UC Irvine rates among best universities in California Mobility Index

The California Mobility Index rates UC Irvine among the top universities in California for its commitment to inclusivity and its excellence in student outcomes. UC Irvine placed #12 overall and second among University of California campuses. And it is the highest ranked CMI-rated campus that is a member of the elite American Association of Universities, which is composed of America’s leading research universities. AAU’s 71 research universities transform lives through education, research, and innovation. 

Unlike other ranking services, the CMI rewards institutions for inclusivity and outcomes, not for exclusivity and inputs. Specifically, the CMI evaluates institutions on the proportion of low- and moderate-income students they enroll AND the return on investment they provide within the state of California. In total, it includes 82 four-year institutions that enroll nearly 800,000 undergraduate students in the index.

According to CMI data, UC Irvine graduates earn $79,031 10 years after enrollment, the highest amount of the top 12 rated campuses, and 37 percent of Anteater students receive Pell Grants.

UC Irvine is both an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution and a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and it is a member of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities. The Princeton Review chose it as the fifth-best-value public college in its 2024 rankings, based on academic quality, costs, financial aid, debt, graduation rates, and alumni career and salary data.