Wall Street Journal Ranks Pacific No. 87 in U.S.
All photos on this page by Brady Renner
The Wall Street Journal ranked University of the Pacific No. 87 among all top U.S. colleges and universities—the highest national ranking ever achieved by the 173-year-old institution.
Pacific also ranked No. 11 among all private universities in the American West, trailing only traditional academic powers such as Stanford University, Cal Tech and USC and ahead of peers such as University of San Francisco, Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University.
California’s first and oldest university came in 40 spots higher than last year in the new Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings. Pacific placed exceptionally well among all schools and colleges in the country for social mobility (No. 36 overall and No. 8 among private colleges) and graduates’ salaries (No. 54 nationally and No. 7 among private schools in the West).
The annual Wall Street Journal/College Pulse Best Colleges in the U.S. report rates the top 500 colleges and universities in the country—private and public, big and small—based on factors such as graduates’ financial success and student feedback in areas such as student life, career preparation and the quality of academic facilities.
“Pacific is committed to not only preparing students with the knowledge they need to be successful lifelong leaders and learners but helping them become critical thinkers by teaching them how to think, not what to think,” said President Christopher Callahan. “Our small class sizes and extraordinary faculty create an
environment in which students experience transformative growth, which we see in their career achievements.”
The president noted that unlike other national rankings that focus on inputs such as admission rates and subjective criteria such as reputational rankings set by opinions of leaders at other universities, the Wall Street Journal study looks at outcomes such as alumni earnings, social mobility and student satisfaction.
Pacific’s rise in national rankings is reflective of the university’s laser focus on student success. Callahan has set an ambitious 10-year goal of becoming the best comprehensive, student-centered university in the country.
Additionally, Pacific received Hispanic- Serving Institution status from the U.S. Department of Education to add to its designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. Earlier this year, Pacific was also named one of America’s best colleges by Money magazine, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pacific Health Care Collaborative Opened its Doors in Sacramento this Summer
Sacramento IDS Class of 2026 with Dugoni School leaders
Photos courtesy of the architects