Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
CU Boulder CU Denver UMBC Maryland MSU Salisbury OSU UCCS UO DU WCU Colorado School of Mines| Colorado State University Fort Collins | Towson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Colorado State | TU | ||
| Location | Fort Collins, CO | Towson, MD | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,500 | 19,527 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #357 | #375 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colostate.edu | towson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado State | TU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,186 | $7,382 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,041 | $24,402 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,606 | $15,644 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,828 | $15,064 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,554 | $11,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 62% |
Admission |
Colorado State | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 36,612 | 18,948 | ||
| Admitted | 32,801 | 15,689 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 82.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.1% | 19.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 19/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 1050/1270 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Colorado State | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 14:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Colorado State | TU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $53,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,004 | $17,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $217 | $183 |
Diversity |
Colorado State | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 12% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Colorado State | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 34% | 9% | ||
Campus |
Colorado State | TU | ||
| 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 TU based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 19,527 students)
Colorado State vs. TU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or TU?
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is 38% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $7,382.00)
- Out of state tuition is 27.2% higher at Colorado State than Towson University ($31,041.00 vs. $24,402.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Colorado State ($15,064 vs. $19,828)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 0.2% lower than costs at Towson University ($15,606 vs. $15,644)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than Towson University (71% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,565 vs. $10,554)
Colorado State vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado State or TU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TU or Colorado State .
- The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 64 points higher than at TU (1081)
- Incoming Colorado State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at TU (23)
- Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than TU (82.8%)
Colorado State vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado State or TU? 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 TU and Colorado State.
- The graduation rate at Colorado State is the same as at Towson University (64% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Towson University earn on average $1,700 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $51,800)
- Towson University students graduate with a $3,254 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($17,750 vs. $21,004)
- TU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($183 vs. $217)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/