Updated at: 28-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

With over 130 million people, Mexico easily surpasses all other Spanish-speaking countries in terms of population. Although it is geographically located in North America (sharing borders with Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas), it has maintained a distinct Latin American culture and history all its own.

Chichén Itzá, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the Mayan temples of Palenque, and the pyramids of Teotihuacán are just a few of the many pre-Hispanic civilizations and archaeological monuments that can be visited in Mexico, which is home to 34 Unesco Heritage Sites. The country’s cultural vitality and creative energy are well represented in the numerous museums and galleries that line its streets. Many of the colonial buildings date back to Spain’s 300-year rule and have been meticulously preserved.

Its stunning and varied landscape attracts tourists from all over the world, thanks to its 10,000 kilometers of unspoiled coastline, lush rainforests, arid desert, and rugged mountains. The country’s traditional folk music, mariachi, is also well-known internationally.

Mexico is quickly becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, and is already the region’s second-largest economic power after Brazil. It is an attractive and exciting option for higher education due to its convenient public transportation, developing higher education system, and lively capital city.

The top Mexican educational institutions are listed below.

Best Universities In Mexico

Best universities in mexico

Universidad Anahuac

The faculty/student ratio at Universidad Anahuac is third best in Mexico, and the school’s reputation among employers places it in the top ten in both the QS Mexico University Rankings and the QS World University Rankings® 2019. Anahuac University, a private institution with two campuses in the western and southern suburbs of Mexico City, respectively, joined the Anahuac University Network in 2016.

Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL)

One of Mexico’s largest public universities, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL) is ranked eighth in Mexico and 801-1000 worldwide. It has a total of seven campuses and is home to approximately 153,000 students from across northeastern Mexico. Students at UANL have access to a wide variety of first-rate resources, including 84 libraries housing over 2 million books, 37 research centers, and 25 student computer centers.

Instituto Tecnológico Autonomo de México (ITAM)

Back in Mexico City, the private Instituto Tecnológico Autonomo de México (ITAM) holds the sixth spot in the new Mexico ranking and the 651-700th spot in the global rankings. ITAM is one of the most influential think tanks in the country, and it ranks third in terms of employer reputation and the percentage of its employees who hold doctoral degrees.

Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM)

The next school on our list of the best in Mexico in 2019 is the public Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), which comes in at number four on the national list and somewhere between 751 and 800 globally. More than ten years ago, in 1974, UAM pioneered the first bachelor’s degree program in environmental engineering in Mexico. UAM is ranked in the top 100 worldwide for art & design and is featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018 for a total of six subjects.

Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)

Although its main campus is in Monterrey, Mexico, ITESM is actually a private university with locations in 31 different cities across Mexico. It is currently ranked 199th in the world, up seven spots from last year. Established in 1943, ITESM has earned a stellar reputation among post-graduation employment providers. Also, its business school is highly regarded, as it is among the top 50 in the world according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject for 2017.

Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN)

The National Polytechnic Institute (Instituto Politécnico Nacional, or IPN) was founded in 1936 and is now one of the largest public universities in Mexico. We ranked it as the third-best school in Mexico. About 171,581 students are enrolled at the university, including those in high school, college, and graduate programs.

The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States mandates that IPN be established to “consolidate, through education, the Economic, Scientific, Technological, Cultural, and Political Independence of the Nation in order to achieve the social progress of the Nation,” in line with the goals of the Mexican Revolution as outlined in the document’s preamble.

The Institute’s core offerings include 80 bachelor’s degree programs that can be completed in four or five years and 135 master’s and doctoral degree programs that can be completed in anywhere from one to six years.

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP)

The Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla), founded in 1587, is Puebla, Mexico’s oldest and largest university. We ranked it as the fourth-best school in Mexico.

Originally founded as Colegio del Espritu Santo and supported by the Society of Jesus throughout the Spanish colonial period, the institution transitioned to public status in 1825, first as a college, and then as a university, in 1937.

Inclusion, equality, and outreach are all bolstered by academic inquiry and the dissemination of new knowledge. One of the 105 institutions taking part in CERN’s Alice Experiment at the moment.

The state of Puebla is home to many BUAP campuses. Among Puebla’s four major districts are the University District (home to the physical sciences departments) and the Health District (home to the medical and nursing schools). There are also three largely independent “foreign academic units,” nine regional sections, and six high schools.

There are 77 different majors available to undergrads at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, as well as two associate degrees (Técnico Superior Universitario and Associate in Music). There are a total of 14 graduate concentrations, 55 master’s degrees, and 18 doctoral degrees available.

Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM)

Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM)

With its main campus in Toluca, the capital of Mexico State, UAEM serves a student body of roughly 84,600. Its roots go all the way back to 1828, but its modern incarnation didn’t begin until 1956. Five out of five stars were awarded for UAEM’s welcoming environment by QS Stars.

Monterrey Institute of Technology

With over 90,000 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, the Monterrey Institute of Technology is one of the largest private, non-sectarian, and co-educational campus universities in Latin America. It was founded in 1943 by a group of local businessmen.

The institute, with headquarters in Monterrey, has branches in 25 different cities throughout Mexico. As well as having the most patent applications of any Mexican university, this one is well-known for being the first university in Latin America and the Spanish-speaking world to connect to the internet.

The Cervantean Library houses a number of notable works, including the first edition of L’Encyclopédie and the Mario Pani Archives, as well as one of the largest collections of Don Quixote incunabula (early printed books).

