CU Boulder vs. Colorado Mesa

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

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
Location Boulder, CO Grand Junction, CO
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 8,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu mesastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $8,261
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $21,983
Room & Board $16,146 $11,522
Avg Net Price $21,836 $15,085
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $9,209
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 87%

Admission

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 9,810
Admitted 43,416 8,021
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 81.8%
Enrolled % 16.4% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.28
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 18/25
SAT Range 1160/1390 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
Graduation Rate 68% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $224

Diversity

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
% Men 55% 47%
% Women 45% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 70%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 17%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

CU Boulder Colorado Mesa
% In-State 53% 83%
% Out-of-State 45% 16%

Campus

CU Boulder 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

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 8,905 students)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Colorado Mesa?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 39.5% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.4% higher at CU Boulder than Colorado Mesa University ($38,770.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than CU Boulder ($15,085 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 40.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,522 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than University of Colorado Boulder (87% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 13.8% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($10,477 vs. $9,209)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 260 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder 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 CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Colorado Mesa University (68% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $16,900 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $40,000)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,750)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($201 vs. $224)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 48%)

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