UCSB has moved from number 15 to number 14 in Washington Monthly’s annual National Universities Rankings, to be printed in the magazine’s September/October issue.
UCSB also ranks 17th out of 1,540 schools on the magazine’s list of “Best Bang for the Buck” universities in the western U.S. and is listed among 10 chosen “Access Improvers,” or colleges that have increased enrollment of Pell Grant recipients while maintaining strong student performance. Policy analysts who contributed to the rankings found that 38 percent of UCSB students come from low-income families and enroll for a quality education and “marketable degree” that won’t break the bank.
Washington Monthly’s ranking criteria for universities includes considerations such as the following: percentage of Pell Grant recipients enrolled, difference between predicted and actual graduation rates, total research spending, rate of Peace Corps service by graduates, community service involvement, and national faculty recognition.