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LOS ANGELES - Several California colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to the new 2026 Best Colleges rankings by U.S. News & World Report released on Tuesday.

The rankings evaluated 1,700 colleges and universities using more than a dozen factors measuring academic quality and long-term student success, such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student debt, and postgraduate earnings.

Local perspective:

Here are the top 10 California universities and where they ranked nationally:

1. Stanford University (#4 in national universities)
2. California Institute of Technology (#11 in National Universities)
3. University of California, Berkeley (#15 in National Universities)
4. University of California, Los Angeles (#17 in National Universities)
5. University of Southern California (#28 in National Universities)
6. University of California, San Diego (#29 in National Universities)
7. University of California, Davis (#32 in National Universities)
8. University of California, Irvine (#32 in National Universities)
9. University of California, Santa Barbara (#40 in National Universities)
10. University of California, Merced (#57 in National Universities)

UC Berkeley and UCLA ranked first and second, respectively, in the "Top Public Schools: National Universities" list.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona ranked third in the "2026 Best Regional Universities: West" list.

Big picture view:

Here are the top national universities:

1. Princeton University (New Jersey)
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University (Massachusetts)
4. Stanford University (California), (tie)
4. Yale University (Connecticut), (tie)
6. University of Chicago (Illinois)
7. Duke University (North Carolina), (tie)
7. Johns Hopkins University (Maryland), (tie)
7. Northwestern University (Illinois), (tie)
7. University of Pennsylvania, (tie)

What they're saying:

LaMont Jones, managing editor for Education at U.S. News, said in a news release that for more than four decades, the publication's rankings have served as a trusted resource for students and their families during the college search process.

"Over the years, Best Colleges has evolved into a comprehensive tool that reflects the changing landscape of higher education, providing prospective students with a crucial starting point to identify schools that align with their academic and personal goals," Jones said.

"We are honored to once again be recognized as the nation's top public university," Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said in a statement. "The data affirm all that Berkeley does as a powerful engine of economic mobility, and provider of affordable world-class education, accessible to all."