Cal Poly Pomona is No. 2 among the “Top Public Schools: Regional Universities West” on the U.S. News “2021 Best College Rankings,” published today. The university also rose to No. 10 among all public and private institutions in the west, from No. 14 last year.
Among schools in the western region, the university rankings included:
- 3 on the “Most Innovative Schools” list as ranked by higher education leaders
- 5 among “Top Performers in Social Mobility” (tie), rising four places
- 8 in “Best Undergraduate Teaching”
- 11 for “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” in a tie with the U.S. Coast Guard Academy
The 2021 edition provides data on more than 1,800 colleges and universities. U.S. News uses 17 metrics to assess academic quality for the “Best Colleges” overall ranking. “The greatest emphasis [is] on outcomes, particularly a college’s ability to retain and graduate students. Other factors include class size, undergraduate academic reputation, and how much colleges spend on instruction and other educational investments.”
This year’s U.S. News & World Report formula is based 35 percent on outcomes and social mobility, 20 percent on undergraduate academic reputation, and 20 percent on faculty resources, which examined class size, student-faculty ratio, faculty salary and percentage of faculty with a terminal degree. Also included in the analysis were financial resources per student (10 percent), student excellence and selectivity (7 percent), graduate debt (5 percent) and average alumni giving (3 percent).
Over the last five years, the quality and value of a Cal Poly Pomona education, with its commitment to experiential learning and professional readiness, have resulted in the institution’s rise in several national rankings. In recent years, Pomona’s rise has been helped by outlets adding assessments of student outcomes as measured by social mobility.
In 2015, U.S. News ranked Cal Poly Pomona No. 31 among “Top Regional Universities in the West.” On the Money Magazine “Best College for Your Money” lists, Cal Poly Pomona rose from No. 149 in 2016 to No. 15 this year.
In this year’s U.S. News rankings, the great work of the California State University system was also highlighted. CSU institutions took eight of the top 10 places on the “Best Public Schools: Regional Universities West” list.
The California State University system consists of 23 campuses and educates approximately 482,000 students every year. Nearly 50 percent of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Nearly three-quarters are students of color and one-third are the first in their families to attend college.