Auburn vs. Colorado State

Should I go to Auburn University or Colorado State University Fort Collins? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Auburn 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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Auburn University vs. Colorado State University Fort Collins comparison
Auburn University Colorado State University Fort Collins College 3 College 4
Auburn University Colorado State University Fort Collins
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Overview

Auburn Colorado State
Location Auburn University, AL Fort Collins, CO
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 33,015 33,500
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #300 #357
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website auburn.edu colostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Auburn Colorado State
Tuition (In State) $10,704 $10,186
Tuition (Out of State) $32,112 $31,041
Room & Board $15,396 $15,606
Avg Net Price $24,524 $19,828
Avg Grant Aid $11,644 $10,554
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 71%

Admission

Auburn Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,178 36,612
Admitted 24,314 32,801
Acceptance Rate 50.5% 89.6%
Enrolled % 24.4% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 23/29
SAT Range 1240/1380 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Auburn Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Auburn Colorado State
Graduation Rate 66% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $21,004
Median Loan Payment $222 $217

Diversity

Auburn Colorado State
% Men 9% 10%
% Women 10% 13%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 74%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 11%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Auburn Colorado State
% In-State 54% 65%
% Out-of-State 46% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Auburn based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 33,015 students)

Auburn vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or Colorado State?

  • Auburn University is 5.1% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($10,704.00 vs. $10,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.5% higher at Auburn than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($32,112.00 vs. $31,041.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than Auburn ($19,828 vs. $24,524)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Auburn University are 1.4% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($15,396 vs. $15,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Auburn University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (75% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Auburn University students is 10.3% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,644 vs. $10,554)

Auburn vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Auburn University (1218) is 73 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
  • Incoming Auburn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Auburn students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than Auburn (50.5%)

Auburn vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Auburn 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 Auburn.

  • The graduation rate at Auburn is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (66% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Auburn University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $51,800)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $496 lower median federal student loan debt than Auburn graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,500)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Auburn graduates. ($217 vs. $222)
  • More Auburn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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