Economics at California State University-Chico

Chico State's economics program starts graduates at just $37,432—roughly $14,000 below what the typical California economics graduate earns in their first year. While earnings do climb impressively to $59,360 by year four (a 59% jump), that initial salary gap matters. At the 25th percentile among California economics programs, this puts graduates well behind peers at nearby UC Davis or even other CSU campuses, though it does reach the national median eventually.

The manageable $19,150 debt load helps offset the slow start somewhat. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51 means most graduates can realistically handle their payments, even on that lower starting salary. For students who stay in the Central Valley where living costs are lower, the numbers work better than they might in expensive coastal cities.

The catch: fewer than 30 graduates in the data sample makes these figures less reliable. If your student is considering Chico for economics specifically—rather than choosing Chico first and settling on economics—look hard at whether those year-one earnings reflect temporary regional employment patterns or a genuine program weakness. Given the 94% admission rate and strong Pell grant enrollment, this may be a solid backup option for students who need an affordable path to an economics degree, but it's not competing with California's stronger programs in terms of early career outcomes.