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Western State Colorado University Metropolitan State College of Denver FLC USC Beaufort ASU University of Northern Colorado UCCS CU Denver Adams State College Colorado State CU Boulder Lander University| Colorado Mesa University | University of South Carolina Aiken | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
| Location | Grand Junction, CO | Aiken, SC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 8,905 | 3,840 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #886 | #888 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mesastate.edu | usca.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,261 | $10,398 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $21,983 | $20,856 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,522 | $8,376 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,085 | $11,872 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,209 | $9,891 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 100% |
Admission |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,810 | 2,453 | ||
| Admitted | 8,021 | 1,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.8% | 75.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.8% | 29.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.28 | 3.19 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 18/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 930/1180 | 950/1180 | ||
| 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
| Graduation Rate | 25% | 41% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,000 | $39,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 48% | 54% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,750 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $224 | $268 |
Diversity |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 70% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 27% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 11% | ||
Campus |
Colorado Mesa | USC Aiken | ||
| 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
- Colorado Mesa University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (8,905 students vs. 3,840 students)
Colorado Mesa vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or USC Aiken?
- University of South Carolina Aiken is 25.9% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $8,261.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.4% higher at Colorado Mesa than University of South Carolina Aiken ($21,983.00 vs. $20,856.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Colorado Mesa ($11,872 vs. $15,085)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 37.6% lower than costs at Colorado Mesa University ($8,376 vs. $11,522)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Colorado Mesa University (100% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 7.4% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($9,891 vs. $9,209)
Colorado Mesa vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado Mesa or USC Aiken? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC Aiken or Colorado Mesa .
- The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 24 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
- Incoming USC Aiken students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
- Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
- Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)
Colorado Mesa vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado Mesa or USC Aiken? 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 USC Aiken and Colorado Mesa.
- The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Colorado Mesa University (41% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from Colorado Mesa University earn on average $400 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,600)
- Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($21,750 vs. $26,000)
- Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($224 vs. $268)
- More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 48%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/