U.S. News and World Report just gave a Silicon Valley university a myriad of accolades in its 2026 Best Colleges rankings, furthering its recent wave of recognition.
Within four of the publishing company’s categories for best schools on the West Coast, San Jose State University landed in the top 10.
Here is the university’s report card:
- No. 3 Public University in the West
- No. 3 Best College for Veterans in the West
- No. 4 Regional University
- No. 9 Best Value University (West)
This is the second consecutive year that SJSU has been ranked within the top 10 for multiple U.S. News and World Report rankings.
The media outlet’s analysts and editors calculated upwards of 80 college rankings lists, using a “wide range of data sources,” which include statistical surveys aligned with the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. This helped the outlet to determine where each university positions itself, according to U.S. News’ website.
To be considered in its directory of “Best Colleges,” institutions must grant bachelor’s degrees, have regional accreditation, provide traditional campus-based education and accept new applicants for first-year, full-time students.
According to the university, the U.S. News and World Report rankings highlight colleges that excel in multiple areas such as value, teaching and veterans’ needs.
“As a national research university in the heart of Silicon Valley, these rankings confirm what our students and alumni already know: San José State delivers a transformative education rooted in excellence, opportunity and belonging,” Cynthia Teniente-Matson, SJSU’s president said in prepared remarks.
This is the latest accomplishment for the university in what has been an already successful year.
Personal finance publication Money Magazine gave SJSU a five-star rating based on 25 assessed factors, seeing the university join the likes of UC Berkeley and UCLA in receiving the distinction.
This academic year, the university also welcomed a record-breaking number of students to its campus with enrollment reaching 40,000 — an 8% increase compared to last year’s numbers. This bucks a broader trend of low enrollment for the California State University.
Overall enrollment in the CSU has sunk nearly 3% lower than a decade ago, largely because of the pandemic, EdSource, a nonprofit education outlet, reported in December 2024.
Teniente-Matson pointed to SJSU’s geographic location.
“One of the significant differences is the catalytic geography that we’re in — Silicon Valley,” she told NBC Bay Area earlier this year. “We’re doing a good job with our academic programs, particularly in these high-demand, high-wage areas. And our students are graduating and getting jobs.”
