UCLA Ranked Top Public College; CA Schools Sweep U.S. News Category

LOS ANGELES, CA — Southern California college students have the best options in the nation for public universities as well as schools offering the most social mobility.

The University of California, Los Angeles continued its streak as the top public university in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. This year, UCLA tied with UC Berkley for the honor. In addition to having access to the highest-ranked public schools, Southern Californians live close to four of the top five ranked schools for social mobility. CSU and UC schools swept the category, giving Californians access to life-altering opportunities for the cost of in-state tuition.

They include:

1. California State University, Long Beach
2. California State University, Fullerton (tie)
2. California State University, Riverside (tie)
4. California State University, San Bernardino (tie)
4. University of California, Merced (tie)

Overall, Sixteen California colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country by U.S. News & World Report Monday.

The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using up to 19 measures of academic quality, the digital media company said in a news release. This year, the company said it significantly altered the way it ranks colleges, placing a greater emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduates.

More than half of a college’s ranking now looks at how well it enrolls and graduates students from all backgrounds, without over-burdening them with debt and leaving them with post-graduate success.

Additionally, the company no longer looks at five factors: class size, faculty with terminal degrees, alumni giving, high school class standing and the share of graduates who borrow federal loans.

Here are the rankings for the California schools:

• Stanford University: No. 3
• California Insitute of Technology: No. 7
• University of California, Berkeley: No. 15 (tie)
• University of California, Los Angeles: No. 15 (tie)
• University of California, Davis: No. 28
• University of California, San Diego: No. 28 (tie)
• University of Southern California: No. 28 (tie)
• University of California, Irvine: No. 33
• University of California, Santa Barbara: No. 35
• Santa Clara University: No. 60 (tie)
• University of California, Merced: No. 60 (tie)
• Pepperdine University: No. 76 (tie)
• University of California, Riverside: No. 76 (tie)
• University of California, Santa Cruz :No. 82
• Loyola Marymount University: No. 93
• University of San Diego: No. 98

“For 40 years, students and their families have come to count on Best Colleges as a vital resource as they navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News. “The significant changes in this year’s methodology are part of the ongoing evolution to make sure our rankings capture what is most important for students as they compare colleges and select the school that is right for them.”