UCLA is the nation’s No. 1 public university

Just three months ago, more than 15,000 exceptional students received their degrees from UCLA and set off to make their mark - future physicians, engineers, scientists, scholars, advocates and artists poised to bring their talents into laboratories, hospitals, classrooms and communities across the country and around the world.

Their stories, each unique but linked by curiosity, determination and a desire to make a difference, offered a clear illustration of the excellence that defines UCLA.

Now there is another: UCLA has been ranked the No. 1 public university in the nation on U.S. News & World Report's prestigious "Best Colleges" list.

The recognition is a testament to how the university, guided by its forward-looking One UCLA strategic vision, has continued to broaden access to learning, expand the reach and impact of its life-changing research, and strengthen connections between the campus and the communities it serves.

"Rankings are gratifying, but what makes UCLA exceptional is the extraordinary community behind them," Chancellor Julio Frenk said. "Our students, faculty, staff and alumni demonstrate each day that academic excellence and public purpose strengthen one another. To stand atop the list of the nation's public universities is an honor, and it reinforces our responsibility to continue expanding opportunity, advancing knowledge and serving society."

For students like Ananth Muralidharan who are just beginning their UCLA careers, the promise of excellence, and the possibilities that come with it, made the decision to become a Bruin easy.

"I was drawn by the all-around excellence of the school - its academic culture, its sports culture, its social culture. It was a no-brainer," said the incoming business economics major from Dallas, who hopes to play drums in the UCLA Marching Band and explore Los Angeles' music scene. "I'm really excited to see what I can do."

"He was so excited about UCLA from the beginning, and I'm excited for him," said his mother, Preetha Geeyarpuram. "This is what he wanted. Of all the colleges he got into, he chose this one."

This is what inclusive excellence looks like

The U.S. News rankings are based on a series of measures of academic quality and graduate success, including graduation and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, faculty resources, social mobility, graduate earnings, and research impact, as well as schools' academic reputation, as assessed by presidents, provosts and admissions deans at peer institutions throughout the country. UCLA performed extremely well across all criteria.

Among the top 25 national universities - public or private - the campus ranked highest in social mobility, which measures universities' success in enrolling and graduating students from lower-income backgrounds. At UCLA, nearly 1 in 3 undergraduates are first-generation college students, and a similar share receive federal Pell Grants. These students graduate at rates comparable to the campus's overall six-year graduation rate, which exceeds 90%.

That commitment to access and success is matched by a culture of inclusion and belonging that helps Bruins from all backgrounds feel at home and thrive.

First-generation student Alison Jimenez found that out in April, when she and her parents, who do not speak English, attended a Bruins Unidos event for admitted students. The family was greeted in Spanish by students and staff and joined other Spanish-speaking families in what Jimenez described as a culturally and linguistically affirming environment.

"Seeing my parents experience community - in a language they understand - at the university I will be attending made all the difference for me," said Jimenez, who will be studying molecular, cell and developmental biology. "It allowed my parents to feel like they belong here too."

"To stand atop the list of the nation's public universities is an honor, and it reinforces our responsibility to continue expanding opportunity, advancing knowledge and serving society."

-Chancellor Julio Frenk

Continuing to expand opportunities and build community, including for military veterans, has long been a major UCLA priority, and the campus was once again ranked the No. 1 public university for veterans - a distinction it has held nine times over the past decade.

The ranking came as little surprise to Jacob Bobrowsky, president of the UCLA Student Veterans Association. "UCLA was literally the reason I decided I wanted to return to college," said the U.S. Army veteran, who noted the more than 100 programs and initiatives for veterans and their families designed to support them in their UCLA journey.

UCLA's commitment to supporting military-connected Bruins through education, mentorship and healthcare also aligns with UCLA for Life, an initiative that seeks to make meaningful, relevant learning accessible to Bruins and the broader community at every stage of life.

Research that serves the world

The rankings also highlight the quality of research conducted by UCLA faculty members, 39 of whom were recently named among the most influential researchers in the world in their fields. Their work reflects the breadth of ways in which UCLA research powers progress, from developing lifesaving treatments and transformative technologies to strengthening communities, expanding knowledge and tackling society's most pressing challenges.

Faculty research also presents unique opportunities for undergraduates. Sabah Alidina, a third-year student studying education and social transformation, has worked with professors to redesign a college and career curriculum for first-generation and low-income middle school students in Los Angeles, drawing on frameworks that recognize students' bilingualism and community knowledge as academic strengths.

"Research powers progress when it leads to real changes in how we support young people," Alidina said. "I hope this work contributes to a broader vision of education where students feel capable of achieving their goals, especially in communities of color and first-generation students."

More on UCLA's rankings

As part of the U.S. News rankings, universities were also rated across several academic programs. UCLA's undergraduate programs in psychology, economics, computer science, engineering and teaching were ranked in the top 10 among all public universities.

In addition to UCLA, four other University of California campuses were among the top 10 public universities in this year's rankings: UC Berkeley (tied with UCLA for No. 1), UC San Diego (6), and UC Davis and UC Irvine (tied for 8).

UCLA, Berkeley and Notre Dame shared the No. 20 ranking overall among national universities.

UCLA earned top marks elsewhere as well. In August, Niche.com, whose annual rankings combine federal statistical data with survey responses from students and alumni, also named UCLA the nation's No. 1 public university and rated the campus the country's best for college food and for serving Hispanic students and Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander students.