This year's edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject was published on 8 March 2017. The University of Pretoria (UP) has been ranked first in South Africa for Accounting and Finance, and placed in the 151–200 band (the top 4% of all participating institutions worldwide). UP's ranking for Economics and Econometrics falls in the 251–300 band, putting it second in South Africa and in the top 6% worldwide.

The rankings are based on the quality of the institution's research outputs in each subject area and also consider the reputation of the university based on the results of surveys of academics and employers.

The Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Prof Elsabé Loots, stated that she is very pleased with the rankings. 'These rankings are a testament to the Faculty's efforts to ensure that the programmes offered remain globally relevant and that our graduates can confidently compete in the job market,' she said.