California State University - Chico

Based on a main 119-rural campus in the small college town of Chico in northern California with its own 1,050-acre farm and 3,950-acre ecological reserve, California State University – Chico is a comprehensive residential public institution. Home to more than 16,450 students in a diverse community, Chico State is recognized for having one of the highest freshman graduation rates in the state university system.

First established in 1887 by the California Legislature as the Northern Branch of the State Normal School for training educators, California State University at Chico has the distinction of being the second oldest institution in the statewide system. As Chico State has evolved throughout the years, the university has been accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC) to offer more than 100 undergraduate major programs.

With an outstanding reputation for academic excellence in the region, Chico State is currently ranked as the 42nd best college and 10th top public school in the West with the 41st best online bachelor's degrees in the entire nation by the U.S. News and World Report. Among the most popular degree programs are business information systems, exercise physiology, mechatronics, social work, speech pathology, nursing, and fine arts.

Along with the plentiful world music festivals, concert series, museums, and parks that the vibrant town of Chico offers, the university is home to more than 200 recognized student clubs. As members of the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association, the Chico State Wildcats also compete in over a dozen varsity sports. Among the most notable former Wildcats are actress Amanda Detmer, Olympian Horace Dove-Edwin, CEO Ken Grossman, producer Matt Olmstead, and MLB player Dale Thayer.