Washington Monthly: CSU, Chico Offers One of the Best Bangs for the Buck

With the rising cost of higher education, potential students and their parents and families like to know they’re getting the most out of their investment. In its list of 2019 College Rankings, Washington Monthly recognized California State University, Chico as an institution that is well worth the money.

This week Washington Monthly listed CSU, Chico on its 2019 Best Bang for the Buck Rankings: West, placing the University at No. 29 out of 203 regional institutions. Last year, the University was also ranked No. 29.

Director of Admissions Kim Guanzon proudly noted that, when compared to other schools in the region and nation, CSU, Chico excels at providing an outstanding and affordable education, while its graduates also enter the workforce with refined life skills.

“Our student-centered faculty and staff, exceptional educational offerings, small class sizes and residential nature make for an unbeatable college experience,” Guanzon said.

Washington Monthly’s came to its rankings consensus by equally weighing three parts: social mobility, research, and community and national services. In order to be considered for the list, according to the methodology, the institution required “excellence across the full breadth of our measures, rather than excelling in just one measure.”

The CSU system is well-represented in the West region’s top 30 spots, including top-ranked Stanislaus State; CSU, Bakersfield (No. 2); Cal State LA (No. 6); Cal Maritime (No. 7); Cal State San Bernardino (No. 8); CSU, Dominguez Hills (No. 14); Sacramento State (No. 16); CSUN (No. 21); Cal State Long Beach (No. 23); Fresno State (No. 24); and CSU, Channel Islands (No. 26).

Additionally, Washington Monthly listed CSU, Chico at No. 20 in its “2019 Master’s University Rankings,” up significantly from last year’s spot at No. 27, out of more than 600 schools nationwide.

“From exploring cutting-edge research and taking part in civic engagement to becoming global citizens, Chico State students are studying at an institution well-known for its multitude of opportunities,” said Debra Larson, University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “These and other accolades demonstrate to us what we already know, that our ongoing commitment to serving our students and preparing them for their next step is working.”

Similarly, the CSU is well-represented on the list of Master’s universities: Cal State San Bernardino (No. 3); CSUN (No. 6); Cal State LA (No. 8); Stanislaus State (No. 13); Sacramento State (No. 15); CSU, Bakersfield (No. 17); Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (No. 23); and Cal State Long Beach (No. 24).

CSU, Chico continues to be recognized for its excellence, and was included on Money magazine’s “2019–20 Best Colleges in America” list earlier this month, as well as CEOWorld Magazine’s list of Most Transformative Colleges in the United States for 2019. Additionally, the University has received honors from national publications like Money magazine, Forbes magazine, and US News and World Report. In the last year alone, the University has been recognized for its distinction in upward mobility following graduation, regional excellence, and sustainable practices, as well as its individual programs, like the College of Business and its MBA program, its School of Nursing and Study Abroad.