Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. Washington State

Should I go to Metropolitan State College of Denver or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Metropolitan State College of Denver or Washington State 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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Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. Washington State University comparison
Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State University College 3 College 4
Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State University
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Overview

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Location Denver, CO Pullman, WA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 17,593 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #963 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mscd.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Tuition (In State) $8,868 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $27,591 $27,052
Room & Board $14,679 $13,131
Avg Net Price $13,727 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $9,341 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 87%

Admission

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,403 26,166
Admitted 12,296 22,335
Acceptance Rate 99.1% 85.4%
Enrolled % 17.3% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.03 3.5
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 20/26
SAT Range 880/1110 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026 Jan 31, 2026

Academics

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Graduation Rate 21% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $250 $211

Diversity

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 5% 10%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 63%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 22% 13%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
% In-State 97% 83%
% Out-of-State 3% 15%

Campus

Metropolitan State College of Denver Washington State
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Washington State University is larger than than Metropolitan State College of Denver based on total student enrollment (26,490 students vs. 17,593 students)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Metropolitan State College of Denver or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 23.8% more expensive to attend than Metropolitan State College of Denver for in-state tuition ($10,976.00 vs. $8,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Washington State University ($27,591.00 vs. $27,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Metropolitan State College of Denver than Washington State ($13,727 vs. $18,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 11.8% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($13,131 vs. $14,679)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than Metropolitan State College of Denver (87% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 11% larger than aid received Metropolitan State College of Denver ($10,370 vs. $9,341)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington State University (1039) is 68 points higher than at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971)
  • Incoming Washington State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (21)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
  • Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (99.1%) than Washington State (85.4%)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Metropolitan State College of Denver or Washington State? 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 Washington State and Metropolitan State College of Denver.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (67% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $11,800 more per year than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $42,600)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $3,821 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($20,429 vs. $24,250)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($211 vs. $250)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 47%)

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