Colorado State vs. WCU

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

Colorado State WCU
Location Fort Collins, CO West Chester, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 33,500 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State WCU
Tuition (In State) $10,186 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $31,041 $19,290
Room & Board $15,606 $12,474
Avg Net Price $19,828 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 70%

Admission

Colorado State WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,612 16,467
Admitted 32,801 13,042
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 79.2%
Enrolled % 16.1% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 24/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 1100/1270
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

Academics

Colorado State WCU
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 (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Colorado State WCU
Graduation Rate 64% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $217 $242

Diversity

Colorado State WCU
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 13% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 78%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Colorado State WCU
% In-State 65% 87%
% Out-of-State 34% 13%

Campus

Colorado State WCU
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 WCU based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 17,076 students)

Colorado State vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or WCU?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 32% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.9% higher at Colorado State than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($31,041.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than WCU ($19,828 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 25.1% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,474 vs. $15,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (71% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 91.8% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,554 vs. $5,503)

Colorado State vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 73 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than WCU (79.2%)

Colorado State vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $2,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $49,000)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $2,496 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,500)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($217 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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