#5
California State University-Los Angeles
· California State University-Los Angeles, CAHigh-mobility campus
- Mobility rate
- 9.9%
access-focused
2026 Ranking
Best Colleges for Economic Mobility in California
Which colleges move low-income students into the top income quintile, by Opportunity Insights data.
- Ranked
- 137
- Page
- 1 / 6
- Year
- 2026
- Version
- v1
Filter
#16
Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology
· Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology, CAHigh-mobility campus
- Mobility rate
- 7.5%
access-focused
#19
Glendale Community College
· Glendale Community College, CAMixed outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 7.1%
access-focused
#21
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
· California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 6.8%
#25
University of California-Irvine
· University of California-Irvine, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 6.8%
#33
Mount Saint Mary's University
· Mount Saint Mary's University, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 6.4%
access-focused
#34
#35
California State University-Northridge
· California State University-Northridge, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 6.3%
#39
University of California-Riverside
· University of California-Riverside, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 6.0%
#44
California State University-Dominguez Hills
· California State University-Dominguez Hills, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 5.6%
access-focused
#45
University of California-Los Angeles
· University of California-Los Angeles, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 5.6%
#50
#62
California State University Maritime Academy
· California State University Maritime Academy, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 5.0%
success-focused
#66
University of California-Berkeley
· University of California-Berkeley, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 4.9%
success-focused
#68
University of California-San Diego
· University of California-San Diego, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 4.8%
success-focused
#69
Imperial Valley College
· Imperial Valley College, CAMixed outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 4.8%
access-focused
#70
#71
California State University-Fullerton
· California State University-Fullerton, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 4.8%
#77
California State University-Bakersfield
· California State University-Bakersfield, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 4.6%
#78
#80
#81
California State University-Long Beach
· California State University-Long Beach, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 4.4%
#82
California State University-San Bernardino
· California State University-San Bernardino, CASolid outcomes
- Mobility rate
- 4.4%
#83
#84
California State University-East Bay
· California State University-East Bay, CAHigh-return
- Mobility rate
- 4.3%
How we score — methodology (v1) ▾
Eligibility
Institutions covered by Opportunity Insights (Chetty et al.) — ~2,200 colleges with longitudinal mobility tracking. Birth cohorts 1980–1991.
Score weights
100%
Mobility Rate 100%