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CU Boulder CU Denver Colorado State Colorado School of Mines AU USD Western State Colorado University Gonzaga Creighton University Elon Metropolitan State College of Denver Loyola Marymount| University of Denver | Colorado Mesa University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Location | Denver, CO | Grand Junction, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,387 | 8,995 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #86 | #856 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | du.edu | mesastate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,032 | $8,592 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,032 | $23,192 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,049 | $11,760 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $43,324 | $15,076 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $32,023 | $7,698 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 81% |
Admission |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,214 | 10,631 | ||
| Admitted | 13,679 | 8,653 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 71.2% | 81.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.7% | 20.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.72 | 3.28 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 29/32 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1240/1410 | 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, 2026 |
Academics |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Graduation Rate | 78% | 25% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $63,400 | $40,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 72% | 48% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,699 | $21,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $245 | $224 |
Diversity |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 17% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 35% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 17% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 9% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 28% | 85% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 14% | ||
Campus |
DU | Colorado Mesa | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Denver is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (13,387 students vs. 8,995 students)
DU vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, DU or Colorado Mesa?
- University of Denver is 575.4% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($58,032.00 vs. $8,592.00)
- Out of state tuition is 150.2% higher at DU than Colorado Mesa University ($58,032.00 vs. $23,192.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than DU ($15,076 vs. $43,324)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 45% lower than costs at University of Denver ($11,760 vs. $17,049)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than Colorado Mesa University (99% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Denver students is 316% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($32,023 vs. $7,698)
DU vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, DU or Colorado Mesa? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado Mesa or DU .
- The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 297 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
- Incoming DU students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
- Accepted freshman DU students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
- Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than DU (71.2%)
DU vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, DU 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 DU.
- The graduation rate at DU is higher than Colorado Mesa University (78% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from University of Denver earn on average $23,400 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($63,400 vs. $40,000)
- Colorado Mesa University students graduate with a $1,949 lower median federal student loan debt than DU graduates. ($21,750 vs. $23,699)
- Colorado Mesa graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than DU graduates. ($224 vs. $245)
- More DU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 48%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/