Impact That Endures

For the 21st year in a row, Stanislaus State has earned a place in The Princeton Review's annual Best Colleges guide, extending more than two decades of national recognition for the University's exceptional quality, value and student experience.

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the education services company released its annual "Best 392 Colleges for 2027" list and companion guide, "The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition," profiling colleges it recommends to prospective undergraduate students and their families.

Of the 22 California State University campuses, only Stan State and San Diego State are included in The Princeton Review's 35th annual guide.

Responses to The Princeton Review's student survey offer a closer look at the Stan State experience. In the University's 2027 profile, students describe Stan State as offering a supportive, "student-centric" education at a strong value. They highlighted interactive labs, experiential learning, group projects, culturally informed teaching and academic clubs that connect them with faculty and equip them to enter the workforce ready to contribute from day one.

"The quality of education per dollar is incredible," one undergraduate wrote.

One student said the personalized accommodations they received "renewed my confidence in pursuing higher education, so much so that I'm now considering a master's degree."

Another responded that Stan State "is willing to help students in any way that they can."

Together, the comments illustrate the academic quality and support students experience at Stan State.

"The colleges we profile in 'The Best 392 Colleges' vary by type, size, locale and campus culture," said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief at The Princeton Review and the guide's lead author. "In our opinion, each one offers an academically outstanding undergraduate education. They are truly a select group: they comprise only about 14 percent of America's nearly 2,800 four-year colleges."

"For 35 years, our goal for this project has been to create multiple ranking lists and resources to help college applicants answer what is likely the toughest but also the most important question in their journey to college: 'Which college is best for me?'"

- Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief, The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review selects colleges for inclusion based on its assessment of their undergraduate programs and does not assign an overall ranking to the 392 institutions.

"For 35 years, our goal for this project has been to create multiple ranking lists and resources to help college applicants answer what is likely the toughest but also the most important question in their journey to college: 'Which college is best for me?'" Franek said.

The Princeton Review's recognition reinforces Stan State's national reputation for quality, value and student outcomes. In June, Money.com awarded Stan State five stars for the third consecutive year in its 2026-27 Best Colleges list. The University was among 42 institutions nationwide - and only 17 public four-year institutions - to receive Money's highest rating for quality, affordability and student outcomes.