In the last academic year, California State University, Stanislaus has been ranked on the Princeton Review’s list for the best colleges in the nation, placed 26th of 442 schools for “America’s Best Nursing Schools” in the West, and now is proving a wise investment for graduates and future students.
The university has been named the 10th “Best Bang for Your Buck” out of 233 schools on the West coast.  The Washington Monthly released this ranking from the book The Other College Guide: A Roadmap for the Right School for You, which determines placement based on “net” prices of universities, not just the cost of tuition.
Criteria for rating on the list includes a variety of factors such as student loan default rate, percent of applicants admitted and ACT/SAT scores and net costs of education based on annual family income. In addition, the chart on the Washington Monthly’s website demonstrated that over half of CSU Stanislaus students receive Pell Grants.  For students, costs matter.
“I didn’t even know Stanislaus was ranked well, I got accepted here first so I chose here,” Denise Rodriguez (senior, Ethnic Studies) said. “As a student at Modesto Junior College I always felt rushed to finish because tuition kept getting higher.”
CSU Stanislaus’ graduate rate currently sits at 49 percent, but the university’s history of tuition fees is a promising factor in getting your money’s worth.
Data published by the CSU Budget Office demonstrates the estimated cost of tuition for CSU Stanislaus has remained steady in the last four years, with the last rise being in the 2011-2012 academic year.  Prior to 2011, basic undergraduate tuition had steadily increased every year for four consecutive years, nearly doubling.
With costs remaining fairly even in recent years, being ranked as the “Best Bang for Your Buck” proves even more value for upcoming graduates who have dodged the hikes in price, and comparatively a good time for prospective students.