Colorado State vs. Kentucky

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

 Colorado State Kentucky
Location Fort Collins, CO Lexington, KY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 33,403 31,547
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #408
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu uky.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colorado State Kentucky
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $11,496
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $30,913
Room & Board $13,728 $14,676
Avg Net Price $16,926 $18,693
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $14,114
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 94%

Admission

 Colorado State Kentucky
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 22,109
Admitted 30,066 20,979
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 94.9%
Enrolled % 18.5% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 1070/1290
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 Colorado State Kentucky
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 Colorado State Kentucky
Graduation Rate 64% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $22,750
Median Loan Payment $217 $235

Diversity

 Colorado State Kentucky
% Men 45% 40%
% Women 55% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 76%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Colorado State Kentucky
% In-State 59% 61%
% Out-of-State 40% 37%

Campus

 Colorado State Kentucky
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 Kentucky based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 31,547 students)

Colorado State vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or Kentucky?

  • University of Kentucky is 12.5% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $10,218.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at Kentucky than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($30,913.00 vs. $30,078.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than Kentucky ($16,926 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 6.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($13,728 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Colorado State University Fort Collins (94% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 31.6% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($14,114 vs. $10,727)

Colorado State vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 2 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Colorado State (90.8%)

Colorado State vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of Kentucky (64% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $800 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $51,000)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $1,746 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($21,004 vs. $22,750)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($217 vs. $235)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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