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CU Boulder CU Denver MSU OSU UCCS UO DU Colorado School of Mines University of Northern Colorado Nebraska Western State Colorado University UW| Colorado State University Fort Collins | Colorado Mesa University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Location | Fort Collins, CO | Grand Junction, CO | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,403 | 8,905 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #359 | #886 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colostate.edu | mesastate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,218 | $8,261 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,078 | $21,983 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,728 | $11,522 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,926 | $15,085 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,727 | $9,209 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 74% | 87% |
Admission |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 33,122 | 9,810 | ||
| Admitted | 30,066 | 8,021 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.8% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.5% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.28 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 930/1180 | ||
| 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 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 25% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $40,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 48% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,004 | $21,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $217 | $224 |
Diversity |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 17% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 2% |
Students |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 16% | ||
Campus |
Colorado State | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 8,905 students)
Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or Colorado Mesa?
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is 23.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,261.00)
- Out of state tuition is 36.8% higher at Colorado State than Colorado Mesa University ($30,078.00 vs. $21,983.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than Colorado State ($15,085 vs. $16,926)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 19.1% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,522 vs. $13,728)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (87% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 16.5% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($10,727 vs. $9,209)
Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado State or Colorado Mesa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado Mesa or Colorado State .
- The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 193 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
- Incoming Colorado State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
- Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)
Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado State or Colorado Mesa? 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 Mesa and Colorado State.
- The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Colorado Mesa University (64% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $11,800 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $40,000)
- Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $746 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,750)
- Colorado State graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($217 vs. $224)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 48%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/