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CU Boulder DU MSU Metropolitan State College of Denver UCCS OSU UO Colorado School of Mines Regis University of Northern Colorado Nebraska Texas Tech| University of Colorado Denver | Colorado State University Fort Collins | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
| Location | Denver, CO | Fort Collins, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,744 | 33,403 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #387 | #359 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucdenver.edu | colostate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,736 | $10,218 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,992 | $30,078 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,230 | $13,728 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,079 | $16,926 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,384 | $10,727 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 74% |
Admission |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,631 | 33,122 | ||
| Admitted | 11,658 | 30,066 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 90.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.6% | 18.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.46 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1260 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,200 | $51,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,190 | $21,004 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $217 |
Diversity |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% |
Students |
CU Denver | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 82% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 40% | ||
Campus |
CU Denver | 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 CU Denver based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 23,744 students)
CU Denver vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or Colorado State?
- Colorado State University Fort Collins is 17% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,736.00)
- Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at Colorado State than University of Colorado Denver ($30,078.00 vs. $25,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than Colorado State ($16,079 vs. $16,926)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 3.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($13,728 vs. $14,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Denver than Colorado State University Fort Collins (93% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 14.3% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($10,727 vs. $9,384)
CU Denver vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Denver or Colorado State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado State or CU Denver .
- The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 90 points higher than at CU Denver (1055)
- Incoming Colorado State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CU Denver (23)
- Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at CU Denver (3.46)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than CU Denver (74.6%)
CU Denver vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Denver 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 CU Denver.
- The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than University of Colorado Denver (64% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $16,400 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $51,800)
- Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $186 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Denver graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,190)
- Colorado State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than CU Denver graduates. ($217 vs. $219)
- More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Denver students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/