DU vs. Colorado Mesa

Should I go to University of Denver or Colorado Mesa University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if DU or Colorado Mesa 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.

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University of Denver vs. Colorado Mesa University comparison
University of Denver Colorado Mesa University College 3 College 4
University of Denver Colorado Mesa University
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Overview

DU Colorado Mesa
Location Denver, CO Grand Junction, CO
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,734 8,905
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #82 #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website du.edu mesastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DU Colorado Mesa
Tuition (In State) $55,260 $8,261
Tuition (Out of State) $55,260 $21,983
Room & Board $15,470 $11,522
Avg Net Price $42,423 $15,085
Avg Grant Aid $30,954 $9,209
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 87%

Admission

DU Colorado Mesa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,342 9,810
Admitted 15,024 8,021
Acceptance Rate 77.7% 81.8%
Enrolled % 10.9% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.28
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/32 18/25
SAT Range 1220/1400 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, 2025

Academics

DU Colorado Mesa
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (42%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

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 38% 47%
% Women 62% 53%
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 25% 83%
% Out-of-State 71% 16%

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 (13,734 students vs. 8,905 students)

DU vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DU or Colorado Mesa?

  • University of Denver is 568.9% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($55,260.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.4% higher at DU than Colorado Mesa University ($55,260.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than DU ($15,085 vs. $42,423)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 34.3% lower than costs at University of Denver ($11,522 vs. $15,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than Colorado Mesa University (99% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Denver students is 236.1% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($30,954 vs. $9,209)

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 (81.8%) than DU (77.7%)

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/