Colorado State vs. LSU

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

Colorado State LSU
Location Fort Collins, CO Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 33,403 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State LSU
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $8,038
Room & Board $13,728 $13,956
Avg Net Price $16,926 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 98%

Admission

Colorado State LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 38,853
Admitted 30,066 29,419
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 75.7%
Enrolled % 18.5% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 23/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 1140/1320
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Colorado State LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

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 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
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 59% 65%
% Out-of-State 40% 34%

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 (37,348 students vs. 33,403 students)

Colorado State vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or LSU?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 27.1% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 274.2% higher at Colorado State than Louisiana State University ($30,078.00 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 ($16,926 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 1.7% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($13,728 vs. $13,956)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (98% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 15.4% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,374 vs. $10,727)

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 (90.8%) than LSU (75.7%)

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/