Cal Poly and Cal Poly Humboldt receive notable university rankings

Cal Poly has been ranked as the 10th best public university in TIME magazine’s inaugural “America’s Best Colleges of 2026-2027” list. The institution placed 38th overall, earning the highest score among public universities in the “Student Outcomes” category, which evaluates graduation rates, alumni earnings, and return on education.

While Cal Poly ranked 13th for attractiveness among public schools, it received the 12th-lowest score in the “Learning Environment” category, which measures diversity, essential spending per student, and student-to-faculty ratios.

Separately, Cal Poly Humboldt was named one of the top 10 best colleges for rural America by Washington Monthly. The university ranked 8th in the inaugural “Top 100 Rural Colleges” list and was noted for having the highest graduation rate among the top 10 schools. Additionally, the institution was ranked 44th out of 215 colleges in the “Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars: West” category, which assesses affordability, access, and student outcomes.