Cal State LA debuts in National Universities category, earns high marks for value and social mobility

Cal State LA is ranked among the top public universities nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, marking the university's first appearance in the publication's National Universities category.

Cal State LA also ranked among the nation's top universities in two key categories, placing No. 22 for social mobility and No. 35 for best value in-state.

"Our community has built a national research university grounded in access, excellence, and transformation," said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes. "We are creating pathways to opportunity while advancing research and scholarship that serve Los Angeles and the world."

U.S. News & World Report uses the Carnegie Classification system to assign institutions to its ranking categories. Under the classification used for the 2027 rankings, Cal State LA moved from the Regional Universities category to the National Universities category.

The move to the national category reflects Cal State LA's expanding doctoral programs and growing research activity. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designated Cal State LA as a Research 2, or R2, institution in its 2025 Research Activity Designations.

The R2 designation recognizes colleges and universities with significant research activity. To qualify, institutions must report at least $5 million in annual research expenditures and award at least 20 research doctorates annually.

National Universities offer a range of undergraduate majors, as well as master's and doctoral degree programs, and emphasize faculty research. The category places Cal State LA in a broader field that includes the nation's leading research institutions.

In its debut in the National Universities category, Cal State LA tied for No. 74 among public universities nationwide, placing it among the country's top 100 public institutions.

Last year, the university ranked No. 13 among all regional universities in the West and No. 8 among public regional universities in the West. During its 12 years in the Regional Universities West category, Cal State LA rose 83 places.

Additionally, Cal State LA earned strong marks for its undergraduate programs in engineering, business, nursing, and psychology in the rankings released Tuesday. The university is also listed among the best colleges for veterans.

The engineering program in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology ranks in the top five nationwide among public master's degree-granting institutions, excluding military academies. Cal State LA was also recognized among the nation's leading institutions offering bachelor's or master's degrees in civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.

The business program in the College of Business and Economics ranks among the top 10 public institutions in California.

The nursing program, housed in the Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing in the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services, ranks among the top two in Los Angeles and the top 10 in California.

The psychology program, housed in the College of Natural and Social Sciences, ranks among the top 15 public institutions in California.

U.S. News & World Report uses several measures to develop its rankings, including graduation rates, financial resources, first-year retention rates and student-faculty ratios-areas in which Cal State LA continues to demonstrate significant success.

To view Cal State LA's complete rankings, visit the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges website.