California State University-Chico

Chico, CA csuchico.edu 13,057 students

California State University, Chico is located in the northern Sacramento Valley, offering a traditional campus with brick buildings and tree-lined pathways. The university is known for its strong sense of community and active student body, with popular majors in business, agriculture, and communication. Chico State is distinctive for its commitment to sustainability and civic engagement, as well as its close ties to the surrounding city of Chico. It is also recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

Programs

Analyzed in dataset

Earnings

$43,284

Average graduate, 1 yr after

Outlook

53/100

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

Tuition

$8,064

In-state sticker price

Out-of-state: $19,944/yr

Financial Aid

The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. Chico State's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 40% of students receive Pell Grants; 33% take federal loans.

Net Price by Family Income

Academic Year 2025

Income Bracket	Avg Net Price	4-Year Net Cost
$0 – $30K	$10,045	$40,180
$30K – $48K	$10,612	$42,448
$48K – $75K	$13,937	$55,748
$75K – $110K	$18,380	$73,520
$110K+	$23,572	$94,288
Sticker price (no aid)	$8,064	$32,256

Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships, by reported family-income bracket. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

Programs at Chico State

51 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Degree Program	DW Score	1-yr Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
Nursing Compare across schools →	91	$113,181/yr	High	36.4x
Computer Science Compare across schools →	89	$81,021/yr	Very High	37.8x
Construction Management Compare across schools →	86	$89,075/yr	High	35.2x
Accounting Compare across schools →	83	$60,606/yr	Very High	23.9x
Information Sciences Compare across schools →	81	$49,967/yr	Very High	27.1x
Mechanical Engineering Compare across schools →	76	$73,297/yr	Very High	30.8x
Civil Engineering Compare across schools →	76	$72,350/yr	High	30.5x
Business Administration Compare across schools →	76	$46,145/yr	High	23.6x
Engineering-Related Fields Compare across schools →	74	$69,042/yr	High	27.7x
Engineering Studies Compare across schools →	73	$74,204/yr	High	28.6x
Electrical Engineering Technology Compare across schools →	69	$77,965/yr	High	29.3x
Agricultural Business Compare across schools →	69	$47,937/yr	High	20.1x
Microbiology & Immunology Compare across schools →	66	$49,068/yr	High	18.9x
Economics Compare across schools →	64	$37,432/yr	Very High	21.7x
Construction Engineering Technologies Compare across schools →	62	$88,648/yr	Very High	26.5x
Political Science Compare across schools →	62	$41,893/yr	Very High	18.4x
Geography and Cartography Compare across schools →	61	$40,380/yr	High	21.4x
Criminal Justice Compare across schools →	61	$36,045/yr	Moderate	17.2x
Plant Sciences Compare across schools →	60	$43,944/yr	High	20.9x
Public Health Compare across schools →	56	$45,339/yr	High	13.1x
Nutrition & Food Science Compare across schools →	55	$31,673/yr	High	18.3x
Mathematics Compare across schools →	54	$38,212/yr	Very High	18.4x
Social Sciences Compare across schools →	54	$36,382/yr	High	14.7x
Biology Compare across schools →	53	$37,120/yr	High	18.1x
Communication and Media Studies Compare across schools →	51	$38,421/yr	High	17.4x
International Relations Compare across schools →	50	$39,060/yr	High	15.0x
Social Work Compare across schools →	50	$36,840/yr	Moderate	16.1x
Health Sciences Compare across schools →	47	$40,057/yr	High	16.5x
Animal Sciences Compare across schools →	47	$33,387/yr	High	16.6x
Sociology Compare across schools →	45	$36,992/yr	High	13.6x
Psychology Compare across schools →	45	$31,827/yr	High	15.3x
Human Development & Family Studies Compare across schools →	45	$30,441/yr	High	13.4x
Biochemistry Compare across schools →	44	$42,886/yr	High	12.3x
Journalism Compare across schools →	44	$35,668/yr	Very High	16.4x
Natural Resources & Conservation Research Compare across schools →	44	$33,758/yr	High	17.1x
History Compare across schools →	43	$30,697/yr	High	13.3x
Parks & Recreation Compare across schools →	41	$33,920/yr	Very High	16.6x
Health & Physical Education Compare across schools →	40	$28,236/yr	Moderate	13.5x
Anthropology Compare across schools →	40	$27,856/yr	High	14.1x
Communication Disorders Compare across schools →	39	$29,297/yr	High	18.2x
Subject-Area Teaching Compare across schools →	39	$24,427/yr	High	6.6x
Physiology Compare across schools →	38	$25,952/yr	High	17.4x
Romance Languages Compare across schools →	37	$22,917/yr	Very High	16.3x
English Compare across schools →	35	$27,045/yr	Very High	14.5x
Design Compare across schools →	34	$27,573/yr	High	13.5x
Liberal Arts & Humanities Compare across schools →	34	$27,196/yr	Low	16.1x
Fine Arts Compare across schools →	34	$22,628/yr	Moderate	12.9x
Music Compare across schools →	32	$25,339/yr	High	11.3x
Area Studies Compare across schools →	26	$23,149/yr	Very High	13.5x
Nutrition Sciences Compare across schools →	25	$25,490/yr	High	6.9x
Multicultural Studies Compare across schools →	22	$25,525/yr	Very High	6.9x