More young university graduates are finding jobs quickly and in their field, their pay is rising, and employment is at a record high. These are the findings of the 2026 edition of the University Ranking System (RSVU), which minister Prof. Georgi Valchev presented at a news conference at the Ministry of Education and Science.
The ranking also shows a rising share of foreign students. This year's first-year students started with the highest average school-leaving grade on record.
The RSVU compares 51 accredited universities that teach in Bulgaria, using dozens of indicators in 52 fields of study. It scores teaching, research, facilities, social conditions, access to education, prestige, importance to the region and how well graduates do in the job market. Georgi Stoychev of the Open Society Institute – Sofia presented the ranking for the consortium that compiles it.
In the overall rankings by field, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" is first in 22 of the 29 fields in which it takes part. The Technical University of Sofia is first in 6 of 11, and the Medical University of Sofia leads in all 5 fields where it teaches.
The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy and the Agricultural University – Plovdiv each have 3 first places. Trakia University – Stara Zagora and the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts (AMTII) – Plovdiv have 2 each. Another 13 universities top one ranking each.
The 2026 data show that a higher level of degree improves the chances of finding a job. Valchev said graduates who go on to a master's degree after a bachelor's also do better, because a master's deepens knowledge in a narrower area of the profession. Average taxable income of graduates is also rising. The gaps between fields of study and between individual universities remain large.
Valchev named three ways to judge the quality of higher education. The first is accreditation by the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (NAOA), which checks each university's capacity and the quality of its teaching. The second is the universities' own internal assessment system. The third is the RSVU, which shows how graduates find work.
Valchev said the ranking is the best guide for applicants and their families when they choose a university. New parts are added to the system all the time, and it now takes account of a university's importance to its region. He said this gives an objective and reliable picture of where higher education is heading, and of its problems and successes.
The minister added that people should keep building their knowledge and skills throughout their lives.