Colorado State vs. VCU

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

Colorado State VCU
Location Fort Collins, CO Richmond, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 33,403 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State VCU
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $33,726
Room & Board $13,728 $12,279
Avg Net Price $16,926 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 83%

Admission

Colorado State VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 18,242
Admitted 30,066 16,600
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 91%
Enrolled % 18.5% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 22/30
SAT Range 1080/1290 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

Colorado State VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Colorado State VCU
Graduation Rate 64% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $217 $240

Diversity

Colorado State VCU
% Men 45% 36%
% Women 55% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 50%
% Black 2% 18%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Colorado State VCU
% In-State 59% 92%
% Out-of-State 40% 6%

Campus

Colorado State VCU
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 VCU based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 28,082 students)

Colorado State vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 21.9% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $10,218.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.1% higher at VCU than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($33,726.00 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 VCU ($16,926 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 11.8% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,279 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (83% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 17.3% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,583 vs. $10,727)

Colorado State vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 48 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Colorado State (90.8%)

Colorado State vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $4,300 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $47,500)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $2,246 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,250)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($217 vs. $240)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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