Despite a tumultuous year with announced funding cuts, a budget deficit and leadership changes, Sonoma State University has moved up slightly in the rankings as one of the top universities in the region, according to the 2026 annual U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings.
SSU tied for 13th place out of 60 for the Top Public Schools in the Regional Universities West category and tied for 23rd place out of 115 in the Regional Universities West category. This region includes schools from states west of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. It also includes Alaska and Hawaii.
Sonoma State inched up the list compared to the previous annual report, when it ranked 14th and 25th respectively, according to the news release issued September 23 by SSU.
“Sonoma State is deservedly well-known for the excellence of its academic programs, a student-to-faculty ratio that promotes mentorship and collaboration, and a beautiful and
supportive campus environment,” said SSU Interim President Emily Cutrer. “Thus, these rankings are welcome but not surprising news.”
Fifteen other California State Universities made the Regional Universities West list and nine of them preceded SSU in the rankings with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo taking the top spot.
Cal State San Marcos and Cal State Channel Island share the 23rd spot with SSU – along with Western Washington University in Washington.
The North Bay’s other CSU, California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, earned the Number 1 spot among the Top Public Schools category and was ranked 2nd on the Regional Colleges West list.
The report showed the school has a total undergraduate enrollment of 761 (fall 2023), with a student-faculty ratio of 10:1 and its four-year graduation rate is 50%.
It should be noted that seven Cal State Universities – East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, San Bernardino, San Diego and San Francisco – ranked among the National Universities and were not included on the regional rankings.
According to the U.S. News ranking, the student-faculty ratio at Sonoma State University is 17:1 and has a four-year graduation rate of 39%.
To be included in the Best Colleges Directory, U.S. institutions must:
• Grant bachelor’s degrees
• Hold regional accreditation
• Offer traditional campus-based education
• Actively accept new applicants for first-year, full-time students
To receive an overall ranking, schools must:
• Offer a broad curriculum under the 2021 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s Basic Classification system (a system categorizing colleges by mission and degree offerings)
• Enroll at least 100 undergraduates
• Report a six-year bachelor’s graduation rate for an entering cohort of at least 25 first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students
Earlier this year, the Press Democrat reported on several of SSU’s challenges including its leadership turnover, steep enrollment decline over the past 10 years and its budget crisis that prompted concern in the community over potential academic departments and sports program cuts.
Recently, the university received $90 million in one-time state funding to aid in its budget crisis.