Colorado School of Mines vs. Colorado State

Should I go to Colorado School of Mines or Colorado State University Fort Collins? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado School of Mines or Colorado State 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 School of Mines vs. Colorado State University Fort Collins comparison
Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Fort Collins College 3 College 4
Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Fort Collins
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Overview

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Location Golden, CO Fort Collins, CO
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 7,599 33,500
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #159 #357
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mines.edu colostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Tuition (In State) $18,390 $10,186
Tuition (Out of State) $41,580 $31,041
Room & Board $16,820 $15,606
Avg Net Price $29,785 $19,828
Avg Grant Aid $11,204 $10,554
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 71%

Admission

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,821 36,612
Admitted 5,864 32,801
Acceptance Rate 59.7% 89.6%
Enrolled % 24.7% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 23/29
SAT Range 1320/1470 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (89%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Social Sciences (2%)
  • Physical Sciences (1%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Graduation Rate 70% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,500 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $21,004
Median Loan Payment $268 $217

Diversity

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
% Men 16% 10%
% Women 7% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 74%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
% In-State 49% 65%
% Out-of-State 47% 34%

Campus

 Colorado School of Mines Colorado State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Colorado School of Mines based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 7,599 students)

Colorado School of Mines vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado School of Mines or Colorado State?

  • Colorado School of Mines is 80.5% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($18,390.00 vs. $10,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34% higher at Colorado School of Mines than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($41,580.00 vs. $31,041.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than Colorado School of Mines ($19,828 vs. $29,785)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 7.8% lower than costs at Colorado School of Mines ($15,606 vs. $16,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado School of Mines than Colorado State University Fort Collins (94% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado School of Mines students is 6.2% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,204 vs. $10,554)

Colorado School of Mines vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado School of Mines (1339) is 194 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
  • Incoming Colorado School of Mines students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado School of Mines students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than Colorado School of Mines (59.7%)

Colorado School of Mines vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado School of Mines or Colorado State? 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 Colorado State and Colorado School of Mines.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado School of Mines is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (70% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn on average $38,700 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($90,500 vs. $51,800)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $4,996 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($21,004 vs. $26,000)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($217 vs. $268)
  • More Colorado School of Mines graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

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