CU Denver vs. Washington State

Should I go to University of Colorado Denver or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Denver or Washington 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 Colorado State Idaho Central Washington University DU Boise State Metropolitan State College of Denver UCCS UW-Seattle Western Washington University Portland State University UWB
University of Colorado Denver vs. Washington State University comparison
University of Colorado Denver Washington State University College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Denver Washington State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 CU Denver Washington State
Location Denver, CO Pullman, WA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,409 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #391 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdenver.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CU Denver Washington State
Tuition (In State) $9,096 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $27,288 $27,052
Room & Board $14,920 $13,131
Avg Net Price $15,303 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $8,079 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 87%

Admission

 CU Denver Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,569 26,166
Admitted 11,336 22,335
Acceptance Rate 77.8% 85.4%
Enrolled % 14.4% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 980/1220 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 CU Denver Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 CU Denver Washington State
Graduation Rate 40% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,200 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,190 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $219 $211

Diversity

 CU Denver Washington State
% Men 14% 7%
% Women 26% 10%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 63%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 8% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 CU Denver Washington State
% In-State 85% 83%
% Out-of-State 13% 15%

Campus

 CU Denver Washington 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

  • Washington State University is larger than than CU Denver based on total student enrollment (26,490 students vs. 23,409 students)

CU Denver vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 20.7% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($10,976.00 vs. $9,096.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at CU Denver than Washington State University ($27,288.00 vs. $27,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than Washington State ($15,303 vs. $18,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 13.6% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($13,131 vs. $14,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington State University than University of Colorado Denver (87% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 28.4% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($10,370 vs. $8,079)

CU Denver vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 16 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming CU Denver students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at CU Denver (3.46)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than CU Denver (77.8%)

CU Denver vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Denver or Washington 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 Washington State and CU Denver.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than University of Colorado Denver (67% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $13,800 more per year than Washington State graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $54,400)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $761 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Denver graduates. ($20,429 vs. $21,190)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than CU Denver graduates. ($211 vs. $219)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Denver students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 61%)

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