While many universities talk about making a difference, Cal State delivers measurable results and excels at something that matters most: social mobility. Money Magazine's rankings incorporate economic mobility as a key factor in their methodology. The Third Way's 'Economic Mobility Index,' which measures how effectively colleges serve lower-income students and how quickly those students earn more than they paid for their degree, has become crucial to Money's evaluation process.

The results speak volumes: 16 CSU campuses rank among the top 50 nationally on this economic mobility measure, with Cal State LA leading the entire country at number one, followed by Dominguez Hills at second place. For many Cal State schools, economic mobility represents their strongest performance area in Money's overall methodology.

The nine CSU campuses that earned 5-star ratings represent nearly one-fourth of all five-star colleges nationwide:

The CSU system has eliminated standardized testing requirements and simplified the application process. Students use the same portal to apply to any of the 23 campuses.

No letters of recommendation or essays are required—just basic demographics, GPA/transcript, and activities. Most campuses maintain high acceptance rates. Some CSUs offer multiple intake periods throughout the year, including spring and summer starts. The application window for Fall 2026 admissions is from October 1, 2025 to December 1, 2025. The application fee is $70 per campus. 

Popular majors
The majors that draw the biggest crowds are practical, workforce-oriented fields.  Business administration, psychology, computer science, nursing, criminal justice, engineering (especially mechanical, civil, electrical, and computer engineering), kinesiology, and the biological sciences top enrollment lists on many campuses.  These subjects dominate the CSU’s annual “impaction” matrix, the roster of programs so popular they must cap admissions even on largely open-access campuses. Prospective students should be aware that impacted majors typically are more competitive than other majors at the same campus!

Learning by Doing
What sets the CSU apart isn’t just the menu of majors; it is the way they are taught. Cal Poly’s century-old slogan “Learning by Doing” captures a system-wide culture in which labs, studios, clinical rotations, and internships are integrated into the curriculum. The CSU master plan explicitly makes instruction the primary faculty responsibility; research is encouraged when it supports teaching. 

California operates two distinct public university systems that serve different educational purposes and student goals. Under California’s 1960 Master Plan, the University of California (UC) became the state’s main research system. Its majors revolve around lab work, theory-heavy classes, and preparation for graduate school.

The California State University takes the opposite approach. CSU programs focus on hands-on projects, clinical hours, and applied concepts so students graduate job-ready. Both paths have merit, but if you are looking for learning by doing and higher admission rates, the CSU’s practical majors offer a direct, affordable route into high-demand careers.

Campus life in the CSU system comes in 23 flavors. Northern campuses like Humboldt sit among redwoods; southern hubs like San Diego sit by the beach. Urban giants such as Long Beach, Northridge, and San José buzz with city internships and late-night food spots, while smaller towns such as Cal Poly SLO or Chico lean into bikes, hiking trails, and tight-knit dorm communities. Yet some things feel the same everywhere: hundreds of clubs, affordable housing options, plenty of part-time jobs, and welcoming first-year programs. 

No matter which campus you choose, you will find a setting and a social scene that fits your own version of California living.

The California State University has produced four million living alumni. 84% remain in California, where they form a powerful force in the state's economy and civic life. This extensive network provides current students with valuable mentorship opportunities and career connections, further enhancing the value of a CSU education.

The dominance of the California State University in Money's college ranking signals something important: the future of higher education belongs to institutions that prioritize outcomes over exclusivity. The CSU system proves that institutions can simultaneously serve diverse populations, maintain affordability, and produce outstanding outcomes. 

With 22 campuses making Money's 'Best Colleges in America' list—all scoring in the top half of the 732 schools rated—California State University has become the national standard for accessible and affordable high-quality education.

Money's 'Best Colleges' methodology evaluated over 2,400 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges, narrowed them down to 732 schools that meet basic criteria including enrollment thresholds, reliable data, financial stability, and adequate graduation rates. The final analysis scored colleges across 25 factors in three weighted categories: educational quality (30%), which includes graduation rates, peer quality, and instructor access; affordability (40%), measuring net degree costs, debt levels, and repayment ability; and outcomes (30%), tracking post-graduation earnings and employment rates. 

Rather than using traditional numerical rankings (e.g. #1 to #732), Money groups colleges into star ratings from 2 to 5 stars. They argue that small score differences in numbered rankings can exaggerate performance gaps between similar institutions. The star system helps students focus on clusters of schools rather than obsessing over artificial differences between similarly good options.