U.S. News & World Report placed Fresno Pacific University among the top 40 in its category in the magazine’s “2019 Best Colleges and Universities” ranking released September 10, 2018.
FPU is ranked 39 among Regional Universities—West, and 41 among Best Values, out of 140 schools in the region. For the 2018 list, the university was ranked at 41 both regionally and as a best value.
“We at Fresno Pacific University are gratified when national rankings such as U.S. News & World Report recognize the quality of our education. My thanks to all—faculty, administrators, staff, board members and supporters—who contribute to the success of our students as they engage the cultures and serve the cities in the Valley and beyond,” said Joseph Jones, Ph.D., president of Fresno Pacific University.
According to U.S. News, “best value” calculations are based on academic quality and net cost of attendance for students who receive the average level of need-based financial aid. “The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal.” Schools must be ranked in or near the top half of their categories.
Regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master’s programs but few doctoral programs. The regions are North, South, Midwest and West.
The magazine ranks colleges and universities based on its research in six overall areas:
- Outcomes (35 percent)
- Social mobility: New this year, U.S. News considered the number of graduating students who received federal Pell Grants (typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, most Pell Grant money goes to students with a family income below $20,000).
- Graduation and retention rates
- Graduation rate performance
- Based on graduation rates predicted by U.S. News for students who entered in fall 2011.
- Faculty Resources (20 percent)
- Class size, faculty salary, faculty with the highest degree in their fields, student-faculty ratio and proportion of full-time faculty.
- Expert Opinion (20 percent)
- A survey of presidents, provosts, deans of admissions and high school counselors.
- Financial Resources (10 percent)
- Per-student spending on instruction, research, student services and related areas.
- Student Excellence (10 percent)
- Including standardized test scores (SAT and ACT) and high school class standing.
- Alumni Giving (5 percent)
FPU has the Central Valley’s highest graduation rates, with 53 percent of students earning their bachelor’s degree in four years. In addition, 56 percent of FPU students come from families who earn $40,000 or less annually, 49 percent are the first in their families to attend college or university and 45 percent identify as Latinx, making FPU a Hispanic-Serving Institution. First-generation and Hispanic students graduate at the same rate as students overall.
More at usnews.com/best-colleges