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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.

T
The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

U
University of Derby

Derby · QS World #1201

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 11 datapoints

We looked at 11 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

9/11

Edinburgh

scored higher in 9 categories

VS

2/11

Derby

scored higher in 2 categories

Quick Verdict

The University of Edinburgh leads in 9 of 11 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, international, graduate salary, courses, scholarship). University of Derby is ahead on satisfaction, employment.

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Derby at a glance

The University of Edinburgh and University of Derby both teach 59 subject areas, the largest being Law, Computer Science and Sociology & Criminology. The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas; University of Derby offers 375 courses across 74 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £16,900 at University of Derby: University of Derby is about £12,700 a year cheaper.

Of the 30 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, The University of Edinburgh is higher in 29 and University of Derby in 1. The widest gap is in Economics: £38,000 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, against £22,500 from University of Derby. Of the 28 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Derby is higher in 20 and The University of Edinburgh in 8.

World & National Rankings

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

#35
QS World
#1201
#29
THE World
#601
#17
Guardian UK
#80
1583
Established
1851
Yes
Russell Group
No
—
TEF Rating
Gold

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

The University of Edinburgh

University of Derby

85.3%
88.5%

Satisfaction

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

£37,600
£27,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83%
85.4%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

41.6%
14.3%

International

International student share

936
375

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

112
6

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.

Edinburgh

122 countries · 41.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China44.5%
  • 🇺🇸United States9.3%
  • 🇮🇳India5.4%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2.7%
  • 🇨🇦Canada2.4%
VS

Derby

64 countries · 14.3% international

  • 🇳🇬Nigeria34.5%
  • 🇮🇳India15.3%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan8.1%
  • 🇬🇭Ghana6.5%
  • 🇰🇪Kenya5.5%

Subjects

59 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.

The University of Edinburgh

University of Derby

Also taught at both: Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Marketing, Media & Film Studies, Politics & International Relations, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Geology & Earth Sciences, Ecology & Conservation, Music, Clinical Specialities, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Finance & Actuarial Science, Human Geography & Environment, Accounting, Biomedical Sciences, Creative Writing, Health & Social Care, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Public Health & Epidemiology, Social Work, Adult Nursing, Environmental Sciences, Film Production & Cinematography, General Engineering, Mental Health Nursing, Zoology & Animal Biology, Building & Construction, Management, Mechanical Engineering, Personal & Professional Development, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Computing & IT, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Technology & Logistics, Childhood & Youth Studies, Clinical & Health Psychology, Combined & General Studies, English Language, Humanities, Nursing (General), Software Engineering, Biology, Drama & Theatre, Heritage & Conservation.

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

The University of Edinburgh
£29,600
University of Derby
£16,900

University of Derby is about £12,700 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

The University of Edinburgh
No data
University of Derby
£17,500

We do not have reliable international fee data for The University of Edinburgh 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.

The University of Edinburgh

University of Derby

  • Law

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£20,500
    86%Satisfaction87%
  • Computer Science

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    74%Satisfaction73%
  • Sociology & Criminology

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£20,500
    82%Satisfaction85%
  • Design & Fashion

    £20,000Salary (3 years)£19,000
    90%Satisfaction85%
  • History

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£19,500
    88%Satisfaction100%
  • Teacher Training

    £31,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    92%SatisfactionNo data
  • Business Studies

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£21,000
    80%Satisfaction79%
  • Psychology (General)

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£20,000
    83%Satisfaction90%
  • Sport & Exercise Sciences

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£22,000
    92%Satisfaction90%
  • Economics

    £38,000Salary (3 years)£22,500
    81%Satisfaction93%
  • Civil Engineering

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    87%Satisfaction92%
  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    £34,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    81%Satisfaction98%

Showing the 12 largest of 30 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

The University of Edinburgh

Asylum Seeker Scholarship

£21,000

Deadline: N/A

Education Beyond Borders postgraduate scholarship

£20,780

Deadline: N/A

Cameron Law Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Online Learning Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Rosedale OSSD University of Edinburgh Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of Derby

Biomedical Science Excellence Scholarship

See details

Deadline: N/A

Golding Awards

See details

Deadline: N/A

Sarah Essam Football Scholarship

See details

Deadline: N/A

Sitwell Scholarship

See details

Deadline: N/A

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Derby: common questions

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of Derby cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £16,900 at University of Derby: University of Derby is about £12,700 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 The University of Edinburgh and University of Derby?

Both universities teach 59 subject areas: Law, Computer Science, Sociology & Criminology, Design & Fashion, Business & Management (General), History, Teacher Training, Business Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology (General), Sport & Exercise Sciences and 47 more.

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of Derby better for Law?

Law graduates earn a median £26,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, and £20,500 from University of Derby. Student satisfaction with teaching is 86% at The University of Edinburgh and 87% at University of Derby. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does The University of Edinburgh or University of Derby offer more courses?

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and University of Derby lists 375 courses.

What can you study at The University of Edinburgh but not at University of Derby?

The University of Edinburgh teaches 57 subject areas that University of Derby does not, including Theology & Religious Studies, German & Scandinavian Studies, Medicine, French, Philosophy, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Classical Studies, Spanish & Portuguese and 49 more.

What can you study at University of Derby but not at The University of Edinburgh?

University of Derby teaches 15 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including Hospitality, Events & Tourism, English Studies, Games Design & Computer Animation, Journalism, Forensic Science, Applied Computing, Business Information Systems, Children's Nursing and 7 more.

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