For the 10th consecutive year, the university has achieved the maximum five-star rating in the categories of getting a job, positive graduate outcomes and graduate starting salary.

The guide, released today, shows the University of Wollongong has also achieved five stars in research intensivity, the educational experience (generic skills) and the educational experience (graduate satisfaction).

The university is ranked among the top eight in the country, proof it is a major academic player, according to Vice-Chancellor Gerard Sutton.

"Five stars for a decade says that this is no fluke," he said.

"The university has arrived at the five-star level in a serious way."

Prof Sutton said high ratings in key areas of student satisfaction, getting a job and research intensivity were important, and were issues the university had particularly focused on.

He said graduate work patterns provided a solid indication of the university's success.

"That means that employers are happy with what they got five or 10 years ago and are coming back."

He added that the university's international reputation rested on its research performance, making the five stars for research intensivity especially welcome.