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CU Boulder USD UCSD CU Denver UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach MSU UCSC San Francisco State UCSB| San Diego State University | Colorado State University Fort Collins | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Fort Collins, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 33,500 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #357 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | colostate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $10,186 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $31,041 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $15,606 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $19,828 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $10,554 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 71% |
Admission |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 36,612 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 32,801 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 89.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 16.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 1080/1290 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Jul 1, 2026 |
Academics |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | $51,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $21,004 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $217 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 4% |
Students |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 75% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 34% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | Colorado State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than Colorado State based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 33,500 students)
San Diego State vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or Colorado State?
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is 77.4% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 76.1% higher at Colorado State than San Diego State University ($31,041.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Colorado State ($19,500 vs. $19,828)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 38.6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($15,606 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (94% vs. 71%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 93.3% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,554 vs. $5,459)
San Diego State vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or Colorado State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado State or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 15 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Colorado State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State or Colorado 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 Colorado State and San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (66% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from San Diego State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $51,800)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $5,655 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($15,349 vs. $21,004)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($158 vs. $217)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/