Many influential members of Latin America’s business community and former Mexican president Enrique Pea Nieto are among the institution’s many notable alums.

National Autonomous University of Mexico

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is the largest and oldest university in Latin America, having been founded in 1551. It operates multiple campuses in Mexico City and elsewhere in the country, in addition to four campuses in the United States and Canada (in San Antonio, Chicago, and Hull).

Numerous high-quality academic publications and patents are produced across a range of fields, from robotics to human-computer interaction. The Centre for Applied Sciences and Technological Development is one of many top-notch research facilities located there; it seeks to apply scientific knowledge to pressing societal issues.

The main campus of UNAM, which was designed by some of Mexico’s best architects, has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Famous Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros have contributed murals to the building.

It has spawned six Mexican presidents, including the country’s current leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as well as numerous illustrious journalists, politicians, and philosophers, including three Nobel laureates: Alfonso Garca Robles (peace), Octavio Paz (literature), and Mario Molina (chemistry).

The Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexicco University (UNAM)

The Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexicco University (UNAM)

The University of the National Autonomous Mexico (UNAM) is the largest and most prestigious of Mexico’s higher education institutions. It is ranked #113 among the world’s most prestigious universities. The University of Mexico has received top marks for best environment, teaching effectiveness, educational quality, and career development services. More than 400,000 students are enrolled at this institution, which was founded in 1910. It is speculated that this university’s main campus has been chosen as a heritage site by UNESCO. University-style presentations of both architecture and contemporary art.

Ractoria General Universidad nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM)

Among the top nine educational institutions in Mexico, this one ranks third. Zara, Mexico is home to the public Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). It has some of the most creative, innovative, and hard-working students of any university in Latin America. The university receives tens of thousands of applications every year because of its reputation for being secular and welcoming to students of all backgrounds. Its doors first opened on September 21, 1551, but then closed for unknown reasons, only to reopen on September 22, 1910. There is no larger campus than that of this university. Scientists from every academic discipline conduct research here. This university can boast a long list of Nobel laureates among its alumni.

Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA)

The Society of Jesus finances Universidad Iberoamericana (or UIA for short), a reputable private university in Mexico. UEA was recognized as Mexico’s top private university by the SEP-ANUIES in 2009. According to the QS World University Rankings, it is positioned at No. 701 worldwide and No. 7 in Mexico. On March 7, 1943, the foundation of this university was laid. Universidad Iberoamericana opened two campuses in Tijuana in 1982, one of which was rented out to La Paz College. The Civil Hospital eventually moved into the rented building. There are only nine universities in Mexico that can compete with this one.

Initially, this university only offered programs in the fields of architecture, graphic design, and law. Faculty of Arts, Religious Sciences, Department of Social and Political Science, Department of Economics, Department of Philosophy, Department of Management and Public Accounts, Department of International Studies, Department of Chemical Engineering and Science, Department of Physics and Mathematics, and so on and so forth, each with thousands of students enrolled each year.

Universidad de Las Americas Puebla

The University of San Andrés Puebla (UDLAP) is a large private university in Mexico. Programs in economics, finance, the arts, and the social sciences are particularly well-respected at UDLAP institutions. It is widely regarded as one of Latin America’s finest educational institutions. The Mexican newspaper Universal has named it the country’s top private university and its largest in terms of campus size. This institution is one of Latin America’s seven largest and best-accredited educational institutions. This institution offers programs for students from all over the world. They’ve helped more than 300 educational institutions across 30 countries. UDLAP University is also the best in terms of athletic achievement. Many records have been broken by this university’s team at the Mexican National Games. Among Mexico’s top universities, this one has been singled out for special recognition.

FAQs

How Many Universities And Colleges Are There In Mexico?

The Mexican university system has developed rapidly over the years. Government statistics show that the number of Mexicans enrolling in universities has increased by more than 100% since the late 1990s.

The number of postsecondary students has increased from 125,000 in 1997/98 to more than 3.9 million in 2016/17, as reported by World Education News Reviews (WENR). Gains in enrollment are concentrated in Mexico’s more affluent states, as is the case throughout the country’s educational system. Chiapas’s tertiary enrollment ratio, for instance, is 60 percent lower than that of Mexico City’s.

According to WENR, Mexico is home to over 3,800 degree-granting HEIs and over 7,400 interconnected educational facilities.

In addition, the number of private providers has grown to greatly outnumber the number of public ones in recent years.

Unlike in other Latin American countries, however, the vast majority of students enroll in public schools. To give just one example, in Chile, private institutions attract more students than public ones.

This is because larger public HEIs and state/federal institutions in Mexico have increased their capacity slightly more quickly than smaller private HEIs.

The percentage of tertiary students attending private institutions fell to 30% in 2017/18 from 33% in 2009, while 70% continued their education at public HEIs. Thirty-six percent of college students attend privately-run schools, compared to 21 percent at public universities and 13 percent at public universities with federal funding.

Is Mexico’s Degree valid in the United States?

A degree earned in Mexico is fully recognized in the United States, and degrees earned in other countries are also recognized. You can get any job in the United States if you have a Mexican degree; however, you will need to provide proof of study and your degree.

Conclusion

The top Mexican educational institutions are discussed here. These top Mexican universities are among the world’s finest, producing leaders in science, social science, the humanities, sports economics, business, and countless other disciplines. Numerous studies in science, technology, engineering, and psychology have been conducted at American universities. I trust that this article has provided you with a comprehensive overview of the best educational institutions in Mexico.