CSULB ranks No. 3 among national universities for promoting social mobility

Cal State Long Beach has ranked No. 3 among national universities for "Top Performers on Social Mobility," according to U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Colleges rankings, released today.

The social mobility rankings, which are part of U.S. News' varied outcomes measures, assess graduation rates and performance of Pell Grant-awarded students. The publication examined graduation rates of Pell Grant students over a four-year rolling average - from the entering classes of fall 2015 through fall 2018. The higher a university's Pell graduation rate relative to its non-Pell graduation rate, the better the scores.

Of the more than 35,000 enrolled undergraduate Beach students in fall 2024, more than 49.5% received Pell Grants, according to campus data and the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

The rankings underscore CSULB's stature as a top educational institution that promotes social mobility and achievement.

The latest U.S. News & World Report ranking is similar to last year's list, where CSULB also ranked No. 3 nationally.

Last month, Cal State Long Beach ranked No. 9 in Washington Monthly's "Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars" list. CSULB also ranked No. 4 in Washington Monthly's "Best Bang for the Buck: West," jumping from No. 15 in last year's assessment.

The Beach has a proven track record of advancing socioeconomic opportunity for all students, as seen by consistent top 5 showings in rankings that measure social mobility impact.

Washington Monthly has recognized The Beach as one of the top 50 national universities, and Money has ranked CSULB as one of the "Best Colleges in America," giving The Beach 5 out of 5 stars for two years running, including this year.