Colorado State vs. UNC Charlotte

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

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
Location Fort Collins, CO Charlotte, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 33,403 29,551
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $17,936
Room & Board $13,728 $12,896
Avg Net Price $16,926 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 60%

Admission

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 21,355
Admitted 30,066 17,007
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 79.6%
Enrolled % 18.5% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 20/27
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 64% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $217 $237

Diversity

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
% Men 45% 49%
% Women 55% 51%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 60%
% Black 2% 17%
% Hispanic 11% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
% In-State 59% 89%
% Out-of-State 40% 8%

Campus

Colorado State UNC Charlotte
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 UNC Charlotte based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 29,551 students)

Colorado State vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or UNC Charlotte?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 168% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.7% higher at Colorado State than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($30,078.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Colorado State ($13,951 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 6.5% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,896 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (74% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 35.7% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($10,727 vs. $7,907)

Colorado State vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 52 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than UNC Charlotte (79.6%)

Colorado State vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $3,200 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $48,600)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $1,996 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,000)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($217 vs. $237)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)

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