The University of California (UC) reported on October 22 that eight campuses are among The Princeton Review’s 2027 Best Value Colleges, and UC Irvine, the campus closest to Irvine families, ranks fourth among the Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public Schools).
Who Is Affected by The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges List
The list is directly relevant to Irvine seniors who are finalizing their college lists, and it is also useful for 10th- and 11th-grade families comparing cost and career outcomes across UC campuses. The Princeton Review’s September 29 press release states that 209 schools were named this year, 67 public and 142 private. The selection uses more than 40 data points covering academics, affordability and career outcomes, drawn from surveys of administrators at more than 650 institutions, surveys of current students and alumni, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. The 209 schools are not ranked on a single list; seven category lists are published separately.
The UC campus rankings on the category lists are as follows:
| Category list (public schools) | Campuses and ranks |
|---|---|
| Top 50 Best Value Colleges | Irvine 4, Berkeley 6, San Diego 7, Santa Barbara 15, Los Angeles 21, Davis 26 |
| Top 20 for Career Placement | Berkeley 2, San Diego 9, Los Angeles 11, Irvine 15, Davis 18, Santa Barbara 20 |
| Top 20 for Financial Aid | Berkeley 10, Riverside 14, San Diego 20 |
| Top 20 for Making an Impact | Davis 3, Riverside 7 |
The eight campuses on the overall list are UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. In the same article, UC states that 63% of its California resident students graduate without debt.
What to Do Now About The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges List
Use the list as one input to the college list. The list measures cost and return; it does not reflect admission difficulty for a particular major. Parents can compare each campus’s category ranks and then combine them with the student’s intended major and a net price estimate.
The UC application closes November 30. The fall first-year filing period runs from October 1 to November 30, and campuses generally release decisions between March 1 and 31. For college lists and application planning, see the EDUBUS university admissions planning service; for cost estimates, see 10 facts about UC financial aid.
Sources
- University of California: UC campuses earn top marks for affordability, quality on The Princeton Review’s 2027 Best Value Colleges list (accessed October 25, 2026)
- The Princeton Review: Best Value Colleges 2027 Press Release (accessed October 25, 2026)
- UC Admissions: Admissions decisions (accessed October 25, 2026)
- College Corps Expands to 54 CampusesCalifornia's College Corps service program now lists 54 partner campuses, including Irvine Valley College, UC Irvine and newly added Saddleback College.
- Kenyon Early Decision I Due November 15Kenyon College closes Early Decision I on November 15 with decisions in mid-December. The college is test-optional and accepts self-reported scores.
- 11 IUSD Schools on 2026 California Honor RollThe 2026 California Honor Roll lists 245 Orange County schools, including 11 in Irvine Unified and Beckman High School. Here are the Irvine honorees and the method.
- State Test Data Breach and Irvine FamiliesStudent data from the past three school years was copied from a state testing contractor. Irvine families can enroll in free identity protection by March 19, 2027.
