Chico, CA · Public · 13,631 undergraduates · urban
California State University-Chico
Less selective
Chico State combines a classic California college-town campus with hands-on agriculture and broad professional programs serving northern California.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in mobility, and strong in affordability.- Admission
- 93.7% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 74.4%
22,263 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$64,172 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets California State University-Chico apart
Academic design
Agriculture is anchored by an 800-acre university farm alongside business, engineering, nursing, education, sciences, and communication.
Campus pattern
Campus directly adjoins downtown Chico and Big Chico Creek.
Career & value signal
Strong regional relevance to agriculture, food production, healthcare, education, construction, business, and public service.
Can I get in?
93.7% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
22,263About 94 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
Admission by residency
Harder from out of state
Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025
California State University-Chico admitted 91.8% of California applicants and 73.3% of applicants from other states. Residents were admitted at 1.3 times the out-of-state rate. California students took 98% of the seats in the entering class.
20,047 admitted from 21,846 applicants
330 admitted from 450 applicants
150 admitted from 239 applicants
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for California State University-Chico, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What California State University-Chico weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Agriculture is anchored by an 800-acre university farm alongside business, engineering, nursing, education, sciences, and communication.
Make institutional fit specific
Chico State combines a classic California college-town campus with hands-on agriculture and broad professional programs serving northern California.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
$70 application fee
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at California State University-Chico
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Psychology, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Sociology
What is campus life like?
California State University-Chico beyond the classroom
Campus directly adjoins downtown Chico and Big Chico Creek.
A defining academic feature
Agriculture is anchored by an 800-acre university farm alongside business, engineering, nursing, education, sciences, and communication.
What shapes an ordinary week
Campus directly adjoins downtown Chico and Big Chico Creek.
Where the degree can lead
Strong regional relevance to agriculture, food production, healthcare, education, construction, business, and public service.