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Compare any two UK universities

Select any two universities below and we'll generate an instant, data-driven comparison — rankings, salaries, student satisfaction, international community, and more.

C
Cardiff University

Cardiff · QS World #179

Q
Queen Mary University of London

London · QS World #103

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 10 datapoints

We looked at 10 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

4/10

Cardiff

scored higher in 4 categories

VS

6/10

Queen Mary University of London

scored higher in 6 categories

Quick Verdict

Queen Mary University of London leads in 6 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, international, graduate salary, courses, scholarship). Cardiff University is ahead on ranking, established, satisfaction, employment.

Cardiff University vs Queen Mary University of London at a glance

Cardiff University and Queen Mary University of London both teach 56 subject areas, the largest being Law, Economics and Mathematics. Cardiff University offers 362 courses across 86 subject areas; Queen Mary University of London offers 622 courses across 81 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £29,450 at Queen Mary University of London: Queen Mary University of London is about £1,250 a year cheaper.

Of the 26 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Queen Mary University of London is higher in 21 and Cardiff University in 5. The widest gap is in Computer Science: £33,500 three years after graduating from Cardiff University, against £40,500 from Queen Mary University of London. Of the 22 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Queen Mary University of London is higher in 12 and Cardiff University in 8, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.

#179
QS World
#103
#201
THE World
#134
#34
Guardian UK
#35
1883
Established
1885
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.

Cardiff University

Queen Mary University of London

86.3%
84.7%

Satisfaction

Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)

£36,100
£41,200

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

82.1%
77.8%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

16%
32.1%

International

International student share

362
622

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

0
18

Scholarships

Number of scholarships

International Community

Where do international students come from?

Top source countries based on official HESA enrolment data. A higher diversity of nationalities often means a richer campus experience.

Cardiff

89 countries · 16% international

  • 🇨🇳China22.8%
  • 🇮🇳India14.5%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia7.3%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia5.7%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong5%
VS

Queen Mary University of London

119 countries · 32.1% international

  • 🇮🇳India18.1%
  • 🇨🇳China17.6%
  • 🇹🇷Turkey4.1%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.7%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan2.7%

Subjects

56 subjects you can study at both

Courses listed at each university in the subject, and the typical (median) international fee a year. Select a count to see the courses.

Cardiff University

Queen Mary University of London

Also taught at both: Clinical Specialities, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, History, Business & Management (General), English Studies, Psychology (General), Human Geography & Environment, Management, Media & Film Studies, Ancient Languages, Geology & Earth Sciences, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Accounting, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, General Engineering, Geography (General), Marketing, Physical Geography & Climate, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Biomedical Sciences, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Pharmacology, Statistics, Linguistics, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Sociology & Criminology, Education Studies, English Literature, Specialist Clinical Nursing, Design & Fashion, English Language, Environmental Sciences, Philosophy, Planning & Housing, Applied Computing, Applied Psychology, Forensic Science, Human Resource Management, Public Health & Epidemiology, Biotechnology, Microbiology & Cell Biology.

Only at Cardiff University

Only at Queen Mary University of London

Fees

What it costs international students

The typical (median) international tuition fee a year across each university's published course fees. Individual courses vary; each course page shows its own fee.

Undergraduate

Cardiff University
£30,700
Queen Mary University of London
£29,450

Queen Mary University of London is about £1,250 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Cardiff University
£25,950
Queen Mary University of London
No data

We do not have reliable international fee data for Queen Mary University of London yet.

Outcomes

Graduate outcomes by subject

Median graduate salary three years after graduating, and student satisfaction with teaching, across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject. Source: Discover Uni.

Cardiff University

Queen Mary University of London

  • Law

    £24,500Salary (3 years)£30,500
    81%Satisfaction87%

  • Economics

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£35,500
    80%Satisfaction79%

  • Mathematics

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£32,000
    84%Satisfaction82%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    88%Satisfaction89%

  • Medicine

    £47,000Salary (3 years)£46,500
    88%Satisfaction81%

  • Computer Science

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£40,500
    70%Satisfaction84%

  • Dentistry

    £47,000Salary (3 years)£46,500
    No dataSatisfaction79%

  • Chemistry

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£28,000
    94%Satisfaction88%

  • Physics

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£30,500
    94%Satisfaction90%

  • Finance & Actuarial Science

    £31,500Salary (3 years)£32,000
    81%Satisfaction82%

  • Mechanical Engineering

    £33,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    73%Satisfaction78%

  • Biological Sciences (General)

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    94%Satisfaction89%

Showing the 12 largest of 26 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Cardiff University

View all scholarships →

Queen Mary University of London

Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship

£800,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

Data Science and AI MSc Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

MSc in Management of IP Scholarships

100%

Deadline: Jul 2026

Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law Scholarship

£7,875

Deadline: May 2026

Law Progression Scholarship

£6,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Cardiff University vs Queen Mary University of London: common questions

Is Cardiff University or Queen Mary University of London cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £29,450 at Queen Mary University of London: Queen Mary University of London is about £1,250 a year cheaper. These are medians of the international tuition fees each university publishes for its courses; the fee for a specific course is on its course page.

What subjects can you study at both Cardiff University and Queen Mary University of London?

Both universities teach 56 subject areas: Law, Economics, Mathematics, Politics & International Relations, Medicine, Computer Science, Dentistry, Chemistry, Business Studies, Physics, Civil Engineering, Finance & Actuarial Science and 44 more.

Is Cardiff University or Queen Mary University of London better for Law?

Law graduates earn a median £24,500 three years after graduating from Cardiff University, and £30,500 from Queen Mary University of London. Student satisfaction with teaching is 81% at Cardiff University and 87% at Queen Mary University of London. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does Cardiff University or Queen Mary University of London offer more courses?

Queen Mary University of London lists 622 courses on CourseOptions and Cardiff University lists 362 courses.

What can you study at Cardiff University but not at Queen Mary University of London?

Cardiff University teaches 30 subject areas that Queen Mary University of London does not, including Journalism, Welsh Studies, Social Sciences (General), Architecture, Music, Computing & IT, Software Engineering, Archaeology and 22 more.

What can you study at Queen Mary University of London but not at Cardiff University?

Queen Mary University of London teaches 25 subject areas that Cardiff University does not, including Genetics & Genomics, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Clinical & Health Psychology, Drama & Theatre, Liberal Arts, Materials Engineering, Materials Science and 17 more.

Ready to explore courses?

Browse available courses, check entry requirements, and find scholarships at each university.

C
Cardiff University362 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
Q
Queen Mary University of London622 courses · 18 scholarshipsBrowse Courses