The U.S. News and World Report ranked Cal Poly as the best overall master’s-level university in the West for both public and private institutions for three years in a row in their 2026 Best Colleges guidebook, according to a press release from Cal Poly.
The Western regional rankings are comprised of 97 public and private institutions, including California and 14 other western states. This is Cal Poly’s 33rd year in a row ranking in the best public institution in the West category and the third consecutive year at the top.
“We appreciate U.S. News’ recognition of Cal Poly as one of the nation’s finest universities for more than a generation,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong said. “Our Learn by Doing ethos continues to create thousands of graduates each year who make a difference in their respective industries and occupations.”
Recently integrated Cal Poly Maritime Academy received the top ranking for the best public college in the West and ranked second-best among the private and public colleges reviewed.
“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 under employers who value a Cal Poly graduate,” Armstrong said.
Cal Poly, on top of the two previously mentioned top billings, was also ranked as the top university in the West for Most Innovative Schools, an award the university has attained since 2018. The university also tied for second in the West for Best Undergraduate Teaching and tied for fifth in best master’s-level engineering program in the nation.
Cal Poly Maritime Academy was also tied for sixth-best in top performers on social mobility and tied for 60th in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs at schools where doctorates are not offered.
This is the second time in two months in which Cal Poly has placed within the top 25 of public college rankings, placing 17th nationally in the Top 25 Public Colleges for Forbes’ 2025-2026 America’s Top Colleges List. The university was also ranked 55th overall among all institutions.
Update: This article was updated at 4:12 p.m. on Oct. 2 to clarify a sentence miscommunicating Cal Poly’s ranking.