Colorado Mesa vs. Kean

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

Colorado Mesa Kean
Location Grand Junction, CO Union, NJ
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,995 13,352
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #696
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu kean.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado Mesa Kean
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $11,135
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $18,785
Room & Board $11,760 $16,592
Avg Net Price $15,076 $11,593
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $12,982
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 91%

Admission

Colorado Mesa Kean
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 12,142
Admitted 8,653 9,335
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 76.9%
Enrolled % 20.9% 21.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 930/1180 1020/1198
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 15, 2026

Academics

Colorado Mesa Kean
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
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 (22%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado Mesa Kean
Graduation Rate 25% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $224 $258

Diversity

Colorado Mesa Kean
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 2% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 36%
% Black 3% 20%
% Hispanic 17% 27%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Colorado Mesa Kean
% In-State 85% 89%
% Out-of-State 14% 4%

Campus

Colorado Mesa Kean
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

  • Kean University is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (13,352 students vs. 8,995 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. Kean Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or Kean?

  • Kean University is 29.6% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($11,135.00 vs. $8,592.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.5% higher at Colorado Mesa than Kean University ($23,192.00 vs. $18,785.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kean University than Colorado Mesa ($11,593 vs. $15,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 41.1% lower than costs at Kean University ($11,760 vs. $16,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kean University than Colorado Mesa University (91% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kean University students is 68.6% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($12,982 vs. $7,698)

Colorado Mesa vs. Kean Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado Mesa University (952) is 24 points higher than at Kean (928)
  • Incoming Colorado Mesa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Kean (19)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Kean (3.2)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than Kean (76.9%)

Colorado Mesa vs. Kean Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Kean is higher than Colorado Mesa University (49% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Kean University earn on average $6,400 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $40,000)
  • Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Kean graduates. ($21,750 vs. $25,000)
  • Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Kean graduates. ($224 vs. $258)
  • More Kean graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 48%)

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