Office of the President

What makes us the Pride of the Valley

Fresno State’s deep roots in this Valley promote excellence in everything we do. As the region's flagship university, we are an essential source of education, research, workforce development, economic impact and community engagement. Our graduates go on to make significant advancements, blazing new trails that can be traced around the globe. But it all starts right here, where, together, we are the Pride of the Valley.

87.9% students are from the Central Valley

66.2% first-generation college students

87,000+ alumni live and work in Fresno County alone

Training the workforce

With a Fresno State degree, our graduates are empowered to meet the direct needs of the Valley and equipped to make a positive impact anywhere in the world. Here are just a few examples of the ways in which Fresno State impacts critical industries and the workforce that drives them.

Education

75% of Valley teachers earn their degree at Fresno State.

Health Care

4,000 nurses have graduated from the bachelor of nursing program and 90% have stayed in the region.

Agriculture

2,000 students major in ag-related fields each year, 80% engage in hands-on experiences like internships or research.

Engineering

60% of engineering students were offered full-time employment as a result of an internship with over 90% securing employment in California.

Politics

6 out of 10 of the most recent mayors of the City of Fresno earned their degrees at Fresno State.

Law Enforcement

1,500+ students enroll in the criminology program each year, many of whom become new deputies that serve the region.

University on the rise

Fresno State is on the rise and continues to be recognized for our contribution to the public good. These rankings and stats focus on social mobility, and our commitment to education, research, community impact and economic vitality.

Ranked No. 4 in the nation for social mobility by the Wall Street Journal

Designated as one of only 14 California universities with “Doctoral University — High Research Activity” –or R2 status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Provided over 1 million hours of service to the community for 15 straight years

Contributes nearly $1 billion in economic activity to the San Joaquin Valley each year

Pride runs deep

Fresno State athletics has been a vibrant source of pride and tradition in the Valley for more than 100 years. Across 18 sports programs, the Bulldogs continue to rise to every challenge and carry on a proud legacy of determination, grit and resilience.

Pride of the Valley

Fresno State has a long history of competitive success, including: numerous national championships, over 215 team conference championships and over 345 individual conference championships, and produced over 350 All-Americans, Olympians and community leaders.

Fresno State has won NCAA national championships in baseball (2008) and softball (1998) and won the 1983 men’s basketball NIT. In 2023, women’s water polo won its third straight conference title, and in 2023, women’s volleyball won its first Mountain West title.

Most recently, Fresno State annouced it will be moving to the PAC-12 Conference in 2026, ushering in a new era for Bulldog athletics and driving innovation and growth in both athletics and academics.