Sept. 18, 2020 — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is listed among the top 20 “Best Bang for Your Buck” Colleges in the West in Washington Monthly’s annual college guide.
CSUCI was ranked the 19th “Best Bang for Your Buck” college in 2020, up from last year’s ranking of No. 22. CSUCI has been rising steadily for years, up from its No. 26 ranking in 2018 and 2017.
Washington Monthly’s “Best Bang for Your Buck” category measures factors such as cost of tuition, graduation rates for first-time, full-time students, but puts special emphasis on social mobility, which describes how much a graduate can improve his or her socioeconomic circumstances. Siblings often follow the graduate’s example, and the circumstances for the entire family improve.
CSUCI President Erika D. Beck said the University’s ranking in this category is a point of pride as the campus is dedicated to giving all students a pathway to higher education, regardless of their circumstances.
“Keeping quality education affordable is part of our mission here at CSU Channel Islands. Considering our outstanding faculty members from around the world, our undergraduate research, interdisciplinary studies, peer mentorship, diversity and numerous equity initiatives, a degree from our campus is a bargain,” said CSUCI President Erika D. Beck. “The value of that education is enhanced even further when you consider how a diploma transforms the lives of graduates, their families and strengthens our community.”
When the bimonthly nonprofit magazine first published its “Best Bang for Your Buck” category in 2012, the rankings were drawn from first-generation student graduation rates, the percentage receiving Pell Grants and the typical price that moderate-income families pay for college after grant aid. When more data on social mobility became available in recent years, there has been more focus on social mobility, where CSUCI has consistently done well.
Additionally, US News & World Report ranked in its 2021 edition CSUCI as No. 20 in the “Top Public Schools” category, No. 21 in its “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” and No. 43 for “Regional Universities West” category.
Money Magazine named CSUCI as the 15th “Most Transformative College” in the nation. Money notes that elite schools will frequently report high graduation rates and alumni success, but it’s especially noteworthy when students that are historically underserved succeed because of the education, initiatives and support offered by a university like CSUCI.
To view the rankings online, visit:
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020-best-bang-for-the-buck-rankings-west-2/
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/california-state-university-channel-islands-39803
https://money.com/best-colleges-2020/rankings/most-transformative-colleges/.