McGill University was ranked the #2 research-intensive university in Canada by Research Infosource, with $418 million in sponsored research income in 2008. A report by the Milken Institute indicates that McGill University ranked 14th in the world in translating its biotech research into patents.

In the 2009 Times Higher Education Supplement ranking of the world's best universities, McGill was ranked 18th and was the only Canadian university in the top 20.

The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) manages the University's research initiatives with industry and is responsible for commercializing the University’s intellectual property.