Adams State College vs. CU Denver

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

Adams State College CU Denver
Location Alamosa, CO Denver, CO
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 2,950 23,409
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1022 #391
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website adams.edu ucdenver.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Adams State College CU Denver
Tuition (In State) $6,072 $9,096
Tuition (Out of State) $18,144 $27,288
Room & Board $9,553 $14,920
Avg Net Price $13,800 $15,303
Avg Grant Aid $9,393 $8,079
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 86%

Admission

Adams State College CU Denver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 14,569
Admitted - 11,336
Acceptance Rate 77.8%
Enrolled % 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.46
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/26 21/27
SAT Range 910/1130 980/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Adams State College CU Denver
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Adams State College CU Denver
Graduation Rate 23% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $68,200
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,291 $21,190
Median Loan Payment $220 $219

Diversity

Adams State College CU Denver
% Men 14% 14%
% Women 33% 26%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 51%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 32% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Adams State College CU Denver
% In-State 63% 85%
% Out-of-State 34% 13%

Campus

Adams State College CU Denver
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Denver is larger than than Adams State College based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 2,950 students)

Adams State College vs. CU Denver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Adams State College or CU Denver?

  • University of Colorado Denver is 49.8% more expensive to attend than Adams State College for in-state tuition ($9,096.00 vs. $6,072.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.4% higher at CU Denver than Adams State College ($27,288.00 vs. $18,144.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Adams State College than CU Denver ($13,800 vs. $15,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Adams State College are 56.2% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($9,553 vs. $14,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Adams State College than University of Colorado Denver (91% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Adams State College students is 16.3% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($9,393 vs. $8,079)

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 101 points higher than at Adams State College (954)
  • Incoming CU Denver students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Adams State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman CU Denver students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Adams State College (3.2)

Adams State College vs. CU Denver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Adams State College or CU Denver? 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 CU Denver and Adams State College.

  • The graduation rate at CU Denver is higher than Adams State College (40% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $30,100 more per year than Adams State College graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $38,100)
  • University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $101 lower median federal student loan debt than Adams State College graduates. ($21,190 vs. $21,291)
  • CU Denver graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Adams State College graduates. ($219 vs. $220)
  • More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Adams State College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 44%)

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