University of Northern Colorado vs. UHCL

Should I go to University of Northern Colorado or University of Houston Clear Lake? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Northern Colorado or UHCL 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 Northern Colorado vs. University of Houston Clear Lake comparison
University of Northern Colorado University of Houston Clear Lake College 3 College 4
University of Northern Colorado
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Overview

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Location Greeley, CO Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,067 8,211
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #688
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unco.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Tuition (In State) $9,296 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $23,490 $19,608
Room & Board $15,230 $11,014
Avg Net Price $19,115 $10,488
Avg Grant Aid $8,773 $12,220
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 69%

Admission

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,274 2,348
Admitted 8,880 1,768
Acceptance Rate 86.4% 75.3%
Enrolled % 13.8% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/26 18/23
SAT Range 970/1180 990/1170
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, 2026 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Graduation Rate 46% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,970 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $227 $177

Diversity

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 20% 16%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 43%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 18% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 15% 1%

Students

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
% In-State 84% 95%
% Out-of-State 15% 0%

Campus

University of Northern Colorado UHCL
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Colorado is larger than than UHCL based on total student enrollment (9,067 students vs. 8,211 students)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Northern Colorado or UHCL?

  • University of Northern Colorado is 54.3% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($9,296.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.8% higher at University of Northern Colorado than University of Houston Clear Lake ($23,490.00 vs. $19,608.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Clear Lake than University of Northern Colorado ($10,488 vs. $19,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston Clear Lake are 38.3% lower than costs at University of Northern Colorado ($11,014 vs. $15,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Colorado than University of Houston Clear Lake (94% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 39.3% larger than aid received University of Northern Colorado ($12,220 vs. $8,773)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UHCL Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Northern Colorado or UHCL? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UHCL or University of Northern Colorado .

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Colorado (1031) is 6 points higher than at UHCL (1025)
  • Incoming University of Northern Colorado students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at UHCL (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of Northern Colorado students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at UHCL (3.39)
  • University of Northern Colorado has a higher acceptance rate (86.4%) than UHCL (75.3%)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UHCL Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Northern Colorado or UHCL? 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 UHCL and University of Northern Colorado.

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $9,100 more per year than University of Northern Colorado graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $44,600)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $4,820 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($17,150 vs. $21,970)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($177 vs. $227)
  • More University of Northern Colorado graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UHCL students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 56%)

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