Seaside, CA, July 3, 2025 - Cal State Monterey Bay earned a 4.5-star rating (out of 5) on Money’s annual Best Colleges in America list, released June 25. 

“Oceanfront views are plentiful at California State University, Monterey Bay, located a mile from the beach and just two hours south of San Francisco,” reads the Money website. “Like much of the Cal State system, CSU Monterey Bay scores high marks for being both accessible and affordable.”

“About 80% of first-year students receive scholarships or grants, and a Monterey Bay degree sets them up for success, with the university earning a high score on Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index,” the website continues. 

“We are proud to receive 4.5 stars from Money magazine in its survey,” said CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones. “This recognition reflects our commitment to providing affordable, accessible education and promoting both social and upward mobility for students from all backgrounds. At Cal State Monterey Bay, students find their place, realize their potential and prepare to make a lasting impact in their communities.”

Money rated the country’s top 732 colleges using 25 factors in three categories:

Quality of education, including graduation rates, instructor accessibility and other factors

Affordability, which takes into account net price of a degree, student debt and more

Outcomes, based on data sets like graduate earnings 10 years after college and economic mobility for low and moderate-income students

Money — which provides news, educational resources, and personal finance tools — also rated every CSU campus at four stars or higher, with 15 of the universities in the top 10% nationwide, and nine earning 5-star ratings.

“The tremendous scale at which we are graduating and serving students across the CSU is truly impactful, and indeed unmatched among four-year higher education systems," said CSU Chancellor Mildred García.

At less than $7,000 per year, CSU's undergraduate tuition is among the lowest in the country. More than 80% of students receive some form of financial aid, and more than half graduate with no student loan debt. 

The recognition for CSUMB follows another recent accolade from the magazine. In June, CSUMB was one of only 12 schools to receive a five-star rating in Money’s list of Best Education Master’s Programs for Your Money.

Last year, in its college annual rankings, U.S. News and World Report named CSUMB No. 1 for social mobility among Western regional universities. 

About Cal State Monterey Bay

In 1994, a group of educators, elected officials, and community leaders established Cal State Monterey Bay in the inspiring coastal landscape of Monterey Bay on the former Fort Ord Army base. We are recognized for innovative programs in our 28 undergraduate and eight graduate degrees that prepare our students for success and help power the regional economy. Seventy-two percent of our students receive financial aid, and 53 percent are among the first of their families to attend college. Learn more at csumb.edu.