Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa

Should I go to Colorado State University Fort Collins or Colorado Mesa University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado State 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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Colorado State University Fort Collins vs. Colorado Mesa University comparison
Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado Mesa University College 3 College 4
Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado Mesa University
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Overview

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Location Fort Collins, CO Grand Junction, CO
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 33,403 8,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu mesastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $8,261
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $21,983
Room & Board $13,728 $11,522
Avg Net Price $16,926 $15,085
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $9,209
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 87%

Admission

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 9,810
Admitted 30,066 8,021
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 81.8%
Enrolled % 18.5% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.28
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 18/25
SAT Range 1080/1290 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 Jul 1, 2024

Academics

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Graduation Rate 64% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $21,750
Median Loan Payment $217 $224

Diversity

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
% Men 45% 47%
% Women 55% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 70%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 17%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
% In-State 59% 83%
% Out-of-State 40% 16%

Campus

Colorado State Colorado Mesa
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 8,905 students)

Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or Colorado Mesa?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 23.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.8% higher at Colorado State than Colorado Mesa University ($30,078.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than Colorado State ($15,085 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 19.1% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,522 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (87% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 16.5% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($10,727 vs. $9,209)

Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 193 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)

Colorado State vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State 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 Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Colorado Mesa University (64% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $11,800 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $40,000)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $746 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($21,004 vs. $21,750)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($217 vs. $224)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 48%)

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