UCCS vs. Colorado State

Should I go to University of Colorado Colorado Springs or Colorado State University Fort Collins? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCCS 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

CU Boulder CU Denver MSU OSU UO University of Northern Colorado DU Colorado School of Mines Nebraska CSU-Pueblo UW ASU
University of Colorado Colorado Springs vs. Colorado State University Fort Collins comparison
University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado State University Fort Collins College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado State University Fort Collins
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCCS Colorado State
Location Colorado Springs, CO Fort Collins, CO
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 11,431 33,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #616 #359
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uccs.edu colostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCCS Colorado State
Tuition (In State) $7,632 $10,218
Tuition (Out of State) $20,544 $30,078
Room & Board $11,400 $13,728
Avg Net Price $16,990 $16,926
Avg Grant Aid $5,841 $10,727
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 74%

Admission

 UCCS Colorado State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,751 33,122
Admitted 12,504 30,066
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 90.8%
Enrolled % 13.2% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 23/29
SAT Range 1015/1215 1080/1290
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 UCCS Colorado State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 UCCS Colorado State
Graduation Rate 41% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,999 $21,004
Median Loan Payment $217 $217

Diversity

 UCCS Colorado State
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 74%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 UCCS Colorado State
% In-State 80% 59%
% Out-of-State 19% 40%

Campus

 UCCS Colorado State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than UCCS based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 11,431 students)

UCCS vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCCS or Colorado State?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 33.9% more expensive to attend than UCCS for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $7,632.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.4% higher at Colorado State than University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($30,078.00 vs. $20,544.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than UCCS ($16,926 vs. $16,990)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Colorado Springs are 20.4% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,400 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Colorado Springs than Colorado State University Fort Collins (84% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 83.7% larger than aid received University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($10,727 vs. $5,841)

UCCS vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 57 points higher than at UCCS (1088)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UCCS (24)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCCS (3.36)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than UCCS (84.8%)

UCCS vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCCS 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 UCCS.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of Colorado Colorado Springs (64% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $5,400 more per year than UCCS graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $46,400)
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs students graduate with a $5 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($20,999 vs. $21,004)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins and UCCS graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($217 vs. $217)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCCS students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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