Washington Monthly magazine has once again recognized Cal State LA as one of the nation’s top universities in its newly released annual rankings.
In the magazine’s 2025 College Guide and Rankings, Cal State LA earned the top spot as No. 1 in the West for “Best Bang for the Buck,” a category that highlights colleges and universities offering students the greatest opportunity to earn marketable degrees at affordable prices.
“These rankings affirm what we have long known—that our university empowers dreams and transforms lives,” said Berenecea Johnson Eanes, president of Cal State LA. “The dedication of our excellent faculty and staff to our students’ success is why we are, and why we remain, No. 1 in changing trajectories for individuals, families, and communities.”
Cal State LA is also ranked the nation’s No. 1 four-year institution in the “Best Hispanic-Serving Colleges” category. This category combines the social mobility focus of the monthly’s college rankings with the knowledge that Excelencia has built over decades of analyzing Hispanic achievement in higher education.
In 2023, Cal State LA was certified by Excelencia in Education with the prestigious Seal of Excelencia for demonstrating through data, evidence-based practices, and leadership how it is intentionally serving Latino students. Excelencia in Education is the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education.
Among the “Best Master’s Universities” category, Cal State LA is ranked No. 2 in the nation. The university is also No. 4 in the country in the “Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars” category.
Washington Monthly evaluates universities and colleges based on their contribution to the public good, considering factors such as access, affordability, outcomes, and the promotion of public service.
Cal State LA is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. The university serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 270,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA has consistently been recognized as the top university for upward mobility. The university was named No. 1 in the state in the inaugural rankings of the California Mobility Index, unveiled by the College Futures Foundation and the research agency HEA Group. Opportunity Insights at Harvard University (formerly known as the Equality of Opportunity Project) also ranked Cal State LA No. 1 nationally in upward mobility.
Cal State LA is also recognized among the top value colleges in the nation. Money magazine named Cal State LA to its 2025 list of The Best Colleges in America, awarding the university a five-star rating—one of only 40 institutions nationwide to earn this distinction.
Cal State LA is committed to engagement, service, and the public good. The university’s efforts to uplift and transform the economies and social well-being of communities across the region led to its designation as an anchor institution by the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.
The university is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, Minority-Serving Institution, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.
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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 22,000 students and has more than 270,000 distinguished alumni.
