Cal Poly has been ranked the best overall master’s-level university in the West for the third consecutive year in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges guidebook. This is the 33rd straight year that Cal Poly has been ranked as the best public institution in the West for both public and private institutions. “We appreciate U.S. News’ recognition of Cal Poly as one of the nation’s finest universities for more than a generation,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong in a press release on Tuesday. In addition to its top overall ranking, Cal Poly also received several titles distinguishing it from the more than 100 others on the list. This is the third college ranking list that Cal Poly has appeared on this summer.