Colorado Mesa vs. UTC

Should I go to Colorado Mesa University or The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado Mesa or UTC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Tennessee Tech Tennessee WKU Western State Colorado University Middle Tennessee State University Georgia State Memphis Metropolitan State College of Denver FLC Austin Peay State University GS University of Northern Colorado
Colorado Mesa University vs. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga comparison
Colorado Mesa University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga College 3 College 4
Colorado Mesa University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Colorado Mesa UTC
Location Grand Junction, CO Chattanooga, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 8,995 11,380
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #815
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado Mesa UTC
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $8,232
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $16,296
Room & Board $11,760 $10,052
Avg Net Price $15,076 $13,801
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $9,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 93%

Admission

 Colorado Mesa UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 9,096
Admitted 8,653 7,006
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 77%
Enrolled % 20.9% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.61
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/25
SAT Range 930/1180 1005/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026

Academics

 Colorado Mesa UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
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 (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Colorado Mesa UTC
Graduation Rate 25% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $224 $214

Diversity

 Colorado Mesa UTC
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 2% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 75%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 17% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Colorado Mesa UTC
% In-State 85% 88%
% Out-of-State 14% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (11,380 students vs. 8,995 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or UTC?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 4.4% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($8,592.00 vs. $8,232.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.3% higher at Colorado Mesa than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($23,192.00 vs. $16,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Colorado Mesa ($13,801 vs. $15,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 17% lower than costs at Colorado Mesa University ($10,052 vs. $11,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Colorado Mesa University (93% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 27.7% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($9,834 vs. $7,698)

Colorado Mesa vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 135 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than UTC (77%)

Colorado Mesa vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UTC is higher than Colorado Mesa University (39% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $600 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $40,000)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $958 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($20,792 vs. $21,750)
  • UTC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($214 vs. $224)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 48%)

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