A university on California’s Central Coast received top marks in a national review of the best colleges in America.
Cal State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) scored 4.5 stars on Money’s 2025 Best Colleges in America.
In fact, every California State University campus was rated four stars or higher—15 of the universities placed in the top 10% nationwide, and nine earned 5-star ratings.
California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system; its 22 universities serve more than 460,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
“The tremendous scale at which we are graduating and serving students across the CSU is truly impactful, and indeed unmatched among four-year higher education systems,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García in a press release.
Related: These 18 California colleges got five stars in Money’s 2025 Best Colleges Report
At less than $7,000 per year, CSU’s undergraduate tuition is among the lowest in the country, according to CSU officials. More than 80% of students receive some form of financial aid and more than half graduate with no student loan debt.
Money rated the country’s top 732 colleges using 25 factors in three categories: quality of education, including graduation rates, affordability, which takes into account net price of a degree and student debt, and outcomes such as graduate earnings and economic mobility for low and moderate-income students.
CSUMB where the ocean and scholarly ambitions meet
Located just a mile from the beach at the former Fort Ord army base, CSUMB was lauded by Money for its “oceanfront views” and gave it high marks for being both accessible and affordable.
“About 80% of first-year students receive scholarships or grants, and a Monterey Bay degree sets them up for success, with the university earning a high score on Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index,” the survey reads.
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“We are proud to receive 4.5 stars from Money magazine in its survey,” CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones said in a press release. “This recognition reflects our commitment to providing affordable, accessible education and promoting both social and upward mobility for students from all backgrounds. At Cal State Monterey Bay, students find their place, realize their potential and prepare to make a lasting impact in their communities.”
In June, CSUMB was one of only 12 schools to receive a five-star rating in Money’s list of Best Education Master’s Programs for Your Money.
Last year, in its college annual rankings, U.S. News and World Report named CSUMB No. 1 for social mobility among Western regional universities.
Embracing innovation and future technology
The California State University on July 9, announced the winners of its first-ever Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge.
Sixty-three faculty-led projects were selected for their potential to enable transformative teaching methods, foster groundbreaking research and address key concerns about AI adoption within the academic environment, CSU officials stated.
CSU faculty submitted more than 400 proposals representing over 750 faculty members systemwide. Each campus will have at least two projects.
The Chancellor’s Office will award a total of $3 million to fund the winning proposals
At CSUMB, ethical AI instruction will be embedded across seven core courses in its secondary teacher education program, which will empower future middle school and high school teachers to foster critical thinking and digital responsibility in their students, college officials said.
A full list of projects can be found here.
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This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Best colleges in America: Cal State Monterey Bay ranks high on 2025 list
