Colorado Mesa vs. RIC

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

Colorado Mesa RIC
Location Grand Junction, CO Providence, RI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,995 5,767
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #705
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu ric.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado Mesa RIC
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $9,481
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $25,014
Room & Board $11,760 $13,719
Avg Net Price $15,076 $11,549
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $6,998
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 92%

Admission

Colorado Mesa RIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 4,988
Admitted 8,653 4,045
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 81.1%
Enrolled % 20.9% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.08
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 930/1180 860/1160
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 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

Colorado Mesa RIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Colorado Mesa RIC
Graduation Rate 25% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $21,200
Median Loan Payment $224 $219

Diversity

Colorado Mesa RIC
% Men 1% 3%
% Women 2% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 62%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 17% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Colorado Mesa RIC
% In-State 85% 82%
% Out-of-State 14% 17%

Campus

Colorado Mesa RIC
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

  • Colorado Mesa University is larger than than RIC based on total student enrollment (8,995 students vs. 5,767 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or RIC?

  • Rhode Island College is 10.3% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($9,481.00 vs. $8,592.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at RIC than Colorado Mesa University ($25,014.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than Colorado Mesa ($11,549 vs. $15,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 16.7% lower than costs at Rhode Island College ($11,760 vs. $13,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rhode Island College than Colorado Mesa University (92% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado Mesa University students is 10% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($7,698 vs. $6,998)

Colorado Mesa vs. RIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado Mesa University (952) is 39 points higher than at RIC (913)
  • Incoming Colorado Mesa students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at RIC (19)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than RIC (81.1%)

Colorado Mesa vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RIC is higher than Colorado Mesa University (44% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $40,000)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $550 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($21,200 vs. $21,750)
  • RIC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($219 vs. $224)
  • More RIC 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/