Cal State Fullerton has earned Money’s highest rating of 5 stars on its 2025 list of the Best Colleges in America. The university was recognized for its quality of education, affordability, and student outcomes, such as graduates’ earnings and economic mobility.
The Best Colleges list features 732 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges grouped into one of seven ratings ranging from 2 stars to 5 stars. Using its 5-star rating system that launched in 2022, Money ranked the schools on 25 factors including graduation rates, net price of a degree and median earnings.
CSUF in 2025 moved up from its 4.5-star rating the previous year. This year, nine California State Universities earned Money’s 5-star rating.
Earlier this year, Money also named CSUF’s graduate nursing programs among its Best Graduate Schools in America for Your Money. It recognized CSUF and other graduate programs at U.S. colleges and universities for their quality of education, affordability and value.