SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State University made a drastic leap in Money Magazine's college rankings within a year's time.
Money Magazine analyzed more than 730 four-year colleges across the country to set up their rankings for Best College by value, a list that takes into account tuition fees, family borrowing, and career earnings.
In 2019, Sacramento State ranked at #150, but, by 2020, they rocketed up the charts to #70 landing among the top 10% of those listed.
Adding to this year's accolades, the university ranked #9 for Most Transformative Colleges and #46 for Best Public Colleges. In 2019, the university was not included on those lists.
More than a third of the students attending Sacramento State are first-generation college students, and nearly 60% receive financial aid.
“Our students are achieving more than what their backgrounds might suggest,” said James Dragna, executive director for University Initiatives and Student Success. “We have the opportunity to transform lives by offering access to students of all backgrounds who also are talented and hardworking.”
According to the university, some of their key programs include the First Generation Institute, the Migrant Student Leadership Institute, the Guardian Scholars Program, and the Educational Opportunity Program.
The university also noted their improved graduation rates for transfer students and improvements to the number of students who finish in six years. The four-year graduation rate was improved to 20.4%, reflecting a 127% jump since 2016.
Officials said these stats translate to less debt for students and also mean students can start their careers sooner.
Tuition and fees at Sacramento State total $7,500 annually, which the university said was less than many other four-year colleges.
