Colorado State vs. Utah State University

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

Colorado State Utah State University
Location Fort Collins, CO Logan, UT
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 33,403 27,943
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #509
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu usu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State Utah State University
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $8,310
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $23,884
Room & Board $13,728 $8,232
Avg Net Price $16,926 $14,577
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $9,808
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 89%

Admission

Colorado State Utah State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 16,069
Admitted 30,066 15,061
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 93.7%
Enrolled % 18.5% 30.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 20/27
SAT Range 1080/1290 1050/1300
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

Academics

Colorado State Utah State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado State Utah State University
Graduation Rate 64% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $13,610
Median Loan Payment $217 $140

Diversity

Colorado State Utah State University
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 81%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

Colorado State Utah State University
% In-State 59% 72%
% Out-of-State 40% 28%

Campus

Colorado State Utah State University
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 Utah State University based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 27,943 students)

Colorado State vs. Utah State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or Utah State University?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 23% more expensive to attend than Utah State University for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.9% higher at Colorado State than Utah State University ($30,078.00 vs. $23,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Utah State University than Colorado State ($14,577 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Utah State University are 66.8% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($8,232 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Utah State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (89% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 9.4% larger than aid received Utah State University ($10,727 vs. $9,808)

Colorado State vs. Utah State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 61 points higher than at Utah State University (1084)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Utah State University (24)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Utah State University (3.63)
  • Utah State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than Colorado State (90.8%)

Colorado State vs. Utah State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State or Utah State University? 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 Utah State University and Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Utah State University (64% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $3,200 more per year than Utah State University graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $48,600)
  • Utah State University students graduate with a $7,394 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($13,610 vs. $21,004)
  • Utah State University graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($140 vs. $217)
  • More Utah State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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