Chico State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. For the most recent reporting cycle, Chico State admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 91%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1055. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,480 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Chico State?

61% of enrolled students at Chico State had a high school GPA of 3.25 or above, and the average was 3.4, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does Chico State weight in admissions?

Chico State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Chico State typically admits

Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Chico State actually cost?

Published tuition is $8,472 for in-state students and $21,072 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,500 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,480 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 43% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Chico State

Will my child graduate from Chico State?

These predict outcomes at Chico State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Chico State

The most popular undergraduate programs at Chico State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Psychology, General and Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. Across all programs, Chico State confers roughly 1,891 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $79,303 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Chico State safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Chico State disclosed 24 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 4 violent offenses and 11 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Chico State?

About 2% of undergraduates at Chico State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 8% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in California parents ask about

• Sonoma State University
  93% acceptance
• California State University-East Bay
  97% acceptance
• California State University-San Bernardino
  94% acceptance
• California State University-Dominguez Hills
  93% acceptance
• California State University-Stanislaus
  98% acceptance
• California State University-Bakersfield
  94% acceptance
• California State University-Monterey Bay
  97% acceptance
• California State University-San Marcos
  95% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Chico State