Fresno State has been designated an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications for how higher education can foster opportunities for student success.
The designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. The classification examines the extent to which an institution is enrolling students who reflect the communities it serves and whether its students go on to earn competitive wages compared to peers in their area. This year, 479 institutions (or about 16% of U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification) have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities.
“Fresno State, without a doubt, reflects the community it serves,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “We have long enrolled the talented students of the Central Valley to receive a world-class, comprehensive education where the skills and experiences they receive help to transform their lives; Fresno State is dynamically linked to the communities and economy of our Valley region. This new designation confirms the pivotal role Fresno State plays in our region and beyond.”
The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses a variety of groupings from the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities. The Institutional Classification was redesigned to include a wider look at types of degrees awarded by institutions, the degree subjects and the size of the institution. It also builds on the research designations published in February.
Fresno State’s 2025 Institutional Classification is “Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Master’s Large/Medium.” The university’s R2 research designation “High Spending and Doctorate Production,” first earned in 2022, was renewed by the Carnegie Classifications in February.
An institution is designated R2 status if it awarded at least 20 research doctorates and had at least $5 million in total research expenditures during the classification update year. Only eight of the 23 universities in the California State University system share this designation.
Fresno State awarded 25 research doctoral degrees and spent $11.4 million on research expenditures in the 2022-23 academic year. The university offers a Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
