California State University, Stanislaus is part of the massive, 22-campus California State University system. With its modest student body of roughly 8,000 undergraduates on two campuses, the central California school's size isn't too overwhelming. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and the majority of courses have fewer than 30 students, which means increased opportunities to connect with faculty members.
Designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, CSU Stanislaus receives grants to expand its ability to teach underrepresented populations. Money’s analysis finds that Stanislaus State's six-year graduation rate is about 68%, well above the predicted rate based on the academic and economic background of the student body.
The university started as a small college with fewer than 800 students at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Now, students describe the 228-acre Turlock campus as park-like, scattered with ponds and streams. Depending on whether you head east or west, a road trip from campus will put you at the edge of Yosemite National Park or in the San Francisco Bay area in under two hours.
