SmartAsset, a financial technology company, evaluated more than 500 public colleges and universities in the United States to identify the best values. Schools with an average cost of attendance below the median for similar institutions were assigned composite scores based on graduation rates and median earnings 10 years after first enrollment. The 50 highest-scoring schools were named America’s best-value public universities.

CSUSM was one of 13 California universities to make the list, which was topped by the University of Florida at No. 1.

Earlier this summer, CSUSM received 4.5 out of a possible five stars on Money magazine's list of “Best Colleges in America" for 2026.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The list, which includes 735 colleges, showcases the country’s top values, based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.

For the fourth year in a row, Money presented its picks on a five-star scale to demonstrate colleges' relative performance without a numbered ranking, which the magazine says can often overstate small differences between relatively similar schools. CSUSM received 4.5 stars for the second consecutive year.

CSUSM was also on Money's list of “Best Public Colleges,” "Best Colleges in the West" and "Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates."

All 22 California State University schools made the list, including six that earned five stars.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The list, which includes 732 colleges, showcases the country’s top values, based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.  

For the third year in a row, Money presented its picks on a 5-star scale to demonstrate colleges' relative performance without a numbered ranking, which the magazine says can often overstate small differences between relatively similar schools. 

CSUSM was also on Money's list of “Best Public Colleges,” "Best Colleges in the West" and "Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates." 

Twenty-two of the 23 California State University schools made the list, including nine that earned five stars. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CSUSM received recognition in the following categories: 

• No. 39 in total bachelor's degrees granted;
• No. 84 in total enrollment among four-year schools;
• No. 9 in family and consumer sciences/human sciences; and
• No. 10 in social science degrees. 

Hispanic Outlook annually publishes its “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” issue, which draws on the latest data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to provide enrollment numbers from two- and four-year institutions and degrees granted by level and field of study. 

The university has placed highly in other recent rankings, including:

• 97th out of 500 in the Wall Street Journal
• 27th out of 200 in Washington Monthly’s “Best Bang for the Buck: West”
• 38th out of 589 in Washington Monthy’s list of schools that award a significant number of master’s degrees
• Tier 1 school in Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The ratings of 745 colleges and universities is based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid and alumni salaries, among other factors.

Money  has used the rating system since 2022, calling it a more accurate representation than numerical rankings.

CSUSM was also on Money's list of “Best Public Colleges,” "Best Colleges in the West" and "Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates."

Each of the 23 California State University schools made the list, including four that earned five stars.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CSUSM received recognition in the following categories: 

• No. 43 in total bachelor's degrees granted;
• No. 82 in total enrollment among four-year schools;
• No. 10 in family and consumer sciences/human sciences.

Hispanic Outlook annually publishes its “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” issue, which draws on the latest data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to provide enrollment numbers from two- and four-year institutions and degrees granted by level and field of study. 

In other recent college rankings: 

• CSUSM ranks No. 28 in the category “Regional Universities West” on the U.S. News 2024 Best Colleges list. That’s an increase of 11 spots from the publication’s rankings last fall.  
• CSUSM ranks 39^th in the country in the 2023 Economic Mobility Index by national think tank Third Way.  
• CSUSM is No. 30 in the West in the annual Best Bang for the Buck rankings by Washington Monthly.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CSUSM ranks No. 28 in the category “Regional Universities West” on the U.S. News 2024 Best Colleges list, which was released Monday. That’s an increase of 11 spots from the publication’s rankings last fall.  

CSUSM also improved its ranking among regional universities in the West in top public schools (to 13th, up four spots from last year) and undergraduate teaching (to second, up 10 spots).  

The university also ranked 11th among West region institutions in social mobility.  

In other recent college rankings:

• CSUSM stands 12^th nationally in student experience and 17^th in social mobility according to the 2024 Best Colleges in America list by the Wall Street Journal and College Pulse.  
• CSUSM ranks 39^th in the country in the 2023 Economic Mobility Index by national think tank Third Way.  
• CSUSM is No. 30 in the West in the annual Best Bang for the Buck rankings by Washington Monthly.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience initiative that received the award was selected “for its outstanding results and potential to influence and serve as a model for other institutions and systems.”

Award recipients will be recognized during AASCU’s annual conference from Nov. 4-7 in Chicago.

