Colorado State vs. USAFA

Should I go to Colorado State University Fort Collins or United States Air Force Academy? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado State or USAFA 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. United States Air Force Academy comparison
Colorado State University Fort Collins United States Air Force Academy College 3 College 4
Colorado State University Fort Collins United States Air Force Academy
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Overview

Colorado State USAFA
Location Fort Collins, CO USAFA, Colorado
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 33,403 4,085
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu usafa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State USAFA
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $0
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $0
Room & Board $13,728 $0
Avg Net Price $16,926 -
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 0%

Admission

Colorado State USAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 8,353
Admitted 30,066 1,356
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 16.2%
Enrolled % 18.5% 77.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 23/29 28/33
SAT Range 1080/1290 1310/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Dec 31, 2024

Academics

Colorado State USAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Engineering (35%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado State USAFA
Graduation Rate 64% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 69% -
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 N/A
Median Loan Payment $217 N/A

Diversity

Colorado State USAFA
% Men 45% 71%
% Women 55% 29%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 74% 0%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 11% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Colorado State USAFA
% In-State 59% 5%
% Out-of-State 40% 93%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than USAFA based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 4,085 students)

Colorado State vs. USAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or USAFA?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is ?% more expensive to attend than USAFA for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $0.00)
  • Out of state tuition is ?% higher at Colorado State than United States Air Force Academy ($30,078.00 vs. $0.00)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than United States Air Force Academy (74% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is ?% larger than aid received United States Air Force Academy ($10,727 vs. $0)

Colorado State vs. USAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman USAFA students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than USAFA (16.2%)

Colorado State vs. USAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

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