Wall Street Journal Ranks SJSU the #5 Public School in the Country

San José State continues to rank among the nation's best universities. In the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and College Pulse's 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings , released on September 30, SJSU ranked as the #5 best public university in the nation and #17 overall.

The rankings, which rate the top 500 universities in the country, scored SJSU a 84.6 out of 100. SJSU cemented its position among the top five public universities in the country, following up on last year's No. 4 ranking. The rankings measure how well each college sets graduates up for financial success; how much a school improves students' chances of graduating and their future earnings and balances these outcomes with feedback from students on college life.

"We are proud to see San José State maintain our position as one of the top five public universities in the nation in such a respected ranking like the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse," said President Cynthia Teniente-Matson. "As the anchor institution of the Epicenter of the Future here in Silicon Valley, and our remarkable students, faculty, staff, alumni and community deserve the credit for consistently making this university a world-class institution."

In additional rankings:

• SJSU ranked #4 among public universities, and #14 overall for Best Salaries (a three-spot jump from last year), which according to WSJ, " lists schools in order of their impact on graduates' salaries and how this relates to the cost of attending the college."
• The university jumped to #24 for social mobility (from No. 28 last year);
• and #41 for best value in the nation, up one from No. 42 last year.