Public · University

California State University-Chico

Chico, California · Midsize city

92.7%
Admit rate
$14,480
Avg net price
63%
Graduation rate
$64,172
Median earnings

California State University-Chico is a public bachelor's-granting institution in Chico, California (midsize city setting), enrolling 13,631 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

PublicMidsize · 13,631 undergradsMidsize cityAccessible · 93% admitNCAA Division II without football

About Chico, California

Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Within the boundaries of modern day Chico, there existed a Maidu village, whose name was recorded as Bah-hahp'-ke, meaning "straight tree". The Chico Museum first opened in February 1986 in the former Carnegie Library building in downtown Chico. It currently features a World War I exhibit. The museum has two main galleries, which host a variety of temporary and traveling exhibits. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Midsize city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
To the ocean
103 miles
Nearest airport
59 miles to Redding (RDD)

How California State University-Chico compares

View 105 more ranking appearances
#33 · Colleges Admitting at Least 75% of Applicants with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #38 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #46 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Graduation Rates #57 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Highest Retention Rates #84 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Student Debt #64 · Colleges with Average Net Price at or Below $15,000 with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #51 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #48 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #43 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #66 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #56 · Hispanic-Serving Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #75 · Public Universities with the Lowest Student Debt #74 · Public Universities with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #46 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #70 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #59 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #74 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Net Price #52 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #43 · Test-Blind Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #91 · Colleges with the Most First-Generation Students #55 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in California #28 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in California #46 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in California #29 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in California #53 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in California #70 · Best Colleges in the West #49 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #77 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the West #74 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #41 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #43 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #29 · Best Public Universities in the West #61 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #33 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #60 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #60 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #31 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #34 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #25 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #61 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #36 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #61 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #60 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #33 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #36 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #25 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #41 · Bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #32 · Bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #89 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #63 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #12 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #30 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #49 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #50 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #40 · Bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Criminal Justice and Corrections Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #91 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #59 · Bachelor's Accounting and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #56 · Bachelor's Accounting and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #87 · Bachelor's Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #48 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #48 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #88 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #58 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #89 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #56 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #89 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #73 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #22 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #91 · Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #38 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #61 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #28 · Bachelor's Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #25 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #57 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #19 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #23 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #44 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #68 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #44 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #52 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #56 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #29 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #51 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #66 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #33 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #23 · Bachelor's Social Work Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #45 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #30 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #53 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #87 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #69 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #92 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #46 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #41 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #7 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #9 · Bachelor's Social Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #12 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #60 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #35 · Bachelor's Civil Engineering Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity92.7%

More selective than 18% · #80 most selective of 107 in California

Graduation rate63%

Higher than 65% · #60 of 122 in California

First-year retention82%

Higher than 66%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$64,172

Higher than 76% · #70 of 130 in California

Average net price$14,480

Cheaper than 75% · #33 cheapest of 118 in California

Median debt at graduation$16,552

Lower than 88%

Student–faculty ratio23 : 1

Lower than 5%

Undergraduate enrollment13,631

Larger than 92%

Percentiles compare California State University-Chico with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in California.

California State University-Chico campus

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

15,096students
  • Undergraduate13,63190%
  • Graduate1,46510%

Undergraduates by gender

13,631undergrads
  • Women7,83257%
  • Men5,79943%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White41%
  • Black3.0%
  • Hispanic39%
  • Asian5.4%
  • Other or multiracial12%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
13,631
Graduate enrollment
1,465
Student–faculty ratio
23 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
43%
First-generation students
47%
Students over 25
17%
Median family income
$30,780
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$104,976
Endowment
$100,204,970

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 2,171 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From California98%
  • Other U.S. states1.9%
  • International0.6%

Most first-years stay in state — California State University-Chico draws overwhelmingly from California.

1% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
92.7%
Test scores
Not considered
SAT range (25th–75th %)
—
SAT average
—
SAT reading
—
SAT math
—
ACT composite
—

Cost

In-state tuition
$8,472
Out-of-state tuition
$21,072
Room & board
$16,500
Books & supplies
$1,096
Total cost of attendance
$26,283
Average net price
$14,480

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
63%
Graduated on time (4 years)
36%
First-year retention
82%
Transferred to another college
4%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$50,493
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$64,172
Median debt at graduation
$16,552
Students with federal loans
32%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
65%

About 27% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
36%
Low-income (Pell)
61%
First-generation
60%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
1,758
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
13%
Housing charge (year)
$8,609
Meal plan (year)
$3,881
Application fee
$70
Athletics
NCAA Division II without football
Varsity athletes
339 (184 men · 155 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (8)

Track and Field (Outdoor)80
Soccer70
Cross Country54
Baseball44
Basketball27
Softball23
Golf22
Volleyball19

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
B
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
0.8 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
21
Property offenses (2022–2024)
18

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 2 campuses (15,257 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

13reported offenses a year
7.0 violent a year6.0 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
3.0
Rape
2.7
Burglary
2.7
Fondling
2.3
Aggravated assault
1.3
Statutory rape
0.3
Robbery
0.3
Arson
0.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$9,902
$30–48k
$10,099
$48–75k
$12,961
$75–110k
$16,506
$110k+
$23,566

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$60,174

$12,961/year × about 4.6 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

41%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$5,920
average award, among those who get one

Modest institutional aid: 41% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $5,920. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,970 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$64,172
Typical debt at graduation
$16,552
Debt vs. one year's pay
26%
Out-earn a HS grad
66%

Typical debt would take roughly 2.6 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$60,347
Men
$70,455

Men out-earn women by $10,108 (17%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
95°F
Winter low
36°F
Annual rain
27.4″
Annual snow
0.1″

Average temperature

HighLow
30°70°100°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.55.1JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Chico Univ Farm, CA US station (3 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to California State University-Chico

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare California State University-Chico side by side →

Colleges near California State University-Chico

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.