Four Central Valley universities were recognized as being among the very best in the nation for social mobility.
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings placed UC Merced; California State University, Stanislaus; Fresno State; and Fresno Pacific university in the top 15 in the nation for social mobility.
The big picture: UC Merced came in first in the country for social mobility, followed by CSU Stanislaus in second.
- Fresno State was ranked at No. 4, improving from No. 6 in 2023.
- Fresno Pacific rounded out the Central Valley’s universities among the top of the rankings at No. 14.
Driving the news: The rankings list universities in order of how much they enhance their students’ social mobility, rewarding schools that take in the highest proportion of students coming from lower-income families while maintaining high graduation rates and having a positive impact on graduate salaries with a low cost of attending.
Zoom out: In the overall rankings, which lists the top 400 universities in the country, UC Merced ranked highest among Valley schools at No. 18, moving up from 59th last year.
- CSU Stanislaus ranked 24th, Fresno State was ranked at No. 51 and Fresno Pacific ranked 141st.
What they’re saying: “At UC Merced, we routinely say that we don’t do what we do for rankings, but when you excel others will always take notice,” said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “We hope this recent acknowledgment will be yet another opportunity for people to learn about the exceptional culture of student success that has taken root at UC Merced. Year after year, we are delivering on our promise of access, excellence, and opportunity for the students who choose to attend UC Merced.”
- Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval said, “At Fresno State, our students receive a world-class comprehensive education with the opportunity to engage in service-learning, high-impact practices and research. These skills and experiences result in a Fresno State degree that empowers and uplifts our talented students from the Valley and beyond to become emerging leaders at home and around the world.”
