The California State University, Stanislaus continues to make headlines across the nation, this time taking the top spot for value among all public universities in the nation.
Money magazine named CSU Stanislaus the No. 1 public university in the nation for value in its recent rankings which are “based solely on value-added grades for graduation rates, earnings and student loan repayment, eliminating schools with a negative grade in any of those areas or a graduation rate below 50 percent.”
The ranking is very significant, according to University President Joseph F. Sheley.
“It means we’re being noticed as one of the best colleges at serving its core constituency,” Sheley said. “Members of the region are experiencing the thrill and pride that comes with a son or daughter becoming the first in the family to earn a college degree and opening doors to success.”
Stanislaus ranked third overall on the magazine’s national list, with two private colleges — Robert Morris University of Chicago and Mt. St. Mary’s University of Los Angeles — taking the top spots. Three other CSUs made Money’s Top 50 list, with Long Beach State at No. 10, San Diego State at No. 39 and Chico State at No. 49.
Money magazine's value-added list was computed as a subset of the magazine’s annual ranking of colleges that offer overall value in education. On that list, Stanislaus ranked No. 82 nationally, tied with Cal Maritime for the top spot among the 23 CSU campuses.
To arrive at the rankings, the magazine started by screening out schools with graduation rates below median levels, then added ranking factors such as educational quality, affordability and alumni earnings. It used the economic and educational background of students to apply an additional grade and then computed the total affordability of the degree, including availability of merit-based aid, the average amount of student loan burden, the average time it takes to graduate, and anticipated tuition increases.
The Money magazine rankings follow other outstanding national rankings, including those of U.S. News & World Report, which placed the University among the top 10 four-year schools in the country in serving Hispanic students.
The report uses 2013 data to place Stanislaus No. 9 in the nation with a student population that measures 45 percent Hispanic. The statistic closely mirrors the makeup of Stanislaus County, which, according to 2013 census figures, is 43.5 percent Hispanic.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, Hispanic students make up 12.3 percent of all four-year college students nationwide, but the number is growing faster than any other racial or ethnic group, rising more than 20 percent since 2010.
To view the complete Money magazine value-added list, click here.
