The front of Kendall Hall on Friday, April 14, 2023 in Chico, Calif.
(Jason Halley/University Photographer/Chico State)
U.S. News & World Report has again recognized Chico State as one of the top regional universities in the Western United States in its 2025 Best College rankings. The University was celebrated for its outstanding value, commitment to social mobility, and the strength of its undergraduate programs.
Chico State ranked #20 overall and #11 among public schools in the Regional Universities (West) category. Additionally, Chico State stood out among universities in several key areas:
- #8 Best Value for students pursuing a degree
- #23 for Social Mobility, which measures the improvement of students’ socioeconomic status after earning a degree
- #14 Best College for Veterans
The University’s commitment to providing high-quality education is also reflected in its undergraduate programs, which earned distinctions in the following categories:
- Best Undergraduate Computer Science: #281
- Best Undergraduate Engineering—Non-Doctorate: #62
- Best Undergraduate Psychology: #293
- Best Undergraduate Nursing: #21
“We are proud that these rankings reflect and recognize what our alumni, current students, campus community, and supporters of the University already know,” said Chico State President Steve Perez. “Chico State, with its distinguished academic offerings, student success programs, and commitment to providing an immersive collegiate experience, remains one of the best and most affordable places in California to receive a college education.”
For its 39th rankings edition, U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 1,500 US four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on as many as 19 measures. More than half of a school’s rank is comprised of varying outcome measures related to schools’ success at enrolling, retaining, and graduating students from different backgrounds with manageable debt and post-graduate success. For more information about the rankings methodology, please refer to the Best Colleges methodology article on their website.
As Chico State adds to its impressive annual run of rankings by U.S. News & World Report, these honors are also stacked amongst similar rankings from other publications this summer. From Payscale to Washington Monthly to Money Magazine, the University continues to be recognized as a top institution of higher education.
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About Chico State
At Chico State, we empower students to Do and Dare in their careers and lives. Founded in 1887, Chico State is the second-oldest institution in the 23-campus CSU, the nation’s largest public university system. Chico State enrolls approximately 14,000 students and serves as the comprehensive university of the North State, the 12-county region where the campus is located. A 21-time U.S. News & World Report “Top Public School in the West,” Chico State prides itself on its high-quality, high-value education, an active and engaged student body, and strong connection with the local community and state of California. Recognized for its focus on sustainability and community involvement, students expand their possibilities through more than 380 academic offerings and co-curricular programs and work closely with expert faculty to devise solutions for the unprecedented global challenges of the 21st century.
