Admissions & selectivity
California State University-Fresno Acceptance Rate & Admissions
What is the acceptance rate at Fresno State?
Fresno State’s reported acceptance rate is 95.3%.
- Acceptance rate · Fall 2024
- 95.3%
Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle.
How to interpret the acceptance rate
California State University-Fresno admits 95.3% of applicants, well above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university operates with a broad-access mission, serving a large undergraduate population of 21,605 students.
What SAT and ACT scores do Fresno State students report?
SAT and ACT ranges are not available for Fresno State in the data shown here. Missing scores do not establish whether tests are required, optional or excluded from review.
Figures cover fall 2024.
Who enrolls at Fresno State?
- Pell Grant recipients
- 57.0%
- Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group
- 48.9%
- First-year retention
- 81.6%
Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention.
About these student measures
These measures use different populations and reporting periods, rather than one current entering class. The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns.
California State University-Fresno is a public university that serves 21,605 undergraduates. Pell Grant recipients make up 57.0% of undergraduates, and an estimated 48.9% of students enter as transfers or part-time students.
The student body reflects broad access, with a majority of undergraduates receiving federal need-based aid and a substantial transfer pipeline. Applicants who are Pell-eligible or transferring from a community college should confirm credit-transfer policies and priority filing dates with the admissions office.
Among first-time full-time students, California State University-Fresno retains 81.6% after the first year, just below the peer median of 83.1% for comparable institutions. The six-year graduation rate is 57.0%, compared with a peer median of 65.0%.
Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate of 61.2%, which is above the overall six-year rate. The university serves a large undergraduate enrollment of 21,605, with an estimated 48.9% of students transferring in and 57.0% receiving Pell Grants.
Enrolled students can expect a campus where Pell recipients graduate at a rate that exceeds the institutional average, and where the majority of undergraduates share similar financial backgrounds.
Data & methodology
A missing figure does not mean zero. Sources and reporting periods: methodology.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution.
Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.