Prospective Students
Why come to CSU, Chico?
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (EECE) is home to a diverse population of students from 11 countries who enjoy hands-on labs that promote their understanding of fundamental and advanced electrical and computer engineering concepts and their applications. Our students learn the skills needed to manage design projects as they complete various assignments, drawn from real-life examples, in our courses.
The EECE department is also home to dedicated faculty and staff who (of course) support student learning in the classroom. But, there is also ample time for students to have one-on-one interactions with our faculty and staff. Our faculty advise students throughout their academic careers, support our student organizations, and supervise students on research projects, independent studies, and extracurricular design projects. Our staff provide information about the department, college, and university.
Upon graduation, our students are prepared for professional work in a wide variety of high demand technical areas, including computer hardware and software design; embedded, real-time, and IoT systems implemented with microprocessors and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer network architecture, analog and mixed-signal electronics, robotics and control systems, digital signal and image processing, biomedical instrumentation, communications, and power systems.
Degrees offered
If you are interested in enrolling in one of our programs, we encourage you to come visit the Chico campus and our department.
University and Community
CSU, Chico, which has been designated as a Hispanic-serving institution (HIS), is a vibrant university with a strong commitment to education. In 2019, CSU Chico ranked ninth among public universities in the western region by U.S. News & World Report.
The city of Chico offers an outstanding quality of life, and is often rated one of the best small U. S. cities. With about 90,000 people, the city of Chico has the feel of a friendly small town but it is also a cultural, entertainment, dining, and shopping hub of north central California.
Chico has a great four-season climate, with mild winters and more than 250 days of sunshine. Its location at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills offers excellent access for hiking, camping, skiing, boating, rock climbing, and fishing. Many of the student clubs contribute to the local arts scene and take advantage of cultural and recreational opportunities in the region.
Comments about our program
“I’m Tomas Galvan-Huerta, an Electrical Engineer with experience in iOS developing. As a transfer student from the opposite end of California, I was really scared of the transition coming to Chico State. My expectations of the EECE department have been exceeded. All the professors teach with experience in their respected fields and experience teaching students, guiding us towards the career we want to embark. All the professors know my name and, when I come to office hours, they have helped me tremendously. What I love about the department: I have gained support as an upcoming iOS developer, connecting me to other departments, and connecting my individual projects with hands-on class experience.”
- Tomas Galvan-Huerta (EECE student)
“The reason that I chose to attend Chico State for Electrical Engineering, was because of the personable nature of the professors that I met and the ratio of students to instructor in each of the courses. Many of the otherschools I toured had large class sizes, and I felt that I would not receive the direct instruction that the EECE department offered. The EECE department enables students to explore their own path through electrical or computer engineering, encouraged by the approachable nature of the students and faculty.”
- Brinley Owen (May 2018 Graduate)
Starting Salaries
According to the latest survey of graduating seniors by the National Association of College and Employers, the average starting salary for Computer Engineering graduates was $76,881 and $72,619 for Electrical/Electronics/Communications Engineering graduates. Only Petroleum Engineering graduates had a higher mean starting salary ($78,801). According to Salary.com, graduates in our two disciplines receive about $16,000 more as a starting salary ($92,718 and $88,341) if the graduate works in San Jose area; graduates in other areas of California were paid about $5-$10,000 more than the national average.