Colorado Mesa vs. Shepherd University

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

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
Location Grand Junction, CO Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Small City Town Fringe
Enrollment 8,905 3,235
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #886 #866
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $8,261 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $21,983 $15,774
Room & Board $11,522 $10,987
Avg Net Price $15,085 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $9,209 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 93%

Admission

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,810 1,690
Admitted 8,021 1,620
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 95.9%
Enrolled % 21.8% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/24
SAT Range 930/1180 930/1170
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

Academics

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
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 (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 25% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $224 $229

Diversity

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
% Men 47% 37%
% Women 53% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 82%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 17% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
% In-State 83% 64%
% Out-of-State 16% 35%

Campus

Colorado Mesa Shepherd University
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 Shepherd University based on total student enrollment (8,905 students vs. 3,235 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or Shepherd University?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 31.4% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($8,261.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at Colorado Mesa than Shepherd University ($21,983.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than Colorado Mesa ($9,827 vs. $15,085)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 4.9% lower than costs at Colorado Mesa University ($10,987 vs. $11,522)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shepherd University than Colorado Mesa University (93% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado Mesa University students is 25.7% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($9,209 vs. $7,328)

Colorado Mesa vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shepherd University (995) is 43 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming Shepherd University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)

Colorado Mesa vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado Mesa or Shepherd University? 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 Shepherd University and Colorado Mesa.

  • The graduation rate at Shepherd University is higher than Colorado Mesa University (46% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Shepherd University earn on average $1,500 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $40,000)
  • Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $473 lower median federal student loan debt than Shepherd University graduates. ($21,750 vs. $22,223)
  • Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Shepherd University graduates. ($224 vs. $229)
  • More Shepherd University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 48%)

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