Sponsored by the Mennonite Brethren Church, this roughly 3,500-student university in Fresno, California, tends to draw students who are the first in their family to attend college. There are a little over 800 graduate students, and undergraduates can take advantage of three-year bachelor’s degree programs that are designed to give students a head start on their careers. FPU’s resources for students are clearly effective: the school’s graduation rate is a whopping 22% higher than expected based on the makeup of its student body, according to Money’s analysis.
Fresno Pacific’s most popular majors include social work, education and business. It has been named a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the federal government, with 58% of students identifying as Hispanic. Nearly three-quarters of students are women, and the school also has resources for undocumented students. FPU students also flock to sports: The Sunbirds have more than 15 Division II teams that have won a total of 15 national titles.
