Colorado Mesa vs. MIAD

Should I go to Colorado Mesa University or Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado Mesa or MIAD 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. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design comparison
Colorado Mesa University Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design College 3 College 4
Colorado Mesa University
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Overview

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Location Grand Junction, CO Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,905 896
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu miad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Tuition (In State) $8,261 $39,380
Tuition (Out of State) $21,983 $39,380
Room & Board $11,522 $9,950
Avg Net Price $15,085 $25,472
Avg Grant Aid $9,209 $26,216
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 100%

Admission

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,810 1,052
Admitted 8,021 673
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 64%
Enrolled % 21.8% 32.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.08
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 930/1180
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 31, 2025

Academics

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (7%)
  • Architecture (6%)

Outcomes

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Graduation Rate 25% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $36,000
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $224 $279

Diversity

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
% Men 47% 22%
% Women 53% 78%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 68%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 17% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
% In-State 83% 52%
% Out-of-State 16% 47%

Campus

 Colorado Mesa MIAD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado Mesa University is larger than than MIAD based on total student enrollment (8,905 students vs. 896 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. MIAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or MIAD?

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is 376.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($39,380.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.1% higher at MIAD than Colorado Mesa University ($39,380.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than MIAD ($15,085 vs. $25,472)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design are 15.8% lower than costs at Colorado Mesa University ($9,950 vs. $11,522)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design than Colorado Mesa University (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students is 184.7% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($26,216 vs. $9,209)

Colorado Mesa vs. MIAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at MIAD (3.08)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than MIAD (64%)

Colorado Mesa vs. MIAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIAD is higher than Colorado Mesa University (57% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Colorado Mesa University earn on average $4,000 more per year than MIAD graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $36,000)
  • Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $5,250 lower median federal student loan debt than MIAD graduates. ($21,750 vs. $27,000)
  • Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than MIAD graduates. ($224 vs. $279)
  • More MIAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 48%)

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