Dominican Named Among Best Colleges in U.S. by Money

Dominican University of California has been recognized as one of Money’s Best Colleges in America 2026. Money's analysis showcases the country's top 735 colleges based on a number of factors, including graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, and alumni salaries. 

Money uses “star ratings” to identify standout schools, with 5 stars being the highest. Dominican scored exceptionally high on most of Money’s metrics to receive 4.5 stars. Most colleges on the list landed in the 3.5 to 4-star category.

The ratings combine the most accurate pricing estimates available with indicators of alumni financial success, along with an analysis of how much value a college adds when compared to other schools that take in similar students.

Money starts by analyzing more than 2,400 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges in the country. To make Money’s initial cut, a college had to have at least 500 undergraduate students or 150 freshmen; have sufficient, reliable data to be analyzed; not be in financial distress; and have a graduation rate that was at or above the median for its institutional category.

The 735 schools that met the requirements in this initial cut were then ranked on 25 factors in three categories:

Quality of education (30% of weighting). This included graduation rates, Pell Grant recipient outcomes, and student-to-faculty ratio, and peer quality, including test scores and the average GPA of incoming first-year students. Affordability (40% of weighting). This was calculated by examining the net price of a degree (the “sticker” price minus institutional aid) and the net price paid by students in different income brackets. Outcomes (30% of weighting). This included earnings 10 years after college entry; employment outcomes; value-added earnings; and economic mobility index.

In addition to Money’s ranking, Dominican again ranked this year as among the top regional universities in the west by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking reflects Dominican’s strengths in academic quality and graduate outcomes. 

The latest data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that Dominican graduates who received federal student aid (Pell Grants) earn a median salary of $95,437 just four years after graduation.

Dominican has earned the prestigious 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a national designation which recognizes the university’s deep commitment to community engagement. Nationwide, just 277 institutions hold the designation. Dominican is being recognized for the important and ongoing collaborative work of faculty, students, and community partner organizations to address barriers that limit access and opportunities for disenfranchised people and communities. 

In June 2022, Dominican was listed at 174 out of 3,410 institutions nationwide – or the top 5.1% nationally – for providing the highest return on investment (ROI) to low-income students, according to a study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. In California, Dominican held the ninth spot out of 43 private, nonprofit undergraduate institutions.