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CSU, Chico Moves Up Among Top Western Public Universities

California State University, Chico moved up two spots to third among top regional public schools in the West in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2002 rankings, which were published last week.

CSU, Chico was ranked fifth in 2001, sixth in 2000, fifth in 1999 and seventh in 1998 in the same category.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Western Washington University were ranked first and second, respectively. CSU, Chico was tied for third with Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State University.

U.S. News changed its terminology this year, so that “regional” universities are now referred to as “master’s” universities. The change reflects the magazine’s increased use of the Carnegie classifications published by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, which classify universities according to the type of degrees they grant.

Among both public and private Western master’s universities, CSU, Chico is ranked 27th in the top tier of schools, tied with Pomona, Humboldt, College of Santa Fe, and Marylhurst University in Oregon. Last year, CSU, Chico was in the second of four tiers of Western universities. Overall, 128 Western master’s universities were rated by U.S. News.

Private universities dominate the “best Western” list of master’s universities. Along with Chico, Pomona, and Humboldt State, the other ranked public universities are Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5th), Western Washington (19th), and San Diego State (32nd).

“We’re pleased that Chico has been making steady progress and has been moving higher,” said President Manuel Esteban. “It’s flattering to have the achievements of our students, faculty, and staff recognized.”

U.S. News uses academic reputation, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, institutional financial resources, graduation rate performance, and alumni giving rate as general criteria for judging schools. U.S. News has been ranking colleges and universities since 1983.