Colorado Mesa vs. MSU Billings

Deciding between Colorado Mesa University and Montana State University Billings? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Colorado Mesa University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Colorado Mesa Grand Junction, CO
  • MSU Billings Billings, MT
  • Setting
  • Colorado Mesa Small City
  • MSU Billings Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Colorado Mesa 9,785
  • MSU Billings 4,129
  • Type
  • Colorado Mesa Public 4 Year
  • MSU Billings Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Colorado Mesa #908
  • MSU Billings
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Colorado Mesa -
  • MSU Billings -
  • Status
  • Colorado Mesa Non-profit
  • MSU Billings Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Colorado Mesa
  • MSU Billings

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Colorado Mesa $9,927
  • MSU Billings $7,280
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Colorado Mesa $25,124
  • MSU Billings $22,897
  • Room & Board
  • Colorado Mesa $12,209
  • MSU Billings $9,980
  • Average Net Price
  • Colorado Mesa $15,590
  • MSU Billings $15,018
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Colorado Mesa $8,285
  • MSU Billings $7,313
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Colorado Mesa 84%
  • MSU Billings 90%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Colorado Mesa 12,465
  • MSU Billings -
  • Admitted
  • Colorado Mesa 10,225
  • MSU Billings -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Colorado Mesa 82%
  • MSU Billings
  • Enrolled
  • Colorado Mesa 23.1%
  • MSU Billings
  • Typical SAT score
  • Colorado Mesa 1050
  • MSU Billings
  • Typical ACT score
  • Colorado Mesa 21
  • MSU Billings
  • Average High School GPA
  • Colorado Mesa 3.28
  • MSU Billings 3.05
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Colorado Mesa B+
  • MSU Billings B
  • Admissions Standards
  • Colorado Mesa Very Easy
  • MSU Billings Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Colorado Mesa
  • MSU Billings
  • ACT Range
  • Colorado Mesa 18/24
  • MSU Billings
  • SAT Range
  • Colorado Mesa 930/1160
  • MSU Billings
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Colorado Mesa Test optional
  • MSU Billings Not reported
  • Application Deadline
  • Colorado Mesa
  • MSU Billings

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Colorado Mesa 18:1
  • MSU Billings 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Colorado Mesa
    • Health Professions (26%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • MSU Billings
    • Business (19%)
    • Education (17%)
    • Health Professions (16%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Colorado Mesa 25%
  • MSU Billings 33%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Colorado Mesa $40,000
  • MSU Billings $37,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Colorado Mesa 48%
  • MSU Billings 58%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Colorado Mesa $21,750
  • MSU Billings $17,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Colorado Mesa $224
  • MSU Billings $180

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Colorado Mesa 46%
  • MSU Billings 37%
  • % Women
  • Colorado Mesa 54%
  • MSU Billings 63%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Colorado Mesa Medium
  • MSU Billings Low
  • HBCU
  • Colorado Mesa No
  • MSU Billings No
  • % White
  • Colorado Mesa 70%
  • MSU Billings 82%
  • % Asian
  • Colorado Mesa 2%
  • MSU Billings 1%
  • % Black
  • Colorado Mesa 3%
  • MSU Billings 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • Colorado Mesa 17%
  • MSU Billings 5%
  • % Native American
  • Colorado Mesa 1%
  • MSU Billings 4%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Colorado Mesa 1%
  • MSU Billings 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Colorado Mesa 4%
  • MSU Billings 3%
  • % International
  • Colorado Mesa 1%
  • MSU Billings 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Colorado Mesa 2%
  • MSU Billings 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Colorado Mesa 85%
  • MSU Billings 89%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Colorado Mesa 14%
  • MSU Billings 9%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Colorado Mesa Yes
  • MSU Billings Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Colorado Mesa No
  • MSU Billings No
  • Meal Plan
  • Colorado Mesa Yes
  • MSU Billings Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Colorado Mesa Yes
  • MSU Billings Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Colorado Mesa Yes
  • MSU Billings Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO with Montana State University Billings in Billings, MT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Colorado Mesa University is larger than MSU Billings based on total student enrollment (9,785 students vs. 4,129 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Colorado Mesa University is located in Grand Junction, CO (Small City setting); Montana State University Billings is in Billings, MT (Midsize City setting).
  • Colorado Mesa University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Montana State University Billings is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Colorado Mesa University 18:1; Montana State University Billings 14:1.

Colorado Mesa vs. MSU Billings Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or MSU Billings? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University Billings than Colorado Mesa ($15,018 vs. $15,590).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University Billings are 18.3% lower than at Colorado Mesa University ($9,980 vs. $12,209).
  • Colorado Mesa University is 36.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than MSU Billings (about $2,647 more per year; $9,927.00 vs. $7,280.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.7% higher at Colorado Mesa than at Montana State University Billings (about $2,227 more per year; $25,124.00 vs. $22,897.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Montana State University Billings than at Colorado Mesa University (90% vs. 84%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado Mesa University students is 13.3% larger than aid received by Montana State University Billings students ($8,285 vs. $7,313).

Colorado Mesa vs. MSU Billings Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colorado Mesa or MSU Billings? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MSU Billings and Colorado Mesa.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colorado Mesa University 930/1160.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colorado Mesa University 18/24.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Colorado Mesa - Test optional; MSU Billings - Not reported.
  • Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at MSU Billings (3.05).

Colorado Mesa vs. MSU Billings Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Colorado Mesa and MSU Billings? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Montana State University Billings's six-year graduation rate (33%) is higher than Colorado Mesa University's (25%).
  • Graduates from Colorado Mesa University earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than MSU Billings graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,000 vs. $37,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Montana State University Billings graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates ($17,500 vs. $21,750).
  • Among borrowers, MSU Billings graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Colorado Mesa graduates ($180 vs. $224).
  • More MSU Billings graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 48%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.