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CU Boulder Colorado State DU Metropolitan State College of Denver UCCS Regis Western State Colorado University Texas Tech Colorado School of Mines University of Northern Colorado Oklahoma State University-Main Campus FLC| University of Colorado Denver | Colorado Mesa University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Location | Denver, CO | Grand Junction, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,744 | 8,905 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #387 | #886 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucdenver.edu | mesastate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,736 | $8,261 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,992 | $21,983 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,230 | $11,522 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,079 | $15,085 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,384 | $9,209 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 87% |
Admission |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,631 | 9,810 | ||
| Admitted | 11,658 | 8,021 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.6% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.46 | 3.28 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1260 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 25% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,200 | $40,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 48% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,190 | $21,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $224 |
Diversity |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 17% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 82% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 16% | ||
Campus |
CU Denver | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Colorado Denver is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (23,744 students vs. 8,905 students)
CU Denver vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or Colorado Mesa?
- University of Colorado Denver is 5.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($8,736.00 vs. $8,261.00)
- Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at CU Denver than Colorado Mesa University ($25,992.00 vs. $21,983.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than CU Denver ($15,085 vs. $16,079)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 23.5% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($11,522 vs. $14,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Denver than Colorado Mesa University (93% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Denver students is 1.9% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($9,384 vs. $9,209)
CU Denver vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Denver or Colorado Mesa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado Mesa or CU Denver .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 103 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
- Incoming CU Denver students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
- Accepted freshman CU Denver students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
- Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than CU Denver (74.6%)
CU Denver vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Denver 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 Denver.
- The graduation rate at CU Denver is higher than Colorado Mesa University (40% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $28,200 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $40,000)
- University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $560 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($21,190 vs. $21,750)
- CU Denver graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($219 vs. $224)
- More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 48%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/