California State University-Chico

California State University-Chico incoming freshman academic profile

Average high school GPA

3.402025-26 · CollegeData source

SAT composite middle score

1,0552025-26 CDS · Source

ACT composite middle score

202025-26 CDS · Source

Average GPA of enrolled freshmen (scale may be weighted or unweighted). SAT/ACT are median scores of students who submitted them — not scholarship cutoffs.

Freshman financial need & merit gifts

2024-25 financial-aid profile · CollegeData source

Average freshman need met

61%

Average undergraduate need met

55%

These groups use different denominators and should not be added together. Need met is an average share of assessed financial need—not a share of tuition or an aid guarantee. The source’s detailed aid table reports 2024-25, although its general page note says 2025-26.

California State University-Chico net price by family income

Historical average cost after all grants and scholarships — not need-based aid eligibility. 2024–25 academic year.

Families earning $150,000+ should not assume they'll get need-based grants; the "Over $110K" group mixes very different incomes.

At what family income does financial aid stop at California State University-Chico?

There's no universal cutoff. Need-based aid depends on income, assets, family size and college rules; merit scholarships are based on grades and scores, so high income doesn't rule them out. Use California State University-Chico's net price calculator for a personal estimate, and the federal aid estimator for federal aid.

Graduation, earnings & student debt

6-year graduation

60.3%Fall 2019 / 2019–20 entering cohort

First-year retention

81.6%Fall 2023 entering cohort; return in fall 2024

Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry

$70,0122011–12 and 2012–13 entering cohorts; earnings in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars

Median federal debt

$14,259Federal fiscal years 2024 and 2025, pooled

Historical group figures, not individual predictions. Debt excludes private and Parent PLUS loans. Source: College Scorecard (ID 110538).

Colleges with acceptance rates similar to California State University-Chico

California State University-Chico accepts about 91% of applicants. These colleges have the closest reported acceptance rates.

• Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI91% acceptance
• California College of the Arts · San Francisco, CA91% acceptance
• Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA91% acceptance
• Chamberlain University-Arizona · Phoenix, AZ91% acceptance
• Chamberlain University-Florida · Jacksonville, FL91% acceptance
• Chamberlain University-Georgia · Sandy Springs, GA91% acceptance
• Chaminade University of Honolulu · Honolulu, HI91% acceptance
• Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH91% acceptance
• Concordia University Texas · Austin, TX91% acceptance
• Culinary Institute of America · Hyde Park, NY91% acceptance

Colleges with merit aid similar to California State University-Chico

California State University-Chico reports average merit aid of $3,609 per year. These colleges report the closest average non-need-based awards.

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL$3,644 avg merit aid / yr
• Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI$3,651 avg merit aid / yr
• Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY$3,671.948 avg merit aid / yr
• University of Central Florida · Orlando, FL$3,534 avg merit aid / yr
• Stephen F Austin State University · Nacogdoches, TX$3,718 avg merit aid / yr
• University of South Florida · Tampa, FL$3,493 avg merit aid / yr
• Oakland University · Rochester Hills, MI$3,746 avg merit aid / yr
• The University of Texas at El Paso · El Paso, TX$3,469 avg merit aid / yr
• Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · Kutztown, PA$3,753 avg merit aid / yr
• University of North Carolina Wilmington · Wilmington, NC$3,457 avg merit aid / yr