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CU Denver CSU-Pueblo Western State Colorado University FLC Colorado State CU Boulder Regis DU University of Northern Colorado UCCS Adams State College Colorado School of Mines| Colorado Mesa University | Metropolitan State College of Denver | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
| Location | Grand Junction, CO | Denver, CO | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,995 | 17,593 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #856 | #963 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mesastate.edu | mscd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,592 | $8,868 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,192 | $27,591 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,760 | $14,679 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,076 | $13,727 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,698 | $9,341 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 81% | 65% |
Admission |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,631 | 12,403 | ||
| Admitted | 8,653 | 12,296 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.4% | 99.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.9% | 17.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.28 | 3.03 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/26 | 17/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 930/1180 | 880/1110 | ||
| 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 | Jul 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
| Graduation Rate | 25% | 21% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,000 | $42,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 48% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,750 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $224 | $250 |
Diversity |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 70% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
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| % In-State | 85% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 3% | ||
Campus |
Colorado Mesa | Metropolitan State College of Denver | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Metropolitan State College of Denver is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (17,593 students vs. 8,995 students)
Colorado Mesa vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or Metropolitan State College of Denver?
- Metropolitan State College of Denver is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($8,868.00 vs. $8,592.00)
- Out of state tuition is 19% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Colorado Mesa University ($27,591.00 vs. $23,192.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Colorado Mesa ($13,727 vs. $15,076)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 24.8% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($11,760 vs. $14,679)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than Metropolitan State College of Denver (81% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Metropolitan State College of Denver students is 21.3% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($9,341 vs. $7,698)
Colorado Mesa vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado Mesa or Metropolitan State College of Denver? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Metropolitan State College of Denver or Colorado Mesa .
- The average SAT score at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971) is 19 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
- Incoming Metropolitan State College of Denver students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
- Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
- Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (99.1%) than Colorado Mesa (81.4%)
Colorado Mesa vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado Mesa or Metropolitan State College of 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 Metropolitan State College of Denver and Colorado Mesa.
- The graduation rate at Colorado Mesa is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (25% vs. 21%)
- Graduates from Metropolitan State College of Denver earn on average $2,600 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $40,000)
- Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($21,750 vs. $24,250)
- Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($224 vs. $250)
- More Colorado Mesa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/