Ranking spotlight: California State University

Earlier this year, when Degreechoices released its new rankings of the economic value of American colleges and universities, there were several noteworthy surprises at the top of the charts.

Most observers of college ranking schemes are accustomed to seeing elite private colleges and public flagship universities dominate, but with our revised methodology, which measures the economic return students can expect to receive from attending different institutions, public colleges and universities fared much better.

Sure, many of the big-name universities still performed very well. Princeton, Stanford, Harvard and Yale all made the top ten. But several public universities – such as CUNY City College, the University of Florida, and Florida International University – also ranked high on the list of best national universities. Those are all excellent schools, but they seldom rank in the top tier of ranking schemes that place a premium on institutional reputation and wealth.

We want to draw special attention to high-achieving schools, so we are starting a spotlight series that focuses on the unique qualities and achievements of several of “overperformers.”

We want to draw special attention to these high-achieving schools, so we are starting a spotlight series that focuses on the unique qualities and achievements of several of these “overperformers.” We begin with 5 campuses in the California State University system, each of which performed very well in either the national university category or the best colleges in the West category.

As illustrations of that fact, consider 2 institutions in the California State University system – California State University, Fresno (also known as Fresno State University) and California State University, Fullerton, which ranked 24th and 25th, respectively on the list of national universities.

Fresno State University

Fresno State has a total enrollment of about 24,000 students, more than half of whom are Hispanic.

• The university accepts 97% of its applicants.
• Over half (57%) of its undergraduates receive Pell Grants.
• It has an excellent 6-year graduation rate of 71%, far higher than the national average for public 4-year institutions.
• Economic score: 1.23

For Fresno State students, it takes just a bit over a year for the average student receiving federal financial aid to pay back the total cost of an education there. And 10 years after attending, those students, regardless of whether they graduated or not, are earning an average of $52,201 a year. These numbers are consistent with the university’s reputation as an institution that offers its students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, excellent prospects for upward economic mobility.

California State University, Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton is the largest of the 23 campuses in the Cal State system, with an enrollment topping 39,000 students.

• It accept 59% of applicants.
• Its 6-year graduation rate is an outstanding 79%.
• The university ranks second in the nation and first in California among colleges and universities for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students.
• Among its undergraduates, 49% receive a Pell Grant, which is much higher than the national average of about 34%.
• Economic score: 1.29

At Cal State, Fullerton, students earn $54,586 on average 10 years after attending, and it takes those receiving federal aid about 1.3 years, on average, to pay back their total cost of attendance.

Why do these schools rank so well?

What accounts for these 2 institutions’ strong national rankings?

1. First, they both offer a large number of degrees in engineering and several health professions, two fields of study that tend to lead to good-paying jobs.
2. Second, through a combination of relatively low tuition sticker price and generous financial aid received by a large percentage of their students, both schools are very affordable.
3. And third, they provide students with a strong set of academic and social support, helping drive those good graduation rates.

Other high-ranking Cal State colleges

Three other campuses in the California State University system ranked in the top 10 for Degreechoices’ best colleges in the West region. They were:

California State University is the largest public university system in the United States, with an enrollment exceeding 475,000 students. It is also the most ethnically and socially diverse of any public university system. More than half of its students are racial minorities, and about a third are the first in their families to attend college.

Final thoughts

For our purposes, these universities deserve a ranking spotlight because of their impressive achievements in 2 fundamental areas: making college affordable and preparing student to be economically successful. Cal State proves that institutions can provide broad access and promote widespread student success at the same time.

Cal State proves that institutions can provide broad access and promote widespread student success at the same time.

Its campuses are not highly selective, they are not particularly wealthy, and their endowments are relatively meager compared to most universities. But when it comes to the bottom line that the majority of today’s college students care about most – will this college prepare me for a productive career – the campuses of California State University are moving to the head of the class.