2 San Diego Colleges Among Top 100 In Nation: U.S. News Rankings

SAN DIEGO, CA — Two San Diego colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country by U.S. News & World Report Monday.

The University of California, San Diego advanced two spots to become the sixth-best public university in the country, according to the 2024 rankings. Overall, UC San Diego ranked No. 28 on the complete list of more than 400 of the nation's colleges, jumping six spots from last year.

"I am pleased to see UC San Diego consistently recognized among the premier public research universities in the nation," Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said in a statement. "These rankings underscore our dedication to providing students with affordable access to a world-class education along with the tools and support they need to succeed in their future careers — and change the world for the better."

The University of San Diego tied for No. 98, while San Diego State University tied for No. 105. SDSU also tied for No. 51 on the list of the best public universities.

The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using up to 19 measures of academic quality, according to U.S. News. 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.

"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."

As for the top overall colleges in the nation, not much has changed since the 2022–23 rankings — Princeton University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology held onto their titles as the No. 1 and No. 2 schools in the country, with Harvard University and Stanford University tying for third, according to the rankings.

Yale University fell two spots from tying for third in 2022-23 to No. 5 in the updated rankings.