Colorado Mesa vs. Central Washington University

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

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
Location Grand Junction, CO Ellensburg, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,905 9,257
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #886 #610
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mesastate.edu cwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
Tuition (In State) $8,261 $6,816
Tuition (Out of State) $21,983 $23,881
Room & Board $11,522 $13,645
Avg Net Price $15,085 $15,864
Avg Grant Aid $9,209 $9,294
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 73%

Admission

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,810 6,409
Admitted 8,021 5,992
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 93.5%
Enrolled % 21.8% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.08
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 17/24
SAT Range 930/1180 930/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2024

Academics

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)

Outcomes

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
Graduation Rate 25% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $20,737
Median Loan Payment $224 $214

Diversity

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 59%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 14%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

Colorado Mesa Central Washington University
% In-State 83% 95%
% Out-of-State 16% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Central Washington University is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (9,257 students vs. 8,905 students)

Colorado Mesa vs. Central Washington University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado Mesa or Central Washington University?

  • Colorado Mesa University is 21.2% more expensive to attend than Central Washington University for in-state tuition ($8,261.00 vs. $6,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at Central Washington University than Colorado Mesa University ($23,881.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than Central Washington University ($15,085 vs. $15,864)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 18.4% lower than costs at Central Washington University ($11,522 vs. $13,645)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado Mesa University than Central Washington University (87% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Washington University students is 0.9% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($9,294 vs. $9,209)

Colorado Mesa vs. Central Washington University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central Washington University (978) is 26 points higher than at Colorado Mesa (952)
  • Incoming Central Washington University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Colorado Mesa (20)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado Mesa students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Central Washington University (3.08)
  • Central Washington University has a higher acceptance rate (93.5%) than Colorado Mesa (81.8%)

Colorado Mesa vs. Central Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado Mesa or Central Washington University? 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 Central Washington University and Colorado Mesa.

  • The graduation rate at Central Washington University is higher than Colorado Mesa University (56% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Central Washington University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $40,000)
  • Central Washington University students graduate with a $1,013 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($20,737 vs. $21,750)
  • Central Washington University graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($214 vs. $224)
  • More Central Washington University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 48%)

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