California State University, Stanislaus ranks among the best colleges in the nation for quality and affordability, according to lists released last week by two prominent financial publications.
CSU Stanislaus placed No. 173 out of 1,500 four-year colleges in Money magazine’s Best Colleges list, earning a B-plus grade for giving students the most value for their money. The magazine screened out any colleges with below-average graduation rates, then ranked the remaining 665 on 17 factors in three overarching categories: educational quality, affordability and alumni earnings.
The University also appeared in Forbes magazine’s America’s Top Colleges list, which focuses primarily on the return on investment students receive from their alma mater. In partnership with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, Forbes used criteria such as postgraduate success, student debt, graduation rate and academic success to rank the top 650 schools in the nation, with CSU Stanislaus making the cut at No. 476 overall and No. 88 in the West region.
“To appear in these rankings is a testament to the value students receive in a CSU Stanislaus education,” President Joseph F. Sheley said. “Our graduates are smart and adaptable, and they enter the workforce prepared for success not just in the short term, but throughout their careers.”
CSU Stanislaus has consistently been recognized in “Best Colleges” publications from the Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report in recent years, and in May it placed No. 28 out of more than 2,500 schools in a Time magazine ranking based on access, affordability and educational outcomes. The University has also been recognized recently for affordability, environmental sustainability and friendliness toward members of the military and their families.