UC San Diego an ‘Upward-Mobility Machine,’ According to New York Times

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Photo by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

The New York Times has named the University of California, San Diego the nation’s No. 4 school in its College Access Index, measuring which colleges and universities do the most for low-income students.

The College Access Index assesses economic diversity based on the number of students who receive Pell grants (which typically go to families making less than $70,000), the graduation rate of those students, and the net cost, after financial aid, which colleges charge both low and middle-income students.

“It is an honor for UC San Diego to be recognized by The New York Times for delivering a world-class education that is accessible and affordable,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “The strength of education is upward mobility and we are dedicated to providing opportunities for all students, from all backgrounds, so they can achieve their goals and ambitions.”

The New York Times announcement comes just weeks after UC San Diego was named by Washington Monthly as the No.1 university in the nation for the sixth consecutive year. The magazine’s annual college rankings measure how universities are acting on behalf of the public interest, based on three criteria, one of which is social mobility, which measures the number of students who receive federal Pell grants and their graduation rates.

All schools in The New York Times’ top-five list were University of California campuses. According to the Times, the UC system leads the nation in providing top-flight college education to the masses. In addition, UC enrolls a large number of high-performing students of all economic backgrounds.

To view the full list of schools in The New York Times 2015 College Access Index, click here.