Adams State College vs. CU Denver

Should I go to Adams State College or University of Colorado Denver? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Adams State College or CU Denver 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. University of Colorado Denver comparison
Adams State College University of Colorado Denver College 3 College 4
Adams State College University of Colorado Denver
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Overview

Adams State College CU Denver
Location Alamosa, CO Denver, CO
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 2,854 23,744
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #893 #387
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website adams.edu ucdenver.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Adams State College CU Denver
Tuition (In State) $6,072 $8,736
Tuition (Out of State) $18,144 $25,992
Room & Board $9,220 $14,230
Avg Net Price $13,224 $16,079
Avg Grant Aid $9,524 $9,384
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 93%

Admission

Adams State College CU Denver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,580 15,631
Admitted 1,567 11,658
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 74.6%
Enrolled % 19.3% 14.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.46
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/26 21/27
SAT Range 910/1130 1030/1260
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Adams State College CU Denver
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 (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Adams State College CU Denver
Graduation Rate 23% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $68,200
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,291 $21,190
Median Loan Payment $220 $219

Diversity

Adams State College CU Denver
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 51%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 32% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Adams State College CU Denver
% In-State 65% 82%
% Out-of-State 35% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Denver is larger than than Adams State College based on total student enrollment (23,744 students vs. 2,854 students)

Adams State College vs. CU Denver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Adams State College or CU Denver?

  • University of Colorado Denver is 43.9% more expensive to attend than Adams State College for in-state tuition ($8,736.00 vs. $6,072.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.3% higher at CU Denver than Adams State College ($25,992.00 vs. $18,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Adams State College than CU Denver ($13,224 vs. $16,079)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Adams State College are 54.3% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($9,220 vs. $14,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Denver than Adams State College (93% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Adams State College students is 1.5% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($9,524 vs. $9,384)

Adams State College vs. CU Denver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 101 points higher than at Adams State College (954)
  • Incoming CU Denver students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Adams State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman CU Denver students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Adams State College (3.2)
  • Adams State College has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than CU Denver (74.6%)

Adams State College vs. CU Denver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Adams State College or CU Denver? 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 CU Denver and Adams State College.

  • The graduation rate at CU Denver is higher than Adams State College (40% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $30,100 more per year than Adams State College graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $38,100)
  • University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $101 lower median federal student loan debt than Adams State College graduates. ($21,190 vs. $21,291)
  • CU Denver graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Adams State College graduates. ($219 vs. $220)
  • More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Adams State College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 44%)

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