Colorado Mesa vs. UNM

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

 Colorado Mesa UNM
Location Grand Junction, CO Albuquerque, NM
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,995 22,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #856 #671
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu unm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado Mesa UNM
Tuition (In State) $8,592 $6,803
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $25,138
Room & Board $11,760 $11,884
Avg Net Price $15,076 $7,528
Avg Grant Aid $7,698 $12,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 99%

Admission

 Colorado Mesa UNM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,631 12,907
Admitted 8,653 12,320
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 95.5%
Enrolled % 20.9% 29.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/26
SAT Range 930/1180 900/1160
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

Academics

 Colorado Mesa UNM
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 (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Colorado Mesa UNM
Graduation Rate 25% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $224 $201

Diversity

 Colorado Mesa UNM
% Men 1% 11%
% Women 2% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 35%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 17% 47%
% Native American 1% 6%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Colorado Mesa UNM
% In-State 85% 84%
% Out-of-State 14% 15%

Campus

 Colorado Mesa UNM
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

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (22,700 students vs. 8,995 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. UNM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or UNM?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 26.3% more expensive to attend than UNM for in-state tuition ($8,592.00 vs. $6,803.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.4% higher at UNM than Colorado Mesa University ($25,138.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Colorado Mesa ($7,528 vs. $15,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 1.1% lower than costs at University of New Mexico Main Campus ($11,760 vs. $11,884)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Colorado Mesa University (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of New Mexico Main Campus students is 59.2% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($12,252 vs. $7,698)

Colorado Mesa vs. UNM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 88 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming UNM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman UNM students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • UNM has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Colorado Mesa (81.4%)

Colorado Mesa vs. UNM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNM is higher than Colorado Mesa University (44% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from University of New Mexico Main Campus earn on average $2,700 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $40,000)
  • University of New Mexico Main Campus students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,750)
  • UNM graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($201 vs. $224)
  • More Colorado Mesa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNM students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 47%)

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