College of Business

Accreditation & Rankings

Accreditation: Mark of Excellence

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business InternationalThe College of Business at California State University, Chico is one of just 6 percent of all business schools in the world that meet the rigorous standards for accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International). 


Beyond AACSB Accreditation

  • Our MBA program continues to rank in The Princeton's Review Best Business Schools.
  • Our MBA program was ranked as a Tier One North American program by CEO Magazine (PDF) in 2022.
  • Our Seufferlein Sales Program is rated as one of the “Top University Sales Programs” in the University Sales Education’s annual listings.
  • Our Human Resource Management program is accredited by the Society for Human Resource Management, the premier professional association in the field.
  • Our students consistently win or place at regional and national competitions (e.g., Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group Trading Challenge, The Future 4 & More Entrepreneurship Competition, Sweet 16 Sales Competition, Western Regional Sales Competition, and the Collegiate Wind Competition).
  • Our students sit for and successfully pass a variety of certification exams including public accounting (second highest CPA pass rate amongst our peers), project management, finance, sustainability management, and enterprise information systems (SAP TERP 10).

More Evidence of Added Value

The College of Business shares in Chico State’s strong reputation(opens in new window):

  • The University has been rated a top-10 regional public university in the West by U.S. News and World Report since 1998, when the rankings began.  
  • Forbes ranks Chico State as a top college for educational quality and value.
  • The Institute for College Access and Success reported that Chico State graduates have the lowest amount of federal student loan debt(opens in new window) of any public higher education institution in California.
  • In its listing of “2022 Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value,” Money magazine ranked Chico State at No. 48 out of 623 qualifying schools, landing the university within the top 8 percent of all higher education institutions around the country.
  • Money Magazine selected Chico State as one of its “100 Best Colleges for Your Money” after ranking more than 700 colleges across the nation for educational quality, affordability, and alumni career earnings. The University not only placed in the top 15 percent but led all 23 campuses in the CSU system.
  • Best score possible on the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scoreboard.
  • Best score possible on The Princeton Review’s 2022 Green Honor Roll(opens in new window).
  • One of the U.S.’s highest returns on investment (ROI) for a college education by BestColleges.com and highly ranked by the Washington Monthly’s “Best Bang for the Buck”. 

Princeton Review cover

Here is what the Princeton Review says about us:

While academics are strong, the environment is remarkably supportive, too. When a student needs extra assistance, professors are "easily accessible" and "always available outside of class." A current student shares, “I have met many professors through inde­pendent projects, and they have been very helpful and guided me to the right resources.” Throughout the curriculum, there is an “emphasis on teamwork, interpersonal skills, and both qualitative and quantitative learning.” Students are encouraged to engage with the work, and “most professors try to create an environment that promotes active discussions.” The focus on group work, as well as real world applications, make for a “very practical learning experience,” which is immediately applicable to the real world.