California State University, Long Beach was ranked fifth among public regional universities in the western United States in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2016 rankings, it was recently announced.
The diversity of the school’s student population was also recognized, with a ranking of eighth among regional universities in the west, according to a press release.
U.S. News determined which universities in the west served the most ethnically diverse student population by factoring in the proportion of minority students and the overall mix of groups in the 2014-15 academic year student body, the release stated.
CSULB also received high marks for its undergraduate engineering program, which is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
“CSULB’s place at the top of U.S. News & World Report’s rankings reflects the quality of the university’s academic offerings, the diversity of our student population and our commitment to student success,” said CSULB President Jane Close Conoley. “Helping students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their higher education goals by earning a high-quality degree is woven into the fabric of The Beach.”
The rankings were based on assessment of excellence, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduate rate performance and alumni giving, the release stated.
According to CSULB officials, the university has experienced a more than 20 percent increase in graduation rates—with about 18 percent above the most recently published national average for large, public master’s institutions, according to the release.
In addition, the university’s Declare Campaign has surpassed its $225 million fundraising goal with several months left in 2015, officials stated.
“The Declare Campaign is far from complete and the culture of philanthropy established by the campaign will continue to be integral to the university’s efforts to bolster student achievement,” the release stated.