For the fourth consecutive year, Fresno State has placed among the top five best universities for social mobility — ranking No. 3 out of 1,449 schools in the 2020 Social Mobility Index.

Top-ranked Baruch College in New York and California State University, Los Angeles, placed just ahead of Fresno State, which also placed third last year.

Fresno State is one of four California State University campuses that has placed in the top 20 for each of the past seven years, showing that access to higher education creates opportunities for individuals to move from one socioeconomic class to another.

Public schools in California — from the CSU and the University of California system — dominated the 2020 rankings, accounting for 70% of the top 20 spots.

“Fresno State has proven to be a key driver in social mobility, providing a high-quality education at an affordable price, which helps students to succeed and become part of the next generation of leaders,” said Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro. “This latest ranking is another way to show the power of education and the talent that exists in every household.”

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