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CU Boulder CU Denver MSU K-State OSU UCCS UO DU Colorado School of Mines University of Northern Colorado ESU University of Missouri-Columbia| Colorado State University Fort Collins | University of Kansas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Colorado State | KU | ||
| Location | Fort Collins, CO | Lawrence, KS | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,500 | 28,406 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #357 | #291 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colostate.edu | ku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado State | KU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,186 | $10,596 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,041 | $28,308 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,606 | $10,818 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,828 | $18,322 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,554 | $10,644 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 89% |
Admission |
Colorado State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 36,612 | 19,226 | ||
| Admitted | 32,801 | 16,958 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 88.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.1% | 31% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 23/29 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1080/1290 | 1050/1290 | ||
| 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 | Aug 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Colorado State | KU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colorado State | KU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 61% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $54,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,004 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $217 | $211 |
Diversity |
Colorado State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 5% | ||
| % International | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Colorado State | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 34% | 43% | ||
Campus |
Colorado State | KU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 28,406 students)
Colorado State vs. KU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or KU?
- University of Kansas is 4% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $10,186.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.7% higher at Colorado State than University of Kansas ($31,041.00 vs. $28,308.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Colorado State ($18,322 vs. $19,828)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 44.3% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($10,818 vs. $15,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Colorado State University Fort Collins (89% vs. 71%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 0.9% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($10,644 vs. $10,554)
Colorado State vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado State or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or Colorado State .
- The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is the same at KU (1145)
- Incoming Colorado State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at KU (25)
- Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at KU (3.66)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than KU (88.2%)
Colorado State vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado State or KU? 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 KU and Colorado State.
- The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of Kansas (64% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $2,800 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $51,800)
- University of Kansas students graduate with a $504 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,004)
- KU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($211 vs. $217)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/