Colorado Mesa vs. Austin Peay State University

Should I go to Colorado Mesa University or Austin Peay State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado Mesa or Austin Peay State University 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Colorado Mesa University vs. Austin Peay State University comparison
Colorado Mesa University Austin Peay State University College 3 College 4
Colorado Mesa University Austin Peay State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
Location Grand Junction, CO Clarksville, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,995 9,945
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #922
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu apsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $7,008
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $12,552
Room & Board $11,760 $13,070
Avg Net Price $15,076 $14,679
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $11,247
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 94%

Admission

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 5,559
Admitted 8,653 5,334
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 96%
Enrolled % 20.9% 30.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/23
SAT Range 930/1180 943/1165
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 4, 2026

Academics

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
Graduation Rate 25% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $224 $232

Diversity

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 2% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 63%
% Black 3% 20%
% Hispanic 17% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
% In-State 85% 87%
% Out-of-State 14% 12%

Campus

Colorado Mesa Austin Peay State University
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

  • Austin Peay State University is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (9,945 students vs. 8,995 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. Austin Peay State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or Austin Peay State University?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 22.6% more expensive to attend than Austin Peay State University for in-state tuition ($8,592.00 vs. $7,008.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.8% higher at Colorado Mesa than Austin Peay State University ($23,192.00 vs. $12,552.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Austin Peay State University than Colorado Mesa ($14,679 vs. $15,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 11.1% lower than costs at Austin Peay State University ($11,760 vs. $13,070)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Austin Peay State University than Colorado Mesa University (94% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Austin Peay State University students is 46.1% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($11,247 vs. $7,698)

Colorado Mesa vs. Austin Peay State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Austin Peay State University (1011) is 59 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming Austin Peay State University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman Austin Peay State University students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Austin Peay State University has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Colorado Mesa (81.4%)

Colorado Mesa vs. Austin Peay State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado Mesa or Austin Peay State University? 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 Austin Peay State University and Colorado Mesa.

  • The graduation rate at Austin Peay State University is higher than Colorado Mesa University (34% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Colorado Mesa University earn on average $2,600 more per year than Austin Peay State University graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $37,400)
  • Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Austin Peay State University graduates. ($21,750 vs. $22,500)
  • Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Austin Peay State University graduates. ($224 vs. $232)
  • More Colorado Mesa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Austin Peay State University students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 44%)

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