Two California colleges tie for best public university in America

UCLA and UC Berkeley tied for the title of top public university in the US, according to a new ranking.

US News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” list for 2027 recognized both colleges for their graduation rate, faculty resources and performance.

The schools also tied in the overall ranking of best US universities, including both public and private colleges, landing in the 20th.

Five University of California colleges ranked among the top 10 public universities in the country, the ranking found.

All nine undergraduate UC campuses found a spot among the top 50 public universities and within the top 125 of all higher education institutions nationwide out of more than 1,700 four-year colleges evaluated.

“Rankings are gratifying, but what makes UCLA exceptional is the extraordinary community behind them,” UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said Tuesday. 

“To stand atop the list of the nation’s public universities is an honor, and it reinforces our responsibility to continue expanding opportunity, advancing knowledge and serving society,” he added. 

In addition to overall university placements, University of California institutions led the publication’s social mobility rankings, which measure how effectively schools help lower-income students graduate and achieve financial success.

UC Riverside took the No. 1 national spot in social mobility, with UC Merced placing fourth. UC Santa Cruz dropped 21 spots, from 88 to 109. 

“The U.S. News Best Colleges rankings once again show why UC is the leading university in the world,” University of California President James B. Milliken said in a statement. 

Among all national universities on the list, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earned the overall top spot, followed by Princeton University, Harvard University and Yale University. The California Institute of Technology and Stanford University finished tied in the fifth spot.

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