Tuition and fees at U.S. colleges and universities averaged $30,094 for 2013-2014, according to the College Board, and the average debt upon graduation was $27,253. FPU students averaged $21,683 in loans during the same year.
Tuition, fees and room and board for traditional undergraduate students at Fresno Pacific will go up around 4.5 percent for the 2015-2016 school year. Tuition and fees will be $27,754 and room and board will be $7,690 for those with a full meal plan. For 2014-2015 tuition and fees were $26,538 and room and board was $7,360. Increases will fund improvements in technology and infrastructure as well as rising costs. "We are doing all we can to get the maximum value from every dollar," said Jon Endicott, vice president for enrollment management and student services.
All programs feature small class size and expert faculty who work closely with students in courses and research. In addition, FPU offers a four-year graduation guarantee for qualified traditional undergraduate students, as well as over $13 million in grants and scholarships aside from state and federal financial aid.
"We are very aware of the sacrifices students and families make to bring their dreams of a university education to reality," Endicott said. "We also know, and take pride in the fact, that many of our students across the university—undergraduate, degree completion, graduate and seminary—are among the first in their families to graduate from a university or seminary, and that these students give back to their communities and professions right here in the Valley."
Seminary and graduate tuition will range from $430 to $830 per unit, up $25-60 per unit, and bachelor's degree completion students will pay $300-555 per unit, up $25-30 per unit for major classes. (To be considered full-time, graduate students must carry 9 units per semester and degree completion students 12-15 units per semester.)
The university offers five locations throughout the Valley: traditional undergraduate students study at the main campus in Southeast Fresno, and degree completion and graduate students pursue programs at centers in Merced, North Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield. The Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary offers classes on the main campus and at the Visalia Center.
FPU graduates go on to careers and top graduate schools. "Education, business and many other programs have built relationships with area firms that lead to jobs and internship opportunities. We hear regularly that organizations seek our students out," Endicott said.
Fresno Pacific's strong reputation includes:
· The highest four-year graduation rate of any Central Valley college or university
· Consistent ranking in the top tier among western universities—master's category by U.S. News & World Report
· Status as a Hispanic Serving Institution, with a Hispanic student population of 35 percent, and one of the top 10 HSIs nationally in graduating Hispanic students
· Accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
· Being the region's only Christian university offering bachelor's and master's degrees
Research, including studies by Pew Research Center, continues to show that college and university graduates earn significantly more and are more likely to be employed in their field than those with less education (pewsocialtrends.org/2014/02/11/the-rising-cost-of-not-going-to-college/). "A university education remains the best investment people can make in themselves or their loved ones. Modest tuition, less debt and the ability to graduate in good time make Fresno Pacific University a great place to make that investment," Endicott said.
More about the true costs and benefits of private nonprofit higher education at naicu.edu/special_initiatives/nine_myths/