Rankings & Accolades

The California State University is consistently renowned for its academic excellence and contributions to the public good. Each year, the 23 CSU campuses have received accolades for providing quality education, ensuring access and affordability, and serving as an engine of social mobility.

Quality

All 23 campuses have been acknowledged as top universities in both the nation and the state.

America's Top Colleges
Forbes | 22 Campuses

Best Universities
Washington Monthly | All 23 Campuses

Best Colleges
U.S News & World Report | All 23 Campuses

Best Public Colleges
Money Magazine | 16 Campuses

Best in the West
Princeton Review | 8 Campuses

Value

The CSU offers unparalleled value, with high-quality academic programs for some of the most affordable tuition costs in the nation.

Best Bang for the Buck: West
Washington Monthly | All 23 Campuses

Best Colleges for Your Money
Money Magazine | 21 Campuses

Best Value in the West
U.S. News & World Report | 6 Campuses

24 Colleges with the Best ROI
Business Insider | 4 Campuses

SOCIAL MOBILITY

The transformative power of a CSU degree to propel disadvantaged students into higher-paying jobs is recognized year after year.

2022 Social Mobility Index
CollegeNET | All 23 Campuses

Top Performers of Social Mobility
U.S. News & World Report | All 23 Campuses

Social Mobility Elevators
Education Reform Now | 13 Campuses

Upward Mobility
The Equality of Opportunity Project | 2 Campuses

Campus Accolades

CSU Bakersfield

#1	Top Nursing School in California \| Nurse.org
#3	Upward Mobility \| The Equality of Opportunity Project
#18	Colleges with the Best ROI \| Business Insider

See More Bakersfield Rankings »

CSU Channel Islands

#4	Best College for Transfer Students \| Money Magazine
#6	Top Colleges for Surfers \| College Magazine
#11	Best Nursing program in California \| RegisteredNursing.org

See More Channel Islands Rankings »

Chico State

#10	Top Public School in the West \| U.S. News & World Report
Top 8%	Return on Investment \| PayScale.com
#13	Best Colleges for Veterans \| U.S. News & World Report

See More Chico Rankings »

CSU Dominguez Hills

#4	Overall Mobility Index \| The Equal Opportunity Project
#14	Colleges with the Best ROI \| Business Insider
#1	Lowest Student Debt \| EdSmart.com

See More Dominguez Hills Rankings »

Cal State East Bay

	Best in the West \| Princeton Review
#5 & 7	Greatest Diversity \| WSJ, U.S. News & World Report
#11	Top Performer of Social Mobility \| CollegeNET

See More East Bay Rankings »

Fresno State

#29	Best Colleges 2022 \| Money Magazine
#30	Top Performer of Social Mobility \| U.S. News & World Report
#124	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report

Cal State Fullerton

#7	Top Performer of Social Mobility \| U.S. News & World Report
#16	Best College for Business Majors \| Money Magazine
#1 & 3	Most Underrepresented Degrees Awarded \| Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

See More Fullerton Rankings »

Cal Poly Humboldt

	Best in the West \| Princeton Review
	"Green College" 2022 \| Princeton Review
	Top LGBT-Friendly School \| Campus Pride

See More Humboldt Rankings »

Cal State Long Beach

#18	Best Colleges in America \| Money Magazine
#3	Top Performer of Social Mobility \| U.S. News & World Report
#59	Top National Universities \| Washington Monthly

See More Long Beach Rankings »

Cal State LA

#1	Upward Mobility in the Nation \| The Equality of Opportunity Project
#3	Best Bang for the Buck \| Washington Monthly
#12	Colleges with the Best ROI \| Business Insider

Cal Maritime

#15	Small Colleges in America \| Money Magazine
#1	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#20	Public Colleges with Highest-Earning Graduates \| Forbes

See More Maritime Rankings »

CSU Monterey Bay

#4	Top Performers of Social Mobility \| U.S. News & World Report
#7	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#22	Top Universities in the West \| U.S. News & World Report

CSUN

#2	Most Diverse Learning Environment in the Nation \| Wall Street Journal
#4	Top Master's University \| Washington Monthly
#35	Sustainable “Cool Schools" \| Sierra Magazine

Cal Poly Pomona

#4	Most Innovative Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#15	Best Hospitality & Hotel Management Schools in the World \| CEOWorld Magazine
#2	Top Public School in the West \| U.S. News & World Report

See More Pomona Rankings »

Sacramento State

#16	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#1	Most comprehensive paramedic program in the CSU system
#2	Top Nursing Schools in California \| RNCareers.org

See More Sacramento Rankings »

CAL STATE San Bernardino

#31	Best Value Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
Tier One	Top Global MBA Program \| CEO Magazine
#1	Best Online Criminal Justice Degree Program \| Best Value Schools

See More San Bernardino Rankings »

San Diego State

#14	Top Colleges in the West \| U.S. News & World Report
#1	Best Online Colleges in California \| Thebestschools.org
	"Best of the Best" Colleges for LGBTQ Students \| Campus Pride

See More San Diego Rankings »

San Francisco State

Top 5	for Diversity \| Wall Street Journal
#7	Best Colleges for Surfers \| Surfer Magazine, College Magazine
#35	Best Colleges for Business Majors \| Money Magazine

San José State

#7	Best Colleges for Veterans \| U.S. News & World Report
#15	Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs \| U.S. News & World Report
#4	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report

Cal Poly SAN LUIS OBISPO

#1	Most Innovative Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#1	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report
#6	Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs \| U.S. News & World Report

See More SLO Rankings »

CSU San Marcos

#1	Top Performers of Social Mobility \| CollegeNET
#10	Best Undergraduate Teaching \| U.S. News & World Report
#17	Top Public Schools \| U.S. News & World Report

Sonoma State

	Highest Transfer Graduation Rate in the CSU System
#34	Most Beautiful Campus in the U.S. \| thebestcolleges.org, bestcollegereviews.org
#1 & 3	Best Housing in the CSU, State \| niche.com

Stanislaus State

#4	Top Performers of Social Mobility \| U.S. News & World Report
#22	Colleges with the Best ROI \| Business Insider
#12	Best Colleges for Veterans \| U.S. News & World Report

Learn More About Stan State »

	Best in the West \| Princeton Review
#5 & 7	Greatest Diversity \| WSJ, U.S. News & World Report
#11	Top Performer of Social Mobility \| CollegeNET

#14	Top Colleges in the West \| U.S. News & World Report
#1	Best Online Colleges in California \| Thebestschools.org
	"Best of the Best" Colleges for LGBTQ Students \| Campus Pride