CSUDH consistently excels in national rankings when economic mobility, access, and student outcomes are being measured—and 2025 finds the university once again near the top of several recent studies. The latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report and Washington Monthly affirm CSUDH’s commitment to uplifting students and helping them climb the economic ladder.
Already this year, CSUDH was rated one of the best colleges in the nation in Money.com’s 2025 list of the Best Colleges in America. It joined eight other CSU campuses in earning Five Stars, the publication’s highest rating. The university placed in their Best Public Colleges, Best Colleges in the West, and Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates rankings.
U.S. News & World Report
For its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report assessed more than 1,700 institutions on measures such as student graduation rates, debt, social mobility, academic reputation, and faculty resources. Institution types are grouped into national universities, liberal arts colleges, regional colleges, or regional universities.
CSUDH’s highest rankings were 7th place for Least Debt (West) and 8th place for Economic Diversity (West), reflecting its accessibility for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. It also placed 13th for Top Performers in Social Mobility (West), and earned spots within the top 50 of other categories, including 20th for Top Public Schools (West) and 36th in Best Regional Universities (West).
Washington Monthly
In contrast to some other organizations’ metrics, Washington Monthly‘s rankings emphasize the “public good” colleges and universities have on the country.
Since last year, CSUDH rose four spots to 4th place among Master’s Universities, the magazine’s all-around category which measures social mobility, research, and promoting public service.
The university placed 5th in the publication’s new Best Hispanic-Serving Colleges rankings, which the Monthly compiled with the help of Washington DC-based non-profit Excelencia in Education.
CSUDH was also ranked in 7th place for Best Bang for the Buck (West), reflecting how well the campus helps non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. In a similar vein, the university placed 14th in Best Colleges for Your Tuition (And Tax Dollars).
