Cal Poly named best overall master’s-level university in the West
Cal Poly campus.
Maritime academy joins Cal Poly and earns top Western honors
– Cal Poly has been named the best overall master’s-level university in the West for the third consecutive year, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
The recognition marks the 33rd straight year Cal Poly has been ranked the best public institution in the West and the third year it has been rated first among all 97 public and private institutions in the region, which includes California and 14 other western states.
The rankings also named the Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo the best public college in the West and second overall among public and private schools reviewed. The academy, now called the Cal Poly Maritime Academy and located on the Cal Poly Solano Campus, is integrating with Cal Poly. The “best college” category highlights primarily undergraduate institutions that grant fewer than half of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.
“We appreciate U.S. News’ recognition of Cal Poly as one of the nation’s finest universities for more than a generation,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “Our Learn by Doing ethos continues to create thousands of graduates each year who make a difference in their respective industries and occupations.
“We also see new opportunities for current and future students with the addition of the Cal Poly Maritime Academy and fulfilling our goal to serve a greater number of California students seeking to begin their careers and employers who value a Cal Poly graduate.”
Cal Poly was also ranked No. 1 in the West for Most Innovative Schools. Several programs in the College of Engineering were rated among the top five for master’s-level institutions. For the sixth consecutive year, the university was named the top school in the West for veterans among public and private institutions that participate in federal programs supporting veterans and active-duty service members.
Other rankings for Cal Poly include:
- Seventh in Best Value Schools, based on academic quality and net cost of attendance.
- Tied for No. 2 in Best Undergraduate Teaching.
- Tied for fifth in best master’s-level engineering programs nationwide. Within that category, Computer Engineering ranked first, Civil Engineering ranked second, and Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering both ranked second overall.
The Cal Poly Maritime Academy also ranked sixth in top performers on social mobility and tied for 60th in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs at schools that do not offer doctoral degrees.
The 2026 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges guidebook, released Sept. 23, evaluated nearly 1,800 institutions. National University rankings placed Princeton University at No. 1, Massachusetts Institute of Technology at No. 2, Harvard University at No. 3, and Stanford University and Yale University tied at No. 4.
The latest U.S. News recognition follows two other rankings released this summer. In July, Money magazine awarded Cal Poly a five-star ranking in its 2025-26 Best Colleges in America list, and in August, Forbes ranked the university No. 55 nationally in its Top Colleges list, up from No. 57 in 2024 and No. 83 in 2023.
More information on the 2026 U.S. News & World Report regional rankings is available at www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west.
