Adams State College vs. Colorado State

Should I go to Adams State College or Colorado State University Fort Collins? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Adams State College or Colorado State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Adams State College vs. Colorado State University Fort Collins comparison
Adams State College Colorado State University Fort Collins College 3 College 4
Adams State College Colorado State University Fort Collins
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Overview

 Adams State College Colorado State
Location Alamosa, CO Fort Collins, CO
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,854 33,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #893 #359
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website adams.edu colostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Adams State College Colorado State
Tuition (In State) $6,072 $10,218
Tuition (Out of State) $18,144 $30,078
Room & Board $9,220 $13,728
Avg Net Price $13,224 $16,926
Avg Grant Aid $9,524 $10,727
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 74%

Admission

 Adams State College Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,580 33,122
Admitted 1,567 30,066
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 90.8%
Enrolled % 19.3% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.68
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/26 23/29
SAT Range 910/1130 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Adams State College Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 Adams State College Colorado State
Graduation Rate 23% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,291 $21,004
Median Loan Payment $220 $217

Diversity

 Adams State College Colorado State
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 74%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 32% 11%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Adams State College Colorado State
% In-State 65% 59%
% Out-of-State 35% 40%

Campus

 Adams State College Colorado State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Adams State College based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 2,854 students)

Adams State College vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Adams State College or Colorado State?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 68.3% more expensive to attend than Adams State College for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $6,072.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.8% higher at Colorado State than Adams State College ($30,078.00 vs. $18,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Adams State College than Colorado State ($13,224 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Adams State College are 48.9% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($9,220 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Adams State College than Colorado State University Fort Collins (89% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 12.6% larger than aid received Adams State College ($10,727 vs. $9,524)

Adams State College vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Adams State College or Colorado State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado State or Adams State College .

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 191 points higher than at Adams State College (954)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Adams State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Adams State College (3.2)
  • Adams State College has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Colorado State (90.8%)

Adams State College vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Adams State College or Colorado State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Colorado State and Adams State College.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Adams State College (64% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $13,700 more per year than Adams State College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $38,100)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $287 lower median federal student loan debt than Adams State College graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,291)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Adams State College graduates. ($217 vs. $220)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Adams State College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 44%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/