When it comes to propelling upward mobility for moderate- and low-income students, campuses in the CSU system beat other California universities, according to a new ranking system published earlier this month.
Nine California State University campuses—topped by Cal State Los Angeles at No. 1—and UC Merced make up the top 10 slots in the California Mobility Index, published by the College Futures Foundation. Sacramento State comes in at 14th and UC Davis is 24th.
The rankings look at different data than U.S. News, which places a heavy emphasis on test scores and acceptance rates for incoming freshmen. Instead, CFF focuses on the percentage of Pell Grant recipients (a marker of economic need) a college enrolls, the average out-of-pocket costs for students and the average earnings of middle- and low-income students 10 years after enrolling.
“Rather than rewarding institutions on exclusivity and inputs (as other ranking systems do), the CMI recognizes inclusivity and outcomes,” the foundation wrote in a statement announcing the rankings. “Specifically, the CMI evaluates institutions on the proportion of low- and moderate-income students they enroll and the return on investment they provide within the state of California.”
In a previous study, the foundation found that almost four out of five institutions allowed Pell Grant recipients to recoup their educational costs in less than one year after graduating. Yet many universities with the quickest return on investment also enrolled few low- and moderate-income students. The new ranking rewards schools not only for the success of these graduates but also for the number they enroll.
“The California Mobility Index recognizes institutions that serve a larger proportion of low- and moderate-income students, provides them with a strong return on their educational investment, and leads them on a path to economic mobility,” the statement reads.
At No. 1-ranked Cal State Los Angeles 66% of students are Pell Grant recipients. The net price for four years is listed as $18,303, and it takes graduates just over six months to recoup that cost by making an average of $26,677 more than a typical high school graduate.
At No. 14-ranked Sacramento State 49% of students receive Pell Grants. The net price for four years is listed as $37,025, and it takes graduates 1.2 years to recoup that cost by making an average of $31,696 more than a high school graduate.
Full rankings are available here.
