UC Merced Named the 30th Best Public University in the Nation

In recognition of its growing national reputation, UC Merced has been named the 30th best public university in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The announcement was made today as part of USNWR's 2027 Best Colleges list, the esteemed annual report that tabulates more than 1,700 public and private colleges and universities.

The university also ranked No. 4 for social mobility, placing it among the nation's best institutions for helping students from all backgrounds achieve greater economic success.

UC Merced also earned high marks in a new category this year, Best Value Schools for In-State Students, ranking 18th. The distinction recognizes institutions that offer students a strong return on their educational investment by combining academic quality with affordability.

"Rankings are meaningful when they reflect the outcomes and opportunities we create for our students," Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said. "At UC Merced, we are deeply committed to providing an exceptional education that is accessible to students from across California and beyond."

UC Merced continued to strengthen its national standing in academic areas. Its undergraduate engineering program - which recently earned strong recognition through ABET, with five of its undergraduate programs receiving accreditation through 2032 - climbed to No. 128, the highest ranking in the program's history and an improvement of seven places over last year.

These latest rankings arrive during a period of sustained momentum at UC Merced. Propelled by record numbers of first-year and transfer students, the university entered the 2026-27 academic year with the largest enrollment in campus history and the highest annual growth in 15 years. UC Merced also is coming off a record fundraising year, underscoring the growing trust and belief supporters have in the university and its mission.

That momentum is reflected in UC Merced's continued standing both nationally and across California. Within the state, USNWR ranked UC Merced as the seventh-best public university and the 11^th best overall.

The university's recognition extends beyond its overall academic standing. For the first time, UC Merced was included among USNWR's Best Colleges for Veterans, charting at No. 40. The category recognizes institutions that provide strong educational opportunities and support for students with military backgrounds.

Collectively, the rankings highlight several aspects of the student experience at UC Merced, including academic opportunity, social mobility, value, and support for students from a range of backgrounds.

"These rankings speak to the breadth of what we offer our students at UC Merced, from the highest-quality education and meaningful academic opportunities to the support and resources that help students succeed," Muñoz said. "Taken together, the rankings point to a university increasingly recognized not only for the quality of its academic programs and faculty, but for the difference it makes in the lives of its students."

Alyssa Johansen