Best Universities for Information Technology in the UK 2027
Coventry University tops our 2027 information technology ranking with 77 points, achieving 95% on both teaching quality and academic support. Sheffield Hallam, University of West London and Birmingham City University are all joint second with 71 points each. We ranked 21 UK universities offering dedicated IT degrees across eight metrics: graduate earnings, teaching quality, student satisfaction, academic support, safety, cost of living, social life and sustainability.
IT graduate earnings range from £24,000 (University of Huddersfield) to £40,000 (University of Manchester, 5th). Liverpool Hope University (joint 7th) achieves 100% academic support — the only institution in this field. London South Bank University (17th, last) has the lowest teaching quality at 63% and lowest academic support at 75%. University of Kent (joint 11th) produces the second-highest graduate earnings at £35,000 from a mid-table position. Birmingham City University (joint 2nd) achieves 98% academic support.
For how these universities compare across all subjects, see the Unifresher best universities overall ranking and our best universities for employability.
Information Technology University Rankings 2027
| # | University | Grad Earnings | Satisfaction | Teaching Quality | Academic Support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry University Coventry |
£30,000 | 72% | 95% | 95% | 77 |
| 2 | Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield |
£29,500 | 73% | 86% | 86% | 71 |
| 2 | University of West London London |
£27,000 | 72% | 87% | 94% | 71 |
| 2 | Birmingham City University Birmingham |
£27,500 | 69% | 95% | 98% | 71 |
| 3 | Edge Hill University Ormskirk |
£30,000 | 83% | 71% | 88% | 69 |
| 4 | University of Salford Salford |
£25,000 | 73% | 83% | 89% | 66 |
| 5 | University of Manchester Manchester |
£40,000 | 70% | 82% | 82% | 65 |
| 6 | University of Bedfordshire Luton |
£25,500 | 68% | 86% | 93% | 63 |
| 7 | Liverpool Hope University Liverpool |
£26,000 | 80% | 79% | 100% | 62 |
| 7 | University of Greenwich London |
£32,000 | 69% | 85% | 85% | 62 |
| 8 | Oxford Brookes University Oxford |
£30,000 | 74% | 78% | 88% | 61 |
| 9 | University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich |
£26,000 | 79% | 79% | 77% | 59 |
| 10 | University of Derby Derby |
£29,500 | 74% | 80% | 82% | 58 |
| 11 | University of Kent Canterbury |
£35,000 | 72% | 74% | 84% | 57 |
| 11 | Teesside University Middlesbrough |
£25,000 | 78% | 87% | 96% | 57 |
| 12 | University of Huddersfield Huddersfield |
£24,000 | 74% | 81% | 90% | 55 |
| 13 | Canterbury Christ Church University Canterbury |
£26,000 | 73% | 78% | 82% | 52 |
| 14 | University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton |
£26,500 | 71% | 92% | 92% | 52 |
| 15 | University of Hertfordshire Hertfordshire |
£27,000 | 71% | 81% | 77% | 50 |
| 16 | Middlesex University Middlesex |
£25,500 | 69% | 86% | 79% | 34 |
| 17 | London South Bank University London |
£30,000 | 68% | 63% | 75% | 30 |
What the ranking tells you about studying information technology
Information technology degrees in the UK occupy a distinct space alongside — but separate from — computer science degrees. IT programmes typically focus on systems management, networking, cybersecurity, database administration, IT project management, digital infrastructure and enterprise systems rather than software engineering or theoretical computing. This ranking covers 21 universities offering standalone IT or IT management degrees. With only 21 institutions, the variation in graduate earnings (£24,000 to £40,000) and course delivery scores (63% to 95%) is substantial and directly relevant to applicants choosing between programmes.
University of Manchester at 5th: £40,000 — the highest IT graduate earnings in the UK
University of Manchester ranks 5th with 65 points and produces IT graduates earning £40,000 — the highest in this entire ranking by £5,000 above the next-highest (University of Kent at £35,000). Manchester's IT graduates access premium technology roles in Manchester's growing digital economy and in London, benefiting from the university's strong employer connections with tech companies, financial services firms and global technology consultancies. Manchester achieves 82% on both teaching quality and academic support — solid but not leading in the field. Its 5th position rather than a higher one reflects low safety and sustainability scores alongside low student satisfaction (70%). For students aiming at the highest-earning IT roles, Manchester's earnings premium is the most significant data point in this table.
University of Kent at joint 11th: £35,000 from a mid-table position
University of Kent ranks joint 11th with 57 points but produces IT graduates earning £35,000 — the second-highest in the field. Kent's IT programme benefits from proximity to London, strong employer connections in the South East technology sector, and good placement pathways into major technology companies. Its joint 11th position reflects weaker city metrics — Kent's overall sustainability and safety scores contribute to the ranking position — rather than poor course delivery. Its 84% academic support and 74% teaching quality are both below the field average, suggesting the earnings premium at Kent comes from employer connections and placement infrastructure rather than course delivery scores.
Teesside University at joint 11th achieves 96% academic support and 87% teaching quality — both among the strongest in the field — despite joint 11th overall position. Teesside produces graduates earning £25,000 (the joint-lowest alongside Salford), which drives its mid-table position through the earnings rank. Teesside's IT programme has particular strengths in digital forensics, cybersecurity and games technology infrastructure. For students who want the strongest-measured course delivery in the lower half of the earnings range, Teesside and Birmingham City University (joint 2nd, 98% academic support) offer the best course quality relative to their overall positions.
IT degree or Computer Science: which is right for you?
The distinction matters. Computer science is primarily about the theory and practice of programming, algorithms, software development, machine learning and computational problem-solving — it is a more technical, programming-intensive degree. Information technology focuses on the application, management and deployment of technology systems in organisations — networking, IT infrastructure, enterprise systems, digital project management, systems security and IT strategy. If you want to write software, build applications or work in software engineering, computer science is the more direct route. If you want to manage IT systems, lead digital transformation projects, work in IT consultancy or IT operations management, an IT degree is more directly aligned. Graduate salaries for IT degrees (£24,000 to £40,000) are broadly comparable with computer science at non-specialist institutions.
For a broader view of how these universities compare, see the Unifresher overall best universities ranking.
