What rank is Cal State Fullerton?

Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) ranks well in value, social mobility, and as a public university, with recent highlights including #72 in Top Public Schools (U.S. News 2026), strong placement in Forbes' Best Value lists, and recognition as a Top Performer on Social Mobility by U.S. News (2025) and Wall Street Journal (2025). Specific program rankings vary, but it's noted for strong online business/engineering and high transfer student numbers, showing value for diverse students.

What is Cal State Fullerton ranked?

California State University--Fullerton is ranked #139 out of 436 National Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

What are the top 3 colleges in California?

The top 3 universities in California consistently include Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), often alongside the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), depending on the ranking system (U.S. News, QS, Forbes) and whether public or private institutions are prioritized, with Stanford and Caltech usually leading private, and UC Berkeley and UCLA leading public rankings. 

What are the top 10 Cal states?

*Acceptance rates on our list of the Best CSU Schools Ranked are from the Class of 2028, unless otherwise noted.

• 1) Cal Poly SLO.
• 2) San Diego State University.
• 3) Cal State Long Beach.
• 4) Cal Poly Pomona.
• 5) San Jose State University.
• 6) Cal State Fullerton.
• 7) CSU Fresno.
• 8) CSU Chico.

What is Cal State Fullerton ranked on Forbes?

26 in the West, No. 85 among research universities, and No. 118 overall on Forbes' 2026 America's Top Colleges list, which highlights schools offering the best educational, financial, and career outcomes.

CSU Schools Tier List in 60 Seconds

Does CSUF have a good reputation?

CSUN is ranked among the top colleges in the nation for value, and 88% of our students receive financial aid.

What is the hardest Cal state to get into?

The hardest CSU to get into is consistently Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO), often cited for its low acceptance rates (around 30% or less) and high academic standards, rivaling some University of California campuses. Other highly competitive CSUs include San Diego State (SDSU) and CSU Long Beach (CSULB), with particularly difficult-to-enter programs like Nursing, Engineering, and Computer Science being extremely selective across the system. 

What are the big 3 UC schools?

Three University of California (UC) campuses are UC Berkeley, UCLA (Los Angeles), and UC San Diego, with other major ones including UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, UC Merced, and the graduate-only UC San Francisco. These campuses offer diverse academic programs and unique campus cultures across California, from the Bay Area (Berkeley) to Southern California (UCLA, UCSD).
 

What is the #1 ranked school in California?

There's no single "number 1 school" as rankings vary by source and focus (public/private, high school/elementary/university), but top contenders often include California Academy of Mathematics & Science (CAMS) and Whitney High School for public high schools, while institutions like UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Stanford lead university rankings, with specific elementary schools like Duveneck also praised.
 

What's the hardest university to get into in California?

The hardest school to get into in California is often cited as the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), known for its extremely low acceptance rates (around 2-4%) and intense focus on science and engineering, followed closely by Stanford University, Minerva University, and the selective liberal arts colleges in the Claremont Colleges (like Pomona, Harvey Mudd, CMC). Other top contenders include the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for public universities, and the University of Southern California (USC). 

What is the #1 college in America?

There's no single "number 1" college, as rankings vary by publication, but Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) consistently appear at or near the top in major lists like U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and Wall Street Journal for overall National Universities, often swapping the top spot depending on the year and methodology used. Other top contenders frequently include Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. 

Is CSUF prestigious?

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) (CSUF) isn't traditionally seen as "prestigious" like an Ivy League, but it's highly regarded as a strong, high-value public university, recognized for its excellent value, social mobility, diversity, and strong outcomes, especially within the CSU system, with high rankings for return on investment and preparing first-generation students. It's a leader in supporting diverse students, earning awards like the Seal of Excelencia, and frequently appears in top tiers for value and social mobility by outlets like Money, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report.
 

What is the #1 college in California?

There isn't one single "number one" college in California, as rankings vary by source, but Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) consistently appear at the top, often depending on whether you're looking for private or public institutions. Stanford and Caltech often lead private rankings, while UC Berkeley and UCLA are top public university contenders, with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also highly rated in regional categories. 

Is CSUN or CSUF better?

Academics: Both CSUN and CSUF have strong academic programs, but it's essential to consider your desired major. If you're interested in Business or Communications, CSUF has a highly regarded program. On the other hand, CSUN is known for its Engineering, Film Production, and Music programs.

What is the easiest UC to go to?

UC Merced is the easiest UC to get into, with a relatively high acceptance rate of 91.7%. According to the school's latest statistics, UC Merced accepted 29,233 students out of 31,875 applicants. That means the majority of applicants were admitted.

Which UC is the safest?

Which UC campus is the safest? UC Riverside, Santa Barbara, and San Diego are generally considered to be the safest UC campuses.

What is the easiest college in California?

Aside from open enrollment schools, the easiest colleges to get into in California are:

• California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt : 99% acceptance rate.
• Simpson University: 99% acceptance rate.
• California State University-San Bernardino: 98% acceptance rate.

Is Cal State worse than UC?

Although on average, the UC schools outrank Cal State schools in CollegeVine's rankings, many of the CSU system schools place highly overall. Notable CSU institutions include Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which is positioned at number 132 on our list, ahead of four of the UC institutions.

What is the smallest Cal State University?

Cal Maritime has the smallest enrollment with 880 students, and CSU Fullerton has the largest with 40,087. Three of the CSU schools have a particular focus. Cal Maritime is a maritime academy, which is a school focused on teaching skills that can be put to use on the ocean or in industries related to the ocean.

Which Cal State university is best?

CSUN earned the No. 1 spot, with Cal State LA and Sacramento State ranked second and third, respectively. In its Bachelor's Colleges ranking—which ranks institutions that almost exclusively award bachelor's degrees—Washington Monthly ranked Cal Maritime* No. 2 in the nation.

What is the most expensive public college in California?

The most expensive school analyzed was the University of Southern California, which cost over $99,000 for the 2025-26 school year. The bulk of this figure came from over $76,000 in tuition and fees; housing and food cost nearly $21,000.