in the world systems than Cardiff Metropolitan. Cardiff University is more prominent with QS World University Rankings 2026 at approximately #181; while Cardiff Met sits in the #1001–1200 group. As reported by Times Higher Education Cardiff University, be it scores based on its reputation worldwide, is much stronger than Cardiff Met, which is better recognised for its vocational and applied strengths.
In certain subjects, Cardiff University ranks strongly when measured on world rankings in engineering, medicine, law, and business in the top 150 – 200 internationally. Cardiff Met, being less research-focused, is very strong in Education, Sports Science, and Art and Design, and Hospitality and Product Design areas when measured against world ranking statistics relevant to those fields. The consistent breadth of study and also of research outputs distinguishes Cardiff University clearly in traditional disciplines where Cardiff Met has similar success in practical, career-based futures.
General Information
Cardiff University established in 1883, is a massive public research university with over 31,000 students ( information which is dependent on International students). As of Cardiff University having just over 7,500 international students, it can record more than just international students and approaches its 35-40% equivalent of students being from overseas. The intertwined Cathays Park and Heath Park campuses spread throughout the city and have an energetic and diverse academic culture. Cardiff Metropolitan University (formerly UWIC), has approximately 11,000 students (like for like information with International students). Like Cardiff Met claims there are 1200 international students who form part of the mentioned number of students from 143 differing countries.
Acceptance Rate and admissions
Cardiff University has a relatively restrictive acceptance rate at about 20% acceptance. Cardiff University has rigorous entry standards and strict program specifications. Cardiff Metropolitan University is less restrictive and has an acceptance range of 64-86%, depending on the program5. Cardiff University runs a wider range of graduate programs that lead to research-related degrees whereas, Cardiff Met programs specialize in industry-related applied degrees, and experiential based degrees, particularly in business, sport, and design.
Research Impact and Facilities
Cardiff University is a member of the Russell Group and noted for having a highly regarded world-leading research output in biomedicine, engineering, and social sciences. The university provides 225 undergraduate, 163 postgraduate, and 139 doctoral programs, and benefits from its large libraries, labs and innovation centers.
Cardiff Metropolitan University has made good progress in applied research, noting that 70% of its REF 2021 submission was rated internationally excellent (or higher). It includes specialist research centers, collaborative workspaces, and industry partnerships, notably in health, design, and education. Cardiff University has the edge in pure research, while Cardiff Met is interested in real world impact and innovation.
Costs & Financial Aid
Cardiff University has an average cost of study of £25,288/year for undergraduate students, and £28,974/year for new master's or doctoral students, as well as accommodation and food costing £8,670/year. Cardiff Met is a less expensive option, with an average undergraduate cost of about £15,314/year and master's or doctoral students around £16,417/year, plus accommodation fees costing £713/year.
Both universities offer funding and scholarships for students to apply to even for an average cost of educational materials for students. Cardiff University has a bigger endowment and more competitive funding for international students, so it is a more attractive option. Cardiff Met offers payment plans and budgeting assistance in a way that appeals to price-conscious applicants, even if they don't have immense funding.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Cardiff University is a leader with a 96% employability mentions after 15 months. Their alumni have recruited from top organizations, including Google, Deloitte, BBC, Pfizer and IBM. Their alumni median salary after graduation varies in job from a low of $62,000 to a high of $142,000 depending on their course completed. Their graduate researchers and alumni are engaged across three primary employment sectors of the economy (academic, industrial, and government) with a noteworthy international focus.
Cardiff Met focuses on employability, evidenced by the alumni network they offer, the networking events they host, and flexible work-based learning programs. Their graduates earn an average salary range around $29,000–$37,000 towards the success they achieve as professionals in sport, education, business, and creative industries (8). Some of the high-performing alumni from Cardiff Met make their way onto the Olympic podium, start small businesses as fashion designers, or lead in national rugby leagues such as head coaches, which is an indicator of Cardiff Met's leadership in elements of sport and design.
