Colorado Mesa vs. CSUMB

Should I go to Colorado Mesa University or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado Mesa or CSUMB 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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Colorado Mesa University vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
Colorado Mesa University California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
Colorado Mesa University California State University Monterey Bay
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Overview

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
Location Grand Junction, CO Seaside, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,995 6,742
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #835
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $17,622
Room & Board $11,760 $16,413
Avg Net Price $15,076 $15,222
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $10,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 73%

Admission

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 11,769
Admitted 8,653 11,160
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 94.8%
Enrolled % 20.9% 8.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 17/23
SAT Range 930/1180 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
Graduation Rate 25% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $224 $144

Diversity

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 2% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 31%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 17% 43%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
% In-State 85% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 5%

Campus

 Colorado Mesa CSUMB
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 Mesa University is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (8,995 students vs. 6,742 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or CSUMB?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 49.6% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($8,592.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.6% higher at Colorado Mesa than California State University Monterey Bay ($23,192.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than CSUMB ($15,076 vs. $15,222)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 39.6% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($11,760 vs. $16,413)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than California State University Monterey Bay (81% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is 36.1% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($10,480 vs. $7,698)

Colorado Mesa vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Colorado Mesa (81.4%)

Colorado Mesa vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado Mesa or CSUMB? 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 CSUMB and Colorado Mesa.

  • The graduation rate at CSUMB is higher than Colorado Mesa University (38% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $5,300 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $40,000)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,750)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($144 vs. $224)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 48%)

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