California State University, Chico, or commonly, Chico State, is a public university in Chico, California. Founded in 1887 by John Bidwell, it is the second oldest campus in the California State University system. As of the fall 2020 semester, the university had a total enrollment of 16,630 students. The university offers 126 bachelor’s degree programs, 35 master’s degree programs, and four types of teaching credentials. Chico is a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI).

The California State University, Chico campus consists of a 119-acre main campus, the 800-acre Paul L. Byrne Memorial University Farm, and 2,330-acres of ecological reserves. These reserves include the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) and the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (BCEP). Our campus is the only CSU with a naturally occurring body of water, Big Chico Creek, flowing through campus. The Campus is also an arboretum and runs along Big Chico Creek. Students enjoy nearby Bidwell Park which includes 29 acres (12 ha) and contains trees such as English oaks, hawthorn, cherry plum, bay laurel, cork oak, ponderosa, aleppo, and Monterey pines, willow, mulberry, linden, maple, catalpa, pine, and eucalyptus, collected from around the world.

Chico State made The Princeton Review’s 2011 “Guide to Green Colleges”, honoring campuses that “demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation.”