Cal State LA is ranked among the top public universities nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, marking the university\u2019s first appearance in the publication\u2019s National Universities category.<\/p>\n
Cal State LA also ranked among the nation\u2019s top universities in two key categories, placing No. 22 for social mobility and No. 35 for best value in-state.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur community has built a national research university grounded in access, excellence, and transformation,\u201d said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes. \u201cWe are creating pathways to opportunity while advancing research and scholarship that serve Los Angeles and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. News & World Report uses the Carnegie Classification system to assign institutions to its ranking categories. Under the classification used for the 2027 rankings, Cal State LA moved from the Regional Universities category to the National Universities category.<\/p>\n
The move to the national category reflects Cal State LA\u2019s expanding doctoral programs and growing research activity. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designated Cal State LA as a Research 2, or R2, institution in its 2025 Research Activity Designations<\/a>.<\/p>\n The R2 designation recognizes colleges and universities with significant research activity. To qualify, institutions must report at least $5 million in annual research expenditures and award at least 20 research doctorates annually.<\/p>\n National Universities offer a range of undergraduate majors, as well as master\u2019s and doctoral degree programs, and emphasize faculty research. The category places Cal State LA in a broader field that includes the nation\u2019s leading research institutions.<\/p>\n In its debut in the National Universities category, Cal State LA tied for No. 74 among public universities nationwide, placing it among the country\u2019s top 100 public institutions.<\/p>\n