Stanislaus State Ranks No. 24 in the Nation on Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges

Stanislaus State's national prestige continues to climb, ranking No. 24 on the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. list announced Thursday, Sept. 5.

It is the first year the University has been included on the list, which is partly dependent on student feedback to evaluate the learning environment and diversity on campus. The ranking methodology also considers factors that boost graduates' salaries, years to pay off the net cost, and how the colleges go above and beyond to help their students graduate. Stan State is the sole California State University in the Central Valley to make the Top 50.

In addition to its No. 24 ranking among 500 on the annual list, Stan State ranked No. 9 among the Top 10 public schools. It is one of 15 CSU campuses included on the list.

"I am absolutely thrilled that Stan State has been ranked as the 9th best public university in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal," said President Britt Rios-Ellis. "This outstanding ranking really speaks to the heart of what our University is all about - transformational education and student success in the heart of the Central Valley.

"What makes this recognition even more meaningful is that it considers student feedback, clearly demonstrating that we are cultivating a space where students thrive with a strong sense of belonging. The Stan State community works every day to make sure each student has the support they need to thrive. I'm beyond excited to watch our amazing campus community continue to make Stan State and the Central Valley a place where dreams come to life and brilliant futures are built."

"I am absolutely thrilled that Stan State has been ranked as the 9th best public university in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal. This outstanding ranking really speaks to the heart of what our University is all about - transformational education and student success in the heart of the Central Valley."

- President Britt Rios-Ellis

The WSJ/College Pulse America's Best Colleges 2025 rankings weigh factors such as salary impact, years to pay off college debt and graduation rates. Student input, however, measures the learning environment in various ways. Those standards include:

• Interactions with faculty and feedback on the overall quality of teaching;
• The quality and frequency of opportunities for students to prepare for their future careers, such as networking opportunities, career advice and support, as well as applied learning;
• Satisfaction with learning facilities, including library facilities, classrooms and internet reliability; and
• The extent to which students would recommend their college to a friend, whether students would choose the same college again if they could start over and their satisfaction with the value for money their college provides.

Additionally, the rankings measure student responses to questions about diversity, including opportunities to interact with students from different backgrounds, the presence of faculty of different ethnicities, and the inclusion of students with lower family incomes or those with disabilities.

For the first time, the rankings included a character measurement, asking students to what extent they believe their school has developed character strengths that will help them to make a meaningful contribution to society, including moral courage, hopefulness, resilience, wisdom and a sense of justice.

Half of the colleges in the top 50 this year are new, with a wide range of schools - large and small, public and private, technical and liberal arts - serving their students especially well and leaving them broadly satisfied with their college experience, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The publication also explained that rankings measure how well each college prepares graduates for financial success. They also look at how much a school improves students' chances of graduating and their future earnings, balancing these outcomes with student feedback on college life. However, rankings do not measure reputation or the college's own finances.

Stan State continues to earn recognition from top national publications, including Washington Monthly, the Princeton Review and Money.com. These consistent accolades highlight the University's steadfast dedication to delivering excellence in education, fostering a supportive and inclusive campus and empowering students to thrive during their time at Stan State and beyond.

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