Best 62 Calif. Schools For Your Money: Report

The Golden State is home to some of the most highly esteemed colleges and universities in the country, but are they cost effective? According to Money, a division of Time.com, 62 colleges and universities in California were ranked among the 711 "Best Colleges for Your Money."

Nationwide, Princeton University in New Jersey topped the list, followed by CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College in New York. Of the top 10 institutions named on the list, five of them are in California. The University of California and California State systems took several top honors, as well.

In order to qualify for the rankings, schools must have at least 500 students, have sufficient data to be analyzed, not be in financial distress and have a graduation rate at or above the median for its institutional category or have a high "value-added" graduation rate. The schools were judged on quality of education, affordability and educational outcomes.

Money said the ranking is a “new, uniquely practical analysis” that draws on research and advice from some of the nation’s leading experts on education quality, financing and value.

The rankings were based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, and Payscale.com.

Here's a look at how California's schools were ranked (national ranking in parentheses.)

1. University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley (4)
2. University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles (5)
3. Stanford University, Stanford (5)
4. University of California-Irvine, Irvine (7)
5. University of California-Davis, Davis (9)
6. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (19)
7. University of California-Riverside, Riverside (29)
8. University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara (36)
9. California State University-Long Beach, Long Beach (42)
10. California State University-Fresno, Fresno (53)
11. Pomona College, Claremont (62)
12. California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles (79)
13. (T-13) California State University-Stanislaus, Turlock (T-82)
14. (T-13) Harvey Mudd College, Claremont (T-82)
15. Claremont McKenna College, Claremont (85)
16. University of California-San Diego, La Jolla (89)
17. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo (104)
18. (T-18) California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton (T-106)
19. (T-18) California State University-Northridge, Northridge (T-106)
20. University of Southern California, Los Angeles (116)
21. University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz (121)
22. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Pomona (124)
23. Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles (131)
24. San Diego State University, San Diego (135)
25. Santa Clara University, Santa Clara (138)
26. (T-26) California State University-San Bernardino, San Bernardino (T-145)
27. (T-26) The California Maritime Academy, Vallejo (T-145)
28. Occidental College, Los Angeles (152)
29. San Jose State University, San Jose (156)
30. California State University-East Bay, Hayward (167)
31. (T-31) California State University-Chico, Chico (T-174)
32. (T-31) Art Center College of Design, Pasadena (T-174)
33. University of La Verne, La Verne (186)
34. Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga (205)
35. California State University-Sacramento, Sacramento (213)
36. Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles (219)
37. Pepperdine University, Malibu (231)
38. San Francisco State University, San Francisco (251)
39. Fresno Pacific University, Fresno (283)
40. Scripps College, Claremont (288)
41. California State University-San Marcos, San Marcos (302)
42. University of San Francisco, San Francisco (309)
43. Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles (314)
44. Pitzer College, Claremont (337)
45. Whittier College, Whittier (341)
46. University of the Pacific, Stockton (365)
47. University of San Diego, San Diego (371)
48. Westmont College, Santa Barbara (377)
49. Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park (383)
50. Vanguard University of Southern California, Costa Mesa (411)
51. California State University-Monterey Bay, Seaside (426)
52. University of Redlands, Redlands (431)
53. Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego (434)
54. California College of the Arts, San Francisco (532)
55. Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont (562)
56. Chapman University, Orange (581)
57. California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks (597)
58. The Master's College and Seminary, Santa Clarita (605)
59. Azusa Pacific University, Azusa (606)
60. (T-60) California Baptist University, Riverside (T-672)
61. (T-60) Dominican University of California, San Rafael (T-672)
62. Biola University, La Mirada (692)

Here's a look at the top 10 colleges nationally. To view the full rankings, click here.

1. Princeton University, New Jersey
2. CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College, New York
3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan
4. University of California-Berkely, California
5. University of California-Los Angeles, California
6. (T-5) Stanford University, California
7. University of California-Irvine, California
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts
9. University of California-Davis, California
10. Harvard University, Massachusetts

Image of UCLA: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

(Patch editors Joe Lipovich and Deb Belt contributed to this report)