Statistics at California State University-Chico

Drawing on comparable statistics programs across California, this bachelor's degree appears positioned to deliver solid value—estimated first-year earnings around $55,000 against roughly $17,000 in debt. That 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could reasonably pay off loans within a year or two of focused repayment, a manageable burden for an analytical field with decent job prospects.

The estimates here align perfectly with California's median for statistics programs, though they trail the national median by about $5,000. What's interesting is the spread among California programs: while UC Berkeley grads command over $83,000 initially, even UC Davis sees lower starting figures than Chico State's peer programs suggest. Statistics degrees tend to reward the analytical skills more than the institutional brand, and with Chico State's 94% admission rate serving a population where 40% receive Pell grants, accessibility matters alongside outcomes.

For families weighing this program, the fundamental trade-off looks reasonable based on peer data—moderate debt for middle-tier earnings in a field with genuine labor market demand. The challenge is that without school-specific outcomes, you're betting that Chico State's program performs like the California average rather than landing at either end of that $49,000-to-$83,000 range. If your student has solid quantitative aptitude and the alternative is either no degree or significantly more debt elsewhere, these estimates suggest a defensible path forward.