Colorado State vs. DU

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

 Colorado State DU
Location Fort Collins, CO Denver, CO
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 33,500 13,387
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #86
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu du.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado State DU
Tuition (In State) $10,186 $58,032
Tuition (Out of State) $31,041 $58,032
Room & Board $15,606 $17,049
Avg Net Price $19,828 $43,324
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $32,023
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 99%

Admission

 Colorado State DU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,612 19,214
Admitted 32,801 13,679
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 71.2%
Enrolled % 16.1% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 29/32
SAT Range 1080/1290 1240/1410
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Colorado State DU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Colorado State DU
Graduation Rate 64% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $63,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $217 $245

Diversity

 Colorado State DU
% Men 10% 17%
% Women 13% 35%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 67%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Colorado State DU
% In-State 65% 28%
% Out-of-State 34% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than DU based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 13,387 students)

Colorado State vs. DU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or DU?

  • University of Denver is 469.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($58,032.00 vs. $10,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87% higher at DU than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($58,032.00 vs. $31,041.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than DU ($19,828 vs. $43,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 9.2% lower than costs at University of Denver ($15,606 vs. $17,049)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than Colorado State University Fort Collins (99% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Denver students is 203.4% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($32,023 vs. $10,554)

Colorado State vs. DU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 104 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
  • Incoming DU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman DU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than DU (71.2%)

Colorado State vs. DU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at DU is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (78% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of Denver earn on average $11,600 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($63,400 vs. $51,800)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $2,695 lower median federal student loan debt than DU graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,699)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than DU graduates. ($217 vs. $245)
  • More DU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)

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