Best Geography Schools Near Chico, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chico, California has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $8,472 to $26,283 per year for indexed programs. Chico has a population of about 102,032. Median household income is $67,929 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning geography-related role is Geography Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $146,040 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Chico

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer geography programs near Chico, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chico city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Chico. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA 2.4 miles from Chico
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,172
Avg net price $14,480/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,472
Out‑of‑state$21,072
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California geography page.

Geography Wages Near Chico

Chico is part of the Chico, CA metro area (BLS area code 17020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers $114,460 CA statewide $113,103
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $102,780 CA statewide $101,561
Surveyors $105,330 CA statewide $104,081
Urban and Regional Planners $109,610 CA statewide $108,310
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $106,500 CA statewide $105,237
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $146,040 CA statewide $144,308
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $91,210 Chico, CA $90,128
Computer Occupations, All Other $82,730 Chico, CA $81,749

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Chico at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 102,032 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,929 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.2 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chico-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Chico, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Chico. The closest is California State University-Chico in Chico, CA (2.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lassen Community College (78.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Chico?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Chico are: Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($146,040), Geographers ($114,460), Urban and Regional Planners ($109,610). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Paradise instead of Chico?

Paradise, CA is 11.1 miles from Chico and has its own set of local geography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chico an affordable place to study geography?

Chico’s median household income of $67,929 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chico while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Geography Programs

Other Programs Available in Chico

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chico:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Geography Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)