University of the Pacific achieved its strongest U.S. News & World Report rankings in history, fueled by high marks in career earnings and student-faculty ratios.

Pacific ranked No. 121, up 18 slots from last year, one of the biggest one-year leaps among the 422 national universities rated. Only two schools above Pacific had bigger year-over-year increases. 

The rankings put Pacific in the top 30% nationally for the first time, and in the Top 25 schools in the American West. 

Pacific also ranked No. 3 among all schools in California for best value, behind only Stanford University and Caltech, and No. 43 in the nation. The university also retained its Top 50 ranking in social mobility.

“These rankings reflect the value and life-changing impact of a Pacific education, from helping students achieve strong career outcomes and earning potential after graduation to providing a learning environment that is both excellent and accessible,” said President Christopher Callahan. “We are proud to see Pacific recognized for the opportunities we provide students to invest in their futures and achieve their goals.”

The rankings underscore the strength of Pacific’s career outcomes. In a new factor added this year, Pacific graduates ranked No. 35 nationally for salary.

Pacific also saw significant gains in its School of Engineering and Computer Science, moving up 55 spots to No. 44 nationally – the biggest one-year increase among the Top 100 engineering programs.

The university moved up 14 spots in its rankings of best colleges for veterans following recent investments in its student veteran population. Last summer, Pacific opened Manor Hall, a newly renovated residential building intentionally designed for veterans. 

Pacific offers more than 160 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs and continues to expand. Earlier this year, the university announced plans to open a School of Medicine by 2030 to address the severe and growing shortage of physicians in Central California. A new midwifery program will welcome its first cohort in January and five new degrees in the Conservatory of Music will begin enrolling students in fall 2027.

The university has made significant investments in its facilities and programming to enhance the student experience. This fall, nearly 400 students moved into the newly constructed Southwest Hall residential building, a student-athlete and sports medicine center is nearing completion and an ambulatory surgery center is under construction. 

The First-Year Experience program, now in its second year, ensures students thrive from the moment they step on campus. Professor Jeff Hole, inaugural director, curates weekly events to help students build a community, learn through hands-on experiences and begin preparing for their future careers.

“The career component doesn't wait until the third or fourth year,” Hole said. “We want students from day one thinking about not just what they're going to do as a career, but how they present themselves and how they tell their story. The First-Year Experience gives them more confidence to do that from the first year onward.” 

The U.S. News & World Report rankings are the latest to highlight Pacific’s growing national recognition. Last year, Pacific received its highest-ever Wall Street Journal ranking at No. 85, was designated a top “Opportunity College and University” by the Carnegie Foundation and was named one of 75 “Dream Schools” in a book by Jeff Selingo.

Pacific is California’s first and oldest university with three campuses in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco.