40 Pakistani universities have made it into the recently published QS Asia University Ranking for 2021, with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Islamabad being the best-placed Pakistani institute among 650 universities from Asia.
At 76, NUST is the only Pakistani university in the top 100 of the QS ranking. In addition to NUST, Quaid-i-Azam University, Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS), COMSATS University Islamabad and University of Engineering and Technology Lahore are among the five best Pakistani universities in the QS ranking.
QS Asia University Rankings take the following indicators into account when creating rankings per year:
- Academic reputation
- Employer reputation
- Faculty/student ratio
- International research network
- Citations per paper
- Papers per faculty
- Staff with a PhD
- Proportion of international faculty
- Proportion of international students
- Proportion of inbound exchange students
- Proportion of outbound exchange students
Complete List of Pakistani universities in QS Asia University Ranking 2021
| Sr.No | University Name | QS Asia Rank |
| 1. | National University of Sciences And Technology (NUST) Islamabad | 76 |
| 2. | Quaid-i-Azam University | 106 |
| 3. | Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) | 121 |
| 4. | COMSATS University Islamabad | 146 |
| 5. | University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Lahore | 175 |
| 6. | Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) | 176 |
| 7. | University of the Punjab | =178 |
| 8. | University of Peshawar | 217 |
| 9. | Aga Khan University | 231 |
| 10. | University of Agriculture, Faisalabad | 244 |
| 11. | University of Karachi | 281-290 |
| 12. | University of Lahore | 301-350 |
| 13. | Air University Pakistan | 351-400 |
| 14. | Arid Agriculture University | 351-400 |
| 15. | Bahauddin Zakariya University | 351-400 |
| 16. | Institute of Space Technology | 351-400 |
| 17. | International Islamic University, Islamabad | 351-400 |
| 18. | Mehran University of Engineering & Technology | 351-400 |
| 19. | National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES) | 351-400 |
| 20. | NED University of Engineering and Technology | 351-400 |
| 21. | Dow University of Health Sciences | 401-450 |
| 22. | Bahria University, Islamabad. Pakistan | 451-500 |
| 23. | Government College University Lahore | 451-500 |
| 24. | Riphah International University | 451-500 |
| 25. | University of Central Punjab | 451-500 |
| 26. | University of Malakand, Chakdara | 451-500 |
| 27. | University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore | 451-500 |
| 28. | Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan | 501-550 |
| 29. | Iqra University | 501-550 |
| 30. | The Islamia University of Bahawalpur | 501-550 |
| 31. | University of Management and Technology | 501-550 |
| 32. | University of Sargodha | 501-550 |
| 33. | University of Sindh, Jamshoro | 501-550 |
| 34. | Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) | 550-600 |
| 35. | Government College University, Faisalabad | 550-600 |
| 36. | National Textile University Faisalabad | 550-600 |
| 37. | Ziauddin University | 550-600 |
| 38. | Foundation University Islamabad | 601+ |
| 39. | Islamia College Peshawar | 601+ |
| 40. | Lahore College for Women University | 601+ |
