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CU Boulder CU Denver Alabama MSU UL Lafayette Florida State OSU Tulane LA Tech- Louisiana Tech- Tech UH Texas A&M UCCS| Colorado State University Fort Collins | Louisiana State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
| Location | Fort Collins, CO | Baton Rouge, LA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 33,500 | 39,418 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #357 | #287 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colostate.edu | lsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,186 | $8,038 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,041 | $8,038 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,606 | $14,296 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,828 | $21,808 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,554 | $13,509 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 88% |
Admission |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 36,612 | 42,558 | ||
| Admitted | 32,801 | 31,491 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 74% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.1% | 23.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.77 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 24/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 1150/1330 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jul 1, 2026 | Jul 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 20:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $56,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 67% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,004 | $20,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $217 | $216 |
Diversity |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 34% | 37% | ||
Campus |
Colorado State | LSU | ||
| 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
- Louisiana State University is larger than than Colorado State based on total student enrollment (39,418 students vs. 33,500 students)
Colorado State vs. LSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or LSU?
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is 26.7% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- Out of state tuition is 286.2% higher at Colorado State than Louisiana State University ($31,041.00 vs. $8,038.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than LSU ($19,828 vs. $21,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 9.2% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($14,296 vs. $15,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (88% vs. 71%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 28% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($13,509 vs. $10,554)
Colorado State vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado State or LSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between LSU or Colorado State .
- The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 18 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
- Incoming LSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Colorado State (25)
- Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than LSU (74%)
Colorado State vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado State or LSU? 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 LSU and Colorado State.
- The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Louisiana State University (64% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,800)
- Louisiana State University students graduate with a $104 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($20,900 vs. $21,004)
- LSU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($216 vs. $217)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/