The top universities in Melbourne and Victoria
Melbourne has a reputation for being artsy and slightly alternative, with a more casual vibe than Sydney. Culturally, Melbourne has a great deal to offer: a full calendar of events such as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Fringe Festival, Writers Festival, Food and Wine Festival and Spring Fashion Week.
When it comes to sport, AFL dominates the newspapers all year, alongside cricket and to a lesser extent, rugby and soccer. The city also hosts a number of major sporting events, including the Australian Open, Spring Racing Carnival and Formula One Grand Prix.
The wide range of higher education providers in Victoria and Melbourne means that undergraduate degrees are available in just about every field and specialisation — from economics and law to acting, data analytics and animation.
Regional Victoria is traditionally known for its course offerings in agriculture, forestry and education, although students still have access to most of the study fields on offer at metropolitan campuses. Some providers and campuses offer the opportunity to access fields of study not readily available in metropolitan areas, like outdoor education, or health courses with a regional focus.
Your university experience depends on where you live and the feel of the campus you attend. Research each town thoroughly to find out what it has to offer. Regional campuses are usually smaller, which offers some advantages — the community feel means you are more likely to know many of your fellow students. Major drawcards for regional Victorian universities include a relaxing lifestyle, and proximity to some of the most beautiful areas of the state.
Where to study in Melbourne and Victoria
Universities in Victoria include:
The best universities in Melbourne and Victoria for 2022
Our ratings provide a series of insights on Australian universities, helping you in the process of deciding where to study. There is no one university that is best for all students, since different things matter to different people.
Courses and institutions differ in many ways and only you can decide which differences really matter to you. Check out the ratings for Victorian universities and filter by study level (undergraduate or postgraduate). Some ratings are also available to filter further by field of study.
In the tables below, we’ve listed the university that ranked highest in each rating category for Victoria in the 2022 edition of our ratings.
Characteristics
Rating type | Definition | Top university |
The proportion of domestic students enrolling at each university from low socioeconomic or disadvantaged backgrounds | CQ University Australia – 39% | |
The proportion of staff who hold a masters or doctoral degree | University of Wollongong — 88% | |
Where high-achieving students choose to study — compares the proportion of commencing students with high ATAR scores at each university | The University of Melbourne — Low: 0 Medium: 0.45 High: 0.55 | |
The number of students per teaching staff member | Swinburne University — 19:1 | |
The proportion of domestic students commencing a bachelor degree whose parents’ education is known and did not exceed Year 12 | Federation University — 55% |
The Student Experience
Rating type | Definition | Top university | Top university |
The proportion of students who felt they were engaged with learning in their institution | — 64.3% | — 60.7% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the learning resources provided by their institution | — 85.9% | — 83.1% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the overall quality of their educational experience | — 77.4% | Southern Cross University — 77.7% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the skill development they experienced through their studies | Australian Catholic University — 83.9% | — 83.5% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the support they received from their institution | Southern Cross University — 80.1% | University of Wollongong — 80.3% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the quality of teaching they experienced | CQ University Australia — 81.8% | Southern Cross University — 82.5% |
Graduate Outcomes
Rating type | Definition | Top university | Top university |
The median salary of graduates from different universities | CQ University Australia —$67,800 | Southern Cross University —$103,000 | |
The employment rates of graduates from different universities | Charles Sturt University — 86.3% |
Head to the Ratings tab to view our most recent ratings for Victorian universities — filter by subject and level of study to find the one that suits you.
