A major university ranking organization has named Fresno Pacific University the only Christian college or university in the Western United States to get its top rating.
Money gave FPU five stars in its 2025 Best Colleges in the United States list, released in July.
“We are proud to be the only Christian university in the Western U.S. to receive Money’s highest ranking,” says FPU President André Stephens. “This five-star rating is a tribute to our students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. This affirms that Fresno Pacific University is a place where academic excellence, affordability and Christ-centered transformation come together.”
The finance website selected 732 of the country’s more than 2,400 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges to be rated using its two- to five-star system. Results were based on 25 factors in three categories: quality of education, affordability and student outcomes.
For its calculations, Money uses data from the U.S. Department of Education, Higher Ed Value Metrics and other sources. Read more here.
In good company
The other California colleges and universities to receive the five-star rating are: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State San Bernadino, Cal State Stanislaus, CSU Dominguez Hills, Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, San Jose State and Stanford.
About Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University is the Central Valley’s accredited Christian university, connecting students’ untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and spiritual growth. FPU offers undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs to nearly 2,900 traditional and adult students on the main campus in southeast Fresno and regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online. The university also reaches about 8,000 students through professional development studies. FPU is a Hispanic Serving Institution, with a Hispanic student population of 60 percent. Most students are also the first in their families to attend university, and both Hispanic and first-generation students graduate at the same rate as students overall. In addition to Money, FPU is ranked highly by The Wall Street Journal, Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report, with The Journal ranking the university first among private schools in social mobility for its graduates and both U.S. News and Washington Monthly including FPU on their “Best Value” and “Best Bang for the Buck” lists. FPU is affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, and all employees express a personal Christian commitment.
About Money
Money was founded in 1972 as a print magazine to help everyday people live richer lives by learning personal finance strategies that improved their bottom line. Today as a website, Money provides news, educational resources and tools through in-depth articles, free weekly newsletters and instructional videos.
Fresno Pacific University is California’s Central Valley’s only accredited Christian university, connecting every student’s untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and ethical growth. Nonprofit and independent, FPU offers more than 100 areas of study to about 4,000 traditional undergraduate, adult degree completion, graduate and seminary students at the main campus in Southeast Fresno and throughout the Valley at regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online.
