Here Are the Best Colleges in California for Economic Mobility
Credit: Yiming Chen / Getty Images- The California Mobility Index ranks schools by the opportunities they provide students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds.
- The list of California schools that best help students improve their economic status considers low student debt as a key factor.
- California State University schools dominated the top 10 list.
Publications and organizations scramble each year to come up with their list of the best colleges and universities for students, as students scour the internet for the school that interests them most.
Historically, popular best lists have looked at which students are admitted, applicants’ test scores, alumni donations, and other factors. The most exclusive schools, which usually admit the wealthiest students, tend to be at the top of those lists.
However, one index is instead analyzing how much a school benefits its graduates.
The California Mobility Index (CMI) is all about recognizing outcomes for students. The index includes 82 four-year California institutions. It ranks schools based on the proportion of low- and moderate-income students they enroll and the return on investment provided using federal data.
College Futures Foundation, the postsecondary completion consultant group that creates the CMI, says it focuses on the opportunities provided by schools since that is crucial to achieving economic growth, particularly for traditionally underserved populations.
To do so, it looked at the years it took students to recoup college costs, earnings 10 years after enrollment, percentage of students who are Pell Grant recipients, and total net price.
“Each and every learner who pursues a postsecondary education deserves to be left better off than where they started,” HEA Group President Michael Itzkowitz said in a press release. “The California Mobility Index determines the scope of how well institutions are delivering and sets a new standard of assessing economic value and impact in higher education.”
The results? If California students want to improve their economic status, the index says the California State University (CSU) system is the way to go. Nine out of the top 10 schools on the list are CSU campuses.
Top 10 Schools in California for Economic Mobility
- California State University, Los Angeles
- California State University, Dominguez Hills
- California State University, Stanislaus
- California State University, Bakersfield
- California State University, Fresno
- California State University, San Bernardino
- California State University, Fullerton
- California State University, Long Beach
- California State University, Northridge
- University of California, Merced
All 10 of these schools are large, public institutions with at least 47% of enrolled students receiving Pell Grants. According to the index, graduates from most of these schools take a year or less to recoup the cost of attending.
The CSU, the nation’s largest public four-year university system, dominates the list. Topping the list, the California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) credits the following initiatives to its strong economic mobility:
- Multilingual resources
- Grants to help students meet basic needs
- Eliminating equity gaps to increase graduation rates
- College readiness, peer support, and transfer pathway programs
“Cal State LA does not achieve these top rankings by accident,” Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said in a press release.
“Our faculty and staff understand the unique needs of our students, and we communicate clearly to them, as well as their families, the information they need to navigate the complexities of higher education. Upon graduation, they are well equipped to excel.”
Notably, the CSU faces a decrease in state funding and budget cuts, which could result in fewer professors employed and degrees offered. It’s still unclear if the system will increase prices for students, which could affect the economic mobility it offers. A Joint Legislative Budget Committee letter said that “cuts to direct services for students” are a certain consequence.
Economic mobility has become increasingly important when assessing the value of colleges and universities, with more experts emphasizing mobility over prestige and exclusivity.
One example of this shift is a new accrediting body, which, like the CMI, focuses on student outcomes.