Top Universities in Kenya 2020 - UniRank

St Paul's University graduates in 2017. The institution was ranked third nationally by uniRank, a leading international higher education directory.
St Paul's University graduates in 2017. The institution was ranked third nationally by uniRank, a leading international higher education directory.

A recent ranking of the top universities in Kenya 2020 has ranked St Paul's Univerisity a slot higher than the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

In the ranking by uniRank, a leading international higher education directory, St Paul's clinched the third position while JKUAT placed fourth.

Taking the top honours were the University of Nairobi (UoN) and Kenyatta University (K.U) at first and second positions respectively. UoN placed 779 globally while K.U was ranked 1,507.

Towers at the University of Nairobi
An image of the University of Nairobi Main Campus.
File

United States International University Africa, Strathmore University, Moi University, Mount Kenya University, Egerton University and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) rounded off the top ten positions Nationally.

The top 12 Kenyan institutions including the Technical University of Kenya (11) and Africa Nazarene University (12) all featured in the top 200 learning centres in Africa.

During the Covid-19 period, after the closure of learning centres, a number of institutions including UoN, KCA and Strathmore University have resulted to administering their end-of-semester examinations online to ensure students complete their studies on time.

Other institutions have taken the lead in innovating medical equipment for use in the pandemic. Kenyatta University produced a prototype ventilator that could be affordably mass-produced.

For an institution to be ranked it has to be chartered, licensed or accredited by the appropriate Kenyan higher education-related organizations and offer at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees).

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Institutions also have to be delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format.

The ranking however doesn't include two-year degree-granting institutions such as community colleges, vocational colleges, training colleges, distance learning institutions, seminaries, and other theological higher-education institutions and military or law enforcement higher-education institutions.

"Our aim is to provide a non-academic League Table of the top Kenyan Universities based on valid, unbiased, and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources rather than data submitted by the Universities themselves," the ranking website stated.

Here's the full ranking of the top 62 Kenyan higher-education institutions:

1. University of Nairobi, Nairobi

2. Kenyatta University, Nairobi

3. St. Paul's University, Limuru

4. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi    

5. United States International University Africa, Nairobi

6. Strathmore University, Nairobi    

7. Moi University, Eldoret    

8. Mount Kenya University, Thika    

9. Egerton University, Njoro    

10. The Catholic University of Eastern Africa Nairobi

11. Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi

12. Africa Nazarene University,    Nairobi

13. Kenya Methodist University, Meru

14. Maseno University, Maseno

15. Daystar University, Nairobi

16. Kabarak University, Nakuru

17. University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, Eldoret

18. Chuka University, Chuka

19. Africa International University, Nairobi

20. Kisii University, Kisii

21. Machakos University, Machakos

22. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega

23. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri

24. Meru University of Science and Technology, Meru

25. University of Eldoret, Eldoret

26, KCA University, Nairobi 

27. Kibabii University, Bungoma

28. University of Embu, Embu

29. Pwani University, Kilifi

30. Maasai Mara University, Narok

31. Adventist University of Africa, Nairobi

32. South Eastern Kenya University, Kitui

33. Multimedia University of Kenya, Nairobi

34. Pan Africa Christian University, Nairobi

35. Technical University of Mombasa, Mombasa

36. Riara University, Nairobi

37. Management University of Africa, Nairobi

38. Karatina University, Karatina

39. The Co-operative University of Kenya, Nairobi ...

40. Amref International University, Nairobi

41. Murang'a University of Technology, Murang'a

42. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Bondo

43. Laikipia University, Nyahururu

44. University of Kabianga, Kericho

45. Zetech University, Ruiru

46. Scott Christian University, Machakos

47. Umma University, Kajiado 

48. The Presbyterian University of East Africa, Kikuyu

49. Kiriri Women's University of Science and Technology, Nairobi

50. Rongo University,  Rongo

51. Kirinyaga University, Kerugoya

52. Garissa University, Garissa

53. Gretsa University, Thika

54. Pioneer International University, Nairobi

55. Taita Taveta University, Voi

56. The East African University, Nairobi

57. KAG East University, Nairobi

58. International Leadership University of Kenya, Nairobi

59. Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kisumu

60. Lukenya University, Kambu

61. Kenya Highlands University, Kericho

62. RAF International University, Kisaju