1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # California State University-Chico Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/california-state-university-chico/)[Cost & aid](/school/california-state-university-chico/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/california-state-university-chico/admissions/)[Majors](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/california-state-university-chico/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Chico State graduates earn? The reported median is $65,228 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $65,610 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$382 per year. Four years after graduating, California State University-Chico completers who are working and not enrolled post median earnings of $65,228, in the 66th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the peer median of $65,610 by $382 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $12,980 more than the model expects for similar students, a level in the 88th percentile nationally. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,848. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $7,132. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $999. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 70th percentile. The earnings scenarios for California State University-Chico span from a downside of $48,437 to an upside of $92,168, reflecting the range of outcomes associated with different program clusters. The highest-earning programs shape the upside: Computer Science completers earn a median of $127,498 four years after finishing, while Nursing graduates earn $117,543 and Engineering graduates earn $103,272. An estimated 27.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the university's program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings figures capture only those working and not enrolled, the median earnings understate the eventual earnings of the sizable share of completers who pursue advanced degrees. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $65,228 **Rank for difference from expectations** 88th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Chico State reported median** $65,228 **Peer schools comparable schools · $382 above Chico State** $65,610 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $12,980 below Chico State** $52,248 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $48,437 to $92,168, around the reported median of $65,228. Compare the lower scenario with [Chico State borrowing and monthly payments](/school/california-state-university-chico/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $48,437 **Median · reported** $65,228 **Higher estimate** $92,168 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Chico State graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Chico State graduates’ reported earnings are $12,980 above that expectation, the 88th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Chico State caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,848 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$7,132 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$12,980 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Chico State report the highest earnings? California State University-Chico's highest-earning bachelor's program is Computer Science, where completers earn a median of $127,498 four years after completion, with 81 degrees awarded. Nursing follows at $117,543 and 127 degrees awarded, while Engineering reaches $103,272 on 34 degrees awarded. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management reports median earnings of $72,651 and an Azimuth national rank of #76 on 585 degrees awarded. Psychology and Liberal Arts and General Studies show more moderate medians of $52,621 and $55,008, with 346 and 216 degrees awarded respectively. California State University-Chico has 38 nationally ranked bachelor's program and 45 programs with published four-year earnings. The largest program, Business Administration and Management, ranks #76 nationally and #16 in California, awarded 585 degrees and shows median earnings of $72,651 four years after completion. The highest-earning programs are led by Computer Science (81 degrees awarded), where completers earn a median of $127,498 four years after completion, followed by Nursing (127 degrees awarded) at $117,543 and Engineering (34 degrees awarded) at $103,272. Computer Engineering (12 degrees awarded) and Mechanical Engineering (72 degrees awarded) round out the top five, with medians of $97,345 and $93,555. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Computer Science** $127,498 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $117,543 **Engineering, Other** $103,272 **Computer Engineering** $97,345 **Mechanical Engineering** $93,555 **Civil Engineering** $92,472 **Computer and Information Sciences, General** $91,059 **Engineering-Related Fields** $86,430 [Explore Chico State program cohorts and field ranks](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios grounded in the university's program mix show a downside of $48,437, a typical outcome of $65,228, and an upside of $92,168. The highest-earning program, Computer Science, reaches $127,498, while among the largest programs Sociology sits at $52,323. Four years after completing their degrees, graduates of California State University-Chico earn a median of $65,228, drawn from a cohort of 4,672 completers in the four-year earnings cohort. Graduates earn about $12,980 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the university in the 88th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, which reflect the university's program mix, point to a typical outcome of $65,228, with a downside scenario of $48,437 and an upside scenario reaching $92,168. An estimated 27.9% of programs' graduates continue to graduate study, a share derived from program mix rather than observed enrollment. The median earnings figure sits below the $65,610 median at comparable institutions (same type and size) by $382. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).