AASCU, which stands for American Association of State Colleges and Universities, shapes public policy and strengthens state college and university leaders as they expand student access and success.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CSUSM received a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 in the new system developed this year by Money. Out of more than 700 colleges and universities evaluated, only 34 received 5 stars and CSUSM was one of just 189 that were awarded 4.5 stars.

Money overhauled its “Best Colleges” list, now in its ninth year, replacing a numerical ranking with a star rating on a scale of 2.5 to 5. With a focus on above-average graduation rates, Money scored colleges in three areas: quality, affordability and future earning potential. The data points take into account important factors like the net price of a degree, loan repayment rates, median earnings and four "value add" calculations measuring a school's actual performance against its predicted performance based on its student body.

The 4.5 star rating by Money is the latest validation of the work being done at CSUSM to promote student success. Last year, the university was ranked first in the nation in the Social Mobility Index by the website CollegeNET.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

CSUSM also ranked second among the 23 campuses in the California State University system.

For its “America’s Top Online Colleges 2023” list, Newsweek ranked 200 colleges and universities that (also) offer online undergraduate or graduate programs. Its lists are based on a survey of about 9,000 online learners and its own research about the institutions.

Newsweek partnered with global data firm Statista in compiling the list.

Online education at CSUSM is offered through Extended Learning, the academic outreach arm of the university. For more than 30 years, Extended Learning has been a premier education resource for individuals in North San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties. Program offerings include undergraduate and graduate degrees, global education, professional certificates, online courses, customized training for businesses and lifelong learning programs.

“This ranking by Newsweek is a reflection of the great work we do in Extended Learning,” said Godfrey Gibbison, dean of Extended Learning and Global Programs. “We partner with each of the colleges at CSUSM to provide innovative programs that expand access to higher education at all stages of life and contribute to a flourishing, highly skilled local workforce.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

CSUSM ranks No. 39 nationally in the Economic Mobility Index (EMI), which is described as trying to answer the question, “If the primary purpose of postsecondary education is supposed to be to catalyze an increase in economic mobility, which schools are succeeding in that goal?” 

The EMI is the product of Third Way, a Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank founded in 2005 that develops and advocates for policies that it says represent “modern center-left ideas.” 

CSUSM stands first in the EMI among San Diego County schools and 14^th in the 23-campus California State University system.  

The EMI ranking comes on the heels of CSUSM being slotted at 32^nd nationally out of more than 1,500 schools in the Social Mobility Index by the online publication CollegeNET last fall. The university was included in the top 5% of that index for the seventh consecutive year. 

“Nationally, higher education is often called out for reinforcing inequality rather than closing socioeconomic gaps,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “However, like our consistently high standing in the Social Mobility Index, our ranking in this new EMI is illustrative of our institutional commitment to help all of our students reach their full potential and change the trajectories of their lives.” 

To assess the economic mobility that colleges and universities provide, Third Way examines which schools enroll the highest proportion of students from low and moderate backgrounds and give them a strong return on their educational investment.   

In determining the return on investment that the average low-income student gains from attending a school, Third Way uses its Price-to-Earnings Premium (PEP), which looks at the time it takes students to recoup their educational costs based on the earnings boost they derive from attending that school.  

Third Way then broadens its metric to consider the proportion of federal Pell Grant students whom a school enrolls. The EMI takes the results from a PEP analysis on the outcomes of low-income students at 1,320 institutions granting bachelor’s degrees and multiplies the comparative rank by the percentage of Pell Grant recipients that each school enrolls.  

The EMI serves as a counterbalance to traditional college rankings, like those produced by U.S. News and World Report, that perennially place Ivy League schools and other elite private institutions at the top.  

“While news outlets often focus on the most prestigious and selective institutions, these data show that their impact on increasing mobility is limited, and many other colleges serve exponentially more underserved students – and serve them quite well,” Michael Itzkowitz, Third Way senior fellow for higher education, writes in an article detailing the rankings.    

Since its founding in 1989, CSUSM has been dedicated to student success and social mobility. From first-year programs to learning communities, community-based learning opportunities, internships, undergraduate research and more, the university works to foster deep learning and academic success by engaging students in meaningful and innovative educational experiences.  

These practices are especially beneficial to underserved student groups. About half of CSUSM students are underrepresented minorities, and at least 52% of graduates are the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree. One in nine students is a veteran, service member or military-affiliated dependent. CSUSM is also a major contributor of bachelor’s degree holders to the region’s workforce, with more than 80% of students remaining in the region following graduation.