The University of California, Davis, is moving up U.S. News & World Report’s list of top universities across the nation after the well-known ranking publication changed its methodology.

The university tied for sixth place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of public universities and tied for No. 28 among all national universities for 2024.

U.S. News & World Report looked at diverse enrollment, graduation rates, social mobility, student debt and post-college success.

UC Davis jumped four spots higher than last year’s list for top public universities, which the school credited to U.S. News & World Report’s change in methodology to increased weighting for schools that have more success in graduating students from different backgrounds.

U.S. News & World Report has been criticized for previous ranking practices that benefited wealthy schools by giving weight to alumni donations and small class sizes. The new formula looks at graduation rates for students who received need-based Pell grants and whether graduates earned more than those who completed high school, The New York Times reported.

University spokesperson Julia Ann Easley said the new rankings now reflect a “greater emphasis put on student outcomes.”

“This really aligns with what UC Davis is all about, with our mission and values of social mobility and equity and inclusiveness,” she said. “That’s what we belie

California’s UC system benefited overall from this year’s rankings of public universities.

UC Berkeley and UCLA tied for No. 1, UC San Diego tied with UC Davis for No. 6, UC Irvine was No. 10, and UC Santa Barbara was No. 12.

Meanwhile, all of the UC system’s nine undergraduate campuses made the top 100 of all national universities.

UC Davis, at No. 28 overall, beat out well-known schools like New York University and Virginia Tech.

Seven California State University campuses made the list of top public schools, with Cal State Long Beach and San Diego State tied for No. 51.