We show that by co-doping SrTiO₃ (STO) epitaxial thin films with equal amounts of La and Cr, it is possible to produce films with an optical band gap ∼0.9 eV lower than that of undoped STO. Sr_1–xLa_xTi_1–xCr_xO₃ thin films were deposited by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy to show that the Cr dopants are almost exclusively in the Cr³⁺ oxidation state. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements and theoretical modeling suggest that it is thermodynamically preferred for La and Cr dopants to occupy nearest-neighbor A- and B-sites in the lattice. Transport measurements show that the material exhibits variable-range hopping conductivity with high resistivity. These results create new opportunities for the use of doped STO films in photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications.