SDSU Named a Top Value University by Forbes
SDSU was included in Forbes 2018 ranking of the best value colleges and universities.
SDSU is ranked No. 45 in Forbes’ 2018 ranking of the 300 best value colleges and universities in the United States.
Forbes evaluated colleges and universities based on alumni earnings, net price, net student debt, school quality, timely graduation and the number of Pell Grant recipients. For-profit institutions were not included, and in-state tuition was used to evaluate each state university and college.
The ranking places SDSU No. 10 in California.
SDSU’s stellar standings are attributed to its high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, low tuition cost and overall value.
SDSU reported record-high graduate rates during the 2016-17 academic year. More than 75 percent of first-time freshmen who entered SDSU in fall 2011 graduated in six or fewer years. The national average six-year graduation rate for four-year public universities is 59 percent. These high graduation rates reflect the ongoing efforts of faculty and staff to support academic excellence.
SDSU also continues to be one of the most sought-after colleges in the nation, having received a record-setting 93,610 undergraduate applications for fall 2018. This was the third consecutive year SDSU has received more than 80,000 undergraduate applications and the first time applications have topped 90,000.
Other value rankings
SDSU continues to receive national recognition for providing a great education at an appropriate value.In January, SDSU was named to the 2018 Princeton Review list “Colleges That Pay You Back: The 200 Schools That Give You the Best Bang for Your Tuition Buck.” Only seven percent of the nation’s four-year colleges made it into the book, and less than one-third are public universities.
Last year, Kiplinger’s Best College Values ranked SDSU No. 59 among public universities and No. 177 overall based on its academic quality, cost and financial aid measures. Both public and private colleges were evaluated on competitiveness, graduation rates and academic support programs.
Recent success
SDSU has been recognized by a number of prestigious publications for its outstanding programs.Last month, U.S. News and World Report ranked SDSU’s graduate programs in education (No. 54) and social work (No. 59) among the best in the nation.
In the past year, the university was named to Princeton Review’s listing of best colleges—about 15 percent of four-year universities made the list. SDSU also was recognized as a top school for the number of students who study abroad, its support of LGBTQ students and its commitment to diversity.
