Colorado Mesa vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver

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

Colorado Mesa Metropolitan State College of Denver
Location Grand Junction, CO Denver, CO
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,905 16,995
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #886 #990
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) $8,261 $8,445
Tuition (Out of State) $21,983 $26,277
Room & Board $11,522 $12,411
Avg Net Price $15,085 $14,805
Avg Grant Aid $9,209 $5,930
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 100%

Admission

Colorado Mesa Metropolitan State College of Denver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,810 10,163
Admitted 8,021 9,951
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 97.9%
Enrolled % 21.8% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.03
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 16/23
SAT Range 930/1180 910/1130
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, 2025

Academics

Colorado Mesa Metropolitan State College of Denver
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%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

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 47% 43%
% Women 53% 57%
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
% In-State 83% 97%
% Out-of-State 16% 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 (16,995 students vs. 8,905 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 2.2% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($8,445.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.5% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Colorado Mesa University ($26,277.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Colorado Mesa ($14,805 vs. $15,085)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 7.7% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($11,522 vs. $12,411)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Colorado Mesa University (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado Mesa University students is 55.3% larger than aid received Metropolitan State College of Denver ($9,209 vs. $5,930)

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 (97.9%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)

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/