CSUMB continues run of high U.S. News college rankings

By Mark Muckenfuss 

Cal State Monterey Bay continues to be lauded as one of the top universities in California and in the country. In its just-released annual college rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked CSUMB No. 2 among Western regional colleges and universities for promoting social mobility, a metric that measures how well a school puts low-income students on a path to successful careers. 

CSUMB also did well in the overall rankings among Western schools. The Otters ranked No. 7 among public universities and tied at No. 11, with University of Redlands, when private universities in the 15-state region were included. Among that same group of schools, the news agency ranked CSUMB No. 8 for Best Schools for Veterans, also a tie with University of Redlands. 

CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones said the rankings reflect the university’s consistent performance.

“We continue to place very high in these kinds of rankings,” Quiñones said. “We may be a smaller school, but we are strong. 

“These rankings reflect our values,” she added. “Social mobility is a key component of our mission and is critically important to the student population we serve, many of whom are first-generation college students from underserved communities. CSUMB students have access to excellent academic opportunities, empowering them to advance in their lives. Our commitment to lifting people up through education not only makes our Otter raft stronger, but also our region, and beyond.” 

The rankings are based on a set of 17 criteria. U.S. News designates regional universities as those that “offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and some master's degree programs but few, if any, doctoral programs.” 

With the exception of Parker University, CSUMB ranked higher as a top performer on social mobility than all other schools in the Western region including San Jose State, Cal Poly Pomona, University of Houston, Woodbury University and Mount Saint Mary's. 

This is the latest in a number of positive placements for CSUMB, including recent rankings by Washington Monthly and Money magazines.