Colorado State vs. ASU

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

Colorado State ASU
Location Fort Collins, CO Boone, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 33,403 20,436
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #594
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu appstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State ASU
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $4,242
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $20,246
Room & Board $13,728 $11,582
Avg Net Price $16,926 $13,084
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $7,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 47%

Admission

Colorado State ASU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 22,255
Admitted 30,066 18,489
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 83.1%
Enrolled % 18.5% 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.96
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/27
SAT Range 1080/1290 1100/1270
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 Jul 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Colorado State ASU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Colorado State ASU
Graduation Rate 64% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $41,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $217 $211

Diversity

Colorado State ASU
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Colorado State ASU
% In-State 59% 87%
% Out-of-State 40% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than ASU based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 20,436 students)

Colorado State vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or ASU?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 140.9% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at Colorado State than Appalachian State University ($30,078.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than Colorado State ($13,084 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Appalachian State University are 18.5% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,582 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than Appalachian State University (74% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 44.1% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($10,727 vs. $7,443)

Colorado State vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 12 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than ASU (83.1%)

Colorado State vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State or ASU? 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 ASU and Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (65% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $10,200 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $41,600)
  • Appalachian State University students graduate with a $504 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,004)
  • ASU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($211 vs. $217)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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