On March 12, 1887, a legislative act was enacted to create the Northern Branch of the California State Normal School.

In 1910, Annie Kennedy Bidwell donated an additional 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land to be used for work with elementary agriculture.

The next year Mrs. Bidwell donated an orange orchard lot 55 × 440 feet (130 m) as the children's playground, which is connected to the Training School.

[10] Twenty years later in 1921, legislation was enacted to change the school's name to Chico State Teacher's College.

In 1937 evening classes started on campus and athletic fields were purchased from the Chico Board of Education.

The buildings were built during World War II and were used as bachelor quarters for a Marine Hospital in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

In 1950, California's governor allowed state colleges to grant Master of Arts degrees.

In 2005, student Matt Carrington was hazed to death at the Chi Tau (local) house, which had previously been expelled from the university in 2001 due to violations.

In 2010, the President of the Associated Student body, Joseph Igbineweka, was stabbed in a racially motivated attack.

According to the U.S. News & World Report 2023 college rankings, Chico State was ranked at 13th for "Best Colleges for Veterans", tied 10 in Top Public Schools, 22 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, 70 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs teeing 12 in Civil Engineering and 206 in Nursing.

[30] Alfred E. Warren House, built by noted Californian architect Julia Morgan in 1922-23, serves as the university president's residence.

Nearby Bidwell Park includes 29 acres (12 ha) of a former arboretum, now run somewhat wild, which contains trees such as English oaks, hawthorn, cherry plum, bay laurel, cork oak, ponderosa, aleppo, and Monterey pines, willow, mulberry, linden, maple, catalpa, pine, and eucalyptus, collected from around the world.

[35] The Great Debate was created to drive members of both the campus and the community to take part in a conversation about important issues.

[36] As of May 2017[update] Chico State has 26 fraternities and sororities, making up approximately 12 percent of the student population.

In 2009, The Orion won the National Pacemaker Award for the 11th time at the College Media Convention.

The school sponsors soccer, basketball, golf, cross country, and track and field for both men and women.

[46] The Wildcats softball team won the first AIAW Division III national championship in 1980, led by pitcher Kathy Arendsen.

[47] Chico excels in cross country and track and field in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

[48] The Wildcats of Chico State earned six team NCAA championships at the Division II level.