CSUB receives top rankings in U.S. News’ 2025 Best Colleges report

California State University, Bakersfield improved its placement in key categories of U.S. News and World Report's 2025 Best Colleges rankings, which were released today.

For the western region of the country, CSUB ranked No. 16 in the Top Public Schools category, No. 21 in Top Performers on Social Mobility and No. 30 in Regional Universities.

The rankings marked an improvement over last year, when the university was ranked No. 16 in Top Public Schools, No. 22 in Top Performers on Social Mobility and No. 34 in Regional Universities West.

"Every family in our region should take a great deal of pride in the fact that Kern County's university is among the finest in the nation," said Interim President Vernon B. Harper Jr. "Our faculty, staff, alumni and supporters work hard every day to ensure that CSUB continues our rise in academic excellence, social mobility and service. But it is our students and their families who deserve most of the credit for our rankings. Their grit, determination and character elevate this university and the entire state of California."

For the past two years, U.S. News has placed a heavier emphasis on social mobility and factors such as the performance and outcomes of first-generation students in its rankings. Some of the main factors that schools were ranked on include graduation rates, first-year retention rates and the performance of graduates who received Pell grants.

The Top Public Schools category consists of public colleges and universities that operate under the supervision of state governments and are funded, in part, through tax dollars and subsidies from the state.

The Top Performers on Social Mobility ranking is determined by how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell grants. These grants are awarded to students with family incomes of up to $50,000, with most going to students from households with incomes of $30,000 or less. At CSUB, over 60% of students are eligible for a Pell grant.

The Regional Universities West category ranks universities in the western part of the nation that offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's degrees but few doctoral programs.

CSUB has received several top rankings from other outlets over the past year, including:

• No. 14 in Best Bang for the Buck: West by Washington Monthly.
• No. 16 in Best Colleges in the West by Degree Choices.
• No. 20 nationwide in Education Reform Now's 2023 Social Mobility Elevator rankings.

CSUB was also rated CSUB 4.5 out of 5 stars in Money Magazine's 2024 Best Colleges in America rankings.

Visit the U.S. News and World Report's 2025 Best Colleges website to see its full rankings.

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