U.S. News & World Report ranks Cal State Fullerton as a No. 2 top performer on social mobility out of more than 400 national universities listed in its 2024 Best Colleges rankings. The university climbed from its No. 7 top performer on social mobility ranking for 2023.
U.S. News’ Top Performers on Social Mobility list assesses how well schools graduate economically disadvantaged students. The ranking factors for its National Universities category were based on the graduation rates of Pell Grant-awarded students and first-generation students.
Out of more than 40,386 enrolled undergraduate students in fall 2022, 16,931 students (41.9%) were eligible for Pell Grants.
CSUF President Sylvia Alva, herself a graduate of the California State University system, attested to Cal State Fullerton’s role as a driver of social mobility in California and the nation.
“With a strong foundation in inclusive excellence, Titans graduate and go out into the world as champions of inclusion, equity and consequently, the cycle of educational opportunities and social mobility is multiplied,” said Alva.
U.S. News also recognized Cal State Fullerton and its undergraduate programs in the following categories:
- No. 31 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
- No. 40 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (non-doctorate)
- No. 70 in Top Public Schools
- No. 133 in National Universities
- No. 135 in Undergraduate Business Programs
- No. 154 in Nursing
- No. 203 in Undergraduate Psychology Programs
- No. 210 in Undergraduate Computer Science Programs
- No. 211 in Best Value Schools
U.S. News updated its Best Colleges rankings methodology this year to focus more on graduation rates for first-generation students and students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, faculty research and other factors. U.S. News removed such considerations from its formula as alumni giving, class size, high school class standing, the proportion of instructional faculty with terminal degrees and the proportion of graduates who borrowed federal loans.
Cal State Fullerton was also listed in the Top 100 on Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges 2023 list, at No. 90. Forbes’ annual list showcases its Top 500 U.S. colleges based on net price, alumni earnings, academic quality, graduation rates and the number of Pell Grant recipients.