Colorado State vs. University of Northern Colorado

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

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
Location Fort Collins, CO Greeley, CO
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 33,500 9,067
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #688
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu unco.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
Tuition (In State) $10,186 $9,296
Tuition (Out of State) $31,041 $23,490
Room & Board $15,606 $15,230
Avg Net Price $19,828 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $8,773
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 94%

Admission

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,612 10,274
Admitted 32,801 8,880
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 86.4%
Enrolled % 16.1% 13.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 17/26
SAT Range 1080/1290 970/1180
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 1, 2026

Academics

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
Graduation Rate 64% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $21,970
Median Loan Payment $217 $227

Diversity

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
% Men 10% 7%
% Women 13% 20%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 56%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 18%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 15%

Students

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
% In-State 65% 84%
% Out-of-State 34% 15%

Campus

Colorado State University of Northern Colorado
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 University of Northern Colorado based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 9,067 students)

Colorado State vs. University of Northern Colorado Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or University of Northern Colorado?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 9.6% more expensive to attend than University of Northern Colorado for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.1% higher at Colorado State than University of Northern Colorado ($31,041.00 vs. $23,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Colorado than Colorado State ($19,115 vs. $19,828)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Colorado are 2.5% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($15,230 vs. $15,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Colorado than Colorado State University Fort Collins (94% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 20.3% larger than aid received University of Northern Colorado ($10,554 vs. $8,773)

Colorado State vs. University of Northern Colorado Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 114 points higher than at University of Northern Colorado (1031)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at University of Northern Colorado (22)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at University of Northern Colorado (3.53)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than University of Northern Colorado (86.4%)

Colorado State vs. University of Northern Colorado Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State or University of Northern Colorado? 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 University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of Northern Colorado (64% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $7,200 more per year than University of Northern Colorado graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $44,600)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $966 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,970)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($217 vs. $227)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Northern Colorado 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/