San Diego State vs. Colorado State

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

San Diego State Colorado State
Location San Diego, CA Fort Collins, CO
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 37,402 33,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #337 #359
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 $10,218
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $30,078
Room & Board $19,714 $13,728
Avg Net Price $13,017 $16,926
Avg Grant Aid $9,934 $10,727
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 74%

Admission

San Diego State Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 77,250 33,122
Admitted 30,331 30,066
Acceptance Rate 39.3% 90.8%
Enrolled % 21.7% 18.5%
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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

San Diego State Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

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 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
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 77% 59%
% Out-of-State 21% 40%

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 (37,402 students vs. 33,403 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 78% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.7% higher at Colorado State than San Diego State University ($30,078.00 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 ($13,017 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 43.6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($13,728 vs. $19,714)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than San Diego State University (74% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 8% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($10,727 vs. $9,934)

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 (90.8%) than San Diego State (39.3%)

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/