The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has designated Cal State LA as a Research 2 (R2) institution in its 2025 Research Activity Designations, as published on Thursday, Feb. 13.
The new R2 designation is awarded to universities and colleges that prioritize research with high spending and doctorate production, requiring a minimum of $5 million in research spending and 20 research doctorates awarded annually.
“This is an important designation that recognizes Cal State LA as a key research institution,” Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said. “It validates the outstanding work and innovation of our professors and students as they address the needs of our community through their research.”
Cal State LA was one of 139 institutions, including seven others from the California State University system, to receive the R2 designation.
“I give credit to our outstanding faculty members,” said Hengchun Ye, associate vice president for research. “They are so passionate about their research, contributing to society, and educating our students. They work so hard in developing all aspects of their research and finding new discoveries.”
In addition to releasing the list of institutions that received a 2025 designation, the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education (ACE) unveiled an updated methodology that better accounts for and reflects the multifaceted, wide-ranging research landscape of higher education.
Previously, the Carnegie Foundation used what is referred to as the Basic Classification, which placed colleges and universities into groups based on the highest degree awarded.
“These updates to the Carnegie Classifications are the first step to bring a decades-old system into the 21st century,” said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation. “We are expanding our recognition of the range of ways colleges and universities engage in research and development.”
Ye says the R2 designation will open new doors for Cal State LA’s researchers.
“Certain opportunities from foundations, for student research development are only open to R2 universities,” she said. “We should now have more chances for scholarships, for research engagement, and other opportunities that were not available to us.”
Twenty-one of 23 universities from the Cal State University system also received Carnegie Classifications. The other classifications are Research 1 (R1) and Research Colleges and Universities (RCU).
R1 is given to institutions with very high spending and doctorate production, defined by $50 million in total research spending and 70 research doctorates awarded annually.
The RCU designation identifies research at colleges and universities that historically have not been recognized for their research activity, including institutions that do not offer many or any doctoral degrees. These institutions spend more than $2.5 million on research annually.
Joining Cal State LA with R2 designations were Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, Sacramento State, San Francisco State, and San Jose State.
San Diego State was placed in the R1 category. The RCU institutions are Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Channel Islands, Chico State, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State East Bay, Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State Northridge, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State San Marcos, and Sonoma State.
“These classifications underscore the CSU’s commitment to engaging our undergraduate students in applied research that lifts communities and addresses our state’s most pressing challenges across fields of study—and they wonderfully reflect the CSU’s mission and core values,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
