Cal State LA has again ranked among the nation’s best higher learning institutions for transforming the lives of its students, with the latest findings focusing on its Hispanic population.
Washington Monthly and Excelencia in Education ranked Cal State LA as No. 4 among four-year institutions in economic mobility for Hispanic students. The joint analysis was released Sunday, August 30, in Washington Monthly’s second annual edition of the Best Colleges for Hispanic Students.
The analysis combines the accessibility focus of Washington Monthly’s college rankings with the knowledge Excelencia has built over more than two decades of listening to, learning from, and working with institutions.
“This ranking validates our mission as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) to improve academic attainment and drive socioeconomic mobility,” Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said. “We ensure our students are well primed in our classrooms to take on all challenges as soon as they begin their meaningful careers. We transform their lives, which, in turn, allows our students to uplift generations of their families.”
Its impressive standing in Washington Monthly’s report earned Cal State LA the Seal of Excelencia, a rigorous, student-centered, data-informed certification that holds colleges and universities accountable for showing momentum leading to continuous improvement in student outcomes.
Cal State LA was among 45 institutions to have earned the Seal. Universities and colleges earned this standard of excellence through an intentional alignment of data, evidence-based practices, and leadership that lead to student success.
“The Seal of Excelencia recognizes and drives excellence at institutions serving Latino students because intentional, mission-driven investment in serving this population ensures all students, communities, and country are served,” said Deborah Santiago, Excelencia in Education co-founder and CEO. “For students and families, the Seal is a clear signal that an institution creates the conditions needed for them to thrive before and beyond graduation.”
Cal State LA in recent years has set for its general population a high standard for upward mobility, the measurement of how effectively colleges enroll economically disadvantaged students and graduate them into high-paying careers.
In 2022, Opportunity Insights at Harvard University named Cal State LA as No. 1 in the nation for upward mobility. Two years later, the California Mobility Index’s inaugural rankings of the state’s institutions also placed Cal State LA in the top position.
Washington Monthly’s rankings focus on HSIs, using Excelencia’s data on the transfer and graduation rates of Latino students to provide unique insight. Excelencia gathers its information on institutional efforts and policies from hundreds of universities and colleges for the Seal.
Institutions also submit data about diversity among faculty and staff, along with metrics and descriptions around Hispanic education.
In its rankings, Washington Monthly includes whether an institution has earned the Seal and then adds two accessibility measures: the net price of tuition and the percentage of students who receive Pell Grants.
Universities and colleges that have earned the Seal account for 34 of the top 100 two- and four-year institutions of higher education for Latinos across the country. Seal-certified institutions lead the nation in closing degree attainment gaps, representing less than 1% of colleges and universities, yet graduating 17% of Latino students and 7% of all students.
Cal State LA also ranks No. 9 in the nation and No. 2 in the West in Washington Monthly’s “Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars” category. The rankings evaluate colleges and universities based on their contributions to the public good, including access, affordability, student outcomes and the promotion of public service.
“It is more important than ever to recognize and celebrate colleges that are doing right by their Hispanic students,” said Kainoa Lowman, Washington Monthly editor. “Considering the vital importance of the growing Hispanic student population to the overall health of America’s contracting higher education system, the top schools in this ranking provide a model that other institutions should look to for lessons on how to serve that population well.”
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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 260,000 distinguished alumni.
