FLC vs. Colorado Mesa

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

FLC Colorado Mesa
Location Durango, CO Grand Junction, CO
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 3,400 8,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #818 #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fortlewis.edu mesastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

FLC Colorado Mesa
Tuition (In State) $7,200 $8,261
Tuition (Out of State) $17,712 $21,983
Room & Board $12,554 $11,522
Avg Net Price $15,685 $15,085
Avg Grant Aid $14,215 $9,209
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 87%

Admission

FLC Colorado Mesa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,942 9,810
Admitted 4,496 8,021
Acceptance Rate 91% 81.8%
Enrolled % 19% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.28
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/25
SAT Range 1060/1260 930/1180
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

FLC Colorado Mesa
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

FLC Colorado Mesa
Graduation Rate 37% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $224

Diversity

FLC Colorado Mesa
% Men 45% 47%
% Women 55% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 70%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 17%
% Native American 25% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

FLC Colorado Mesa
% In-State 38% 83%
% Out-of-State 61% 16%

Campus

FLC Colorado Mesa
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 Mesa University is larger than than FLC based on total student enrollment (8,905 students vs. 3,400 students)

FLC vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FLC or Colorado Mesa?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 14.7% more expensive to attend than FLC for in-state tuition ($8,261.00 vs. $7,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.1% higher at Colorado Mesa than Fort Lewis College ($21,983.00 vs. $17,712.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than FLC ($15,085 vs. $15,685)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 9% lower than costs at Fort Lewis College ($11,522 vs. $12,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fort Lewis College than Colorado Mesa University (96% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fort Lewis College students is 54.4% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($14,215 vs. $9,209)

FLC vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fort Lewis College (1012) is 60 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming FLC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman FLC students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • FLC has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)

FLC vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FLC or Colorado Mesa? 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 Colorado Mesa and FLC.

  • The graduation rate at FLC is higher than Colorado Mesa University (37% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Colorado Mesa University earn on average $1,000 more per year than FLC graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,000)
  • Fort Lewis College students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,750)
  • FLC graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($201 vs. $224)
  • More FLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 48%)

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