Washington Monthly ranked Fresno State in its top 30 for universities in the country that combine academic excellence with economic opportunity, according to a Fresno State announcement Monday.

Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro said the ranking is the third in a row for Fresno State.

The Washington Monthly is a D.C.-based magazine known for its annual rankings of American colleges and universities. Fresno State was ranked 25th in 2016 and 17th overall in 2017.

The magazine has been ranking colleges and universities for the last 13 years, using what it refers to as “a different kind of college ranking” focusing on three equally weighted criteria: social mobility, research and public service.

According to the magazine, the rankings “are not based on what colleges do for themselves, but on what they do for their country.” The rankings recognize institutions that “push the boundaries of scientific discovery and provide paths to opportunity for the next generation of low-income students.”

“I’m excited that we’ve been ranked for the third straight year,” Castro said. “It’s because of our focus on the success of our 25,000 students and our investment in student success. Our faculty and staff have a strong commitment to student success.”

Fresno State was also ranked second in the national university category in its commitment to spending federal work-study funds on public service. Almost 70 percent of work-study funds on campus go toward service, according to the magazine.

“Community service is a key piece of our success,” Castro said. He added that Fresno State students, faculty and staff have contributed at least one million hours of community service every year for the last 10 years.

Fresno State was ranked fourth nationally, too, in the net price of attending after subtracting grants and scholarships. The ranking acknowledges that Fresno State’s net cost of attendance is among the lowest nationally

“We’ve kept our costs down while making more scholarships and financial aid available,” Castro said.

Dr. Frank Lamas, vice president of the division of student affairs and enrollment management, reported at the first Associated Students Inc. Senate meeting this fall that more than $250 million in financial aid had been distributed to students last year.

The top California university ranked overall was Stanford, at No. 2. University of California Los Angeles and UC Davis were ranked ninth and 10th, respectively. UC Berkeley was ranked 18th, followed by UC Irvine at 20th. UC Riverside was ranked 28th.