UC Davis ranks 7th among public universities and 27th among public and private universities in the inaugural issue of The Best Colleges' Top 50 Colleges and Universities in America 2011-12.

The website for prospective students writes that UC Davis “has developed into a world leader in science and engineering research while expanding opportunities for qualified low- and middle- income California students by covering the cost of tuition and fees of students from families making less than $80K a year.”

UC Davis is also ranked highly for being in one of the most highly educated cities in America. “Davis, CA is known for its liberal politics and bike-friendly streets and manages to keep its cost of living fairly low,” the site writes.

The Best Colleges uses both standard indicators of academic quality and student satisfaction and also considers the economic value of a school and the quality of life offered by the city or town it is located in.