UC Riverside vs. Colorado State

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

UC Riverside Colorado State
Location Riverside, CA Fort Collins, CO
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 26,809 33,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #359
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu colostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Riverside Colorado State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $10,218
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $30,078
Room & Board $17,333 $13,728
Avg Net Price $14,487 $16,926
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $10,727
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 74%

Admission

UC Riverside Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 33,122
Admitted 37,563 30,066
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 90.8%
Enrolled % 14.8% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 23/29
SAT Range 1080/1280 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

UC Riverside Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

UC Riverside Colorado State
Graduation Rate 67% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $21,004
Median Loan Payment $197 $217

Diversity

UC Riverside Colorado State
% Men 49% 45%
% Women 51% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 13% 74%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 36% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

UC Riverside Colorado State
% In-State 94% 59%
% Out-of-State 2% 40%

Campus

UC Riverside 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

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than UC Riverside based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 26,809 students)

UC Riverside vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or Colorado State?

  • University of California Riverside is 13.2% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $10,218.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.4% higher at UC Riverside than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($41,636.00 vs. $30,078.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Riverside than Colorado State ($14,487 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 26.3% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($13,728 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Riverside than Colorado State University Fort Collins (75% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 105.5% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($22,042 vs. $10,727)

UC Riverside vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 26 points higher than at UC Riverside (1119)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (67% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $400 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $51,800)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $1,895 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($19,109 vs. $21,004)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($197 vs. $217)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside 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/