Sep 05, 2024 CSUCI gets high marks on Washington Monthly's 'Best Bang for your Buck' College Guide

Sept. 5, 2024 - CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is one of the most affordable universities in the West according to Washington Monthly's 2024 annual College Guide.

CSUCI ranked 24^th out of 201 colleges and universities in the western region on the "Best Bang for Your Buck" list, climbing two rungs from its 2023 ranking. Each year, the Washington Monthly creates a region-by-region ranking of public, private nonprofit, and for-profit colleges in its "Best Bang for your Buck" category, based on how well an institution helps students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.

"I am proud of how CSUCI opens doors to higher education for individuals who may not have previously considered higher education. A degree not only transforms their lives but also uplifts their families and contributes to greater social mobility," said President Richard Yao. "This recognition reflects our commitment to empowering students and enhancing communities through education."

Social mobility refers to how well a university serves students with fewer financial resources by offering them a lower tuition rate, allowing them to improve their social and socioeconomic circumstances with a degree and a promising career.

The Washington Monthly has been releasing an annual College Guide and rankings since 2005, ranking schools based on what they are doing for the country. The "Best Bang for the Buck" category was added in 2012 with CSUCI consistently doing well in the social mobility category. In fact, 15 of the CSU universities made it in the top 25 spots on the "Best Bang" list.

"These institutions, especially the state-run 'regional' universities that are the theme of this year's college guide, do the noble work of helping low- and middle-income students get the education they need to get ahead in life," read an article in Washington Monthly college guide. "These schools also tend to be enmeshed in, and beloved by, their local communities as centers of economic growth and civic life."

The Washington Monthly views state-run institutions like CSUCI as the backbone of higher education, which is why the college guide set another benchmark for excellence, measuring what colleges do for their country, rather than for themselves.

"Rather than reward institutions for their wealth, fame, and exclusivity, we evaluate them on their commitment to three goals: social mobility, research, and public service," wrote Washington Monthly reporters Paul Glastris and Rob Wolfe. "We give credit to colleges that welcome students from low- and middle-income backgrounds and get them through college and into good jobs with manageable debt."

Learn more at the "Best Bang for your Buck" West list of rankings at: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/best-bang-for-the-buck-rankings-west/.