UCLA named top school eight years in a row

LOS ANGELES (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - A West Los Angeles university finds itself again at the top of the 2025 "Best Colleges" list, with nearly one-third of its undergraduates being first-generation students.

"Number one public university for many years in a row now. It feels really good, but more so than all the other years. It feels really good because we're not tied with Berkeley this year. So now it means we're really number one, which means I can hold it over Berkeley people, I guess not really. But, you know, it means a lot because like just to come here and know that I'm at [the] number one public university. It's a bit of bragging rights, but also it's kind of self accomplishment feeling. It's like I'm here. I deserve to be here, especially as a transfer. It feels like we've had transfers have to work really hard to get here. And I mean, everyone does so it feels good. It feels really good. It feels like an accomplishment for everyone who goes here."

Ethan Kung, UCLA Student

This is the eighth year UCLA has earned the No.1 spot on the U.S. News & World Report's list, where the rankings are based on 17 measures of academic quality, including graduation and retention rates, class size, and the average federal loan debt of graduates.

The school's academic reputation, as assessed by other chancellors, is also factored into the ranking.