The main campus of Central Philippines State University (CPSU) is located in Kabankalan and serves as the leading public higher education institution in southern Negros Occidental. The campus is a green, quiet space on the edge of the city centre — an unusual oasis in an otherwise built-up area. CPSU has multiple campuses across the province but the Kabankalan main campus is the largest.
For visitors, the campus is notable mainly as a landmark that anchors the northern end of the city. Student life here contributes to Kabankalan's relatively lively cafe and restaurant scene compared with other agricultural cities of similar size.