Ratings affirm Fresno Pacific's success in providing a hope and a future

FPU continues to shine as a best value and a great way for graduates to improve their lives and their communities.

U.S. News & World Report placed FPU at number three in the social mobility category and at 27 in best values among Regional Universities—West in its 2021 Best Colleges rankings released September 14, 2020. Washington Monthly earlier affirmed the best value message, ranking FPU at 35 on that list. All three rankings were up from last year, when U.S. News rated FPU number four in social mobility and 35 in best value, and Washington Monthly listed FPU at 50 among best values.

“We are most proud of our number three rating as a top performer in social mobility because we love seeing economically disadvantaged students being successful and receiving their bachelor’s degree. The Central Valley has significantly fewer people with B.A. degrees compared to California as a whole. This ranking shows FPU is very affordable and students graduate quickly coming from either high school or community college,” said Jon Endicott, vice president for enrollment management.

The social mobility ranking resonates with FPU’s goal to provide a hope and a future to students and California’s Central Valley. Research shows that, as a group, people who graduate college achieve more than those who don’t on measures from career earnings to public service and family life to charitable donations.

To determine social mobility, U.S. News compares the graduation rates of students receiving federal Pell Grants to the rate of students who do not. The family income for most Pell Grant recipients is under $40,000.

Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, according to U.S. News. “But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students.”

FPU also climbed in the overall Washington Monthly rankings to 77 among master’s universities from 135 last year. These rankings analyze a school’s contribution to the United States. U.S. News rated the university at 37 among Master’s Universities—West, after coming in at 31 for 2020 and 39 for 2019.