The SuperJob research center has released its inaugural 2026 ranking of Russian universities based on the salaries of young IT professionals who graduated between 2020 and 2025. Notably, this year’s rating was compiled in a landmark partnership with the Roscosmos State Corporation.
Samara University has once again secured its place in the prestigious Top 20. Maintaining its strong position from 2025, the university ranked 14th nationwide.
The study highlights Samara University’s status as an anchor university for Roscosmos. The institution trains specialists in disciplines highly sought after by the rocket and space industry. Consequently, the university supplies Roscosmos's regional enterprises with highly qualified talent, directly addressing the critical workforce needs of the sector.
According to the research, the average salary for IT graduates of Samara University (classes of 2020–2025) has increased by 10,000 rubles over the past year, reaching an impressive 170,000 rubles. Furthermore, the rating compilers note a remarkable retention rate: 73% of the university's IT alumni from this period have chosen to build their careers within the Samara region.
The top positions in the ranking are held by leading universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. MIPT (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) took first place, followed by ITMO University and MEPhI in second. Third place was shared by Lomonosov Moscow State University, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and the Higher School of Economics (HSE).
In 2026, three universities from the Samara region made it into the national ranking, underscoring the region's strong educational and technological potential: Samara University (14th), Samara State Technical University (15th), and Volga State University of Telecommunications and Informatics (PSUTI) (18th).
