Colorado State vs. ISU

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

Colorado State ISU
Location Fort Collins, CO Ames, IA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 33,403 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #359 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State ISU
Tuition (In State) $10,218 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $30,078 $25,162
Room & Board $13,728 $9,358
Avg Net Price $16,926 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $10,727 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 80%

Admission

Colorado State ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,122 21,919
Admitted 30,066 19,776
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 90.2%
Enrolled % 18.5% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 1090/1350
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 ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Colorado State ISU
Graduation Rate 64% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $217 $246

Diversity

Colorado State ISU
% Men 45% 55%
% Women 55% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 76%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Colorado State ISU
% In-State 59% 52%
% Out-of-State 40% 45%

Campus

Colorado State ISU
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 ISU based on total student enrollment (33,403 students vs. 29,969 students)

Colorado State vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or ISU?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 17.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($10,218.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.5% higher at Colorado State than Iowa State University ($30,078.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Colorado State ($15,310 vs. $16,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 46.7% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($9,358 vs. $13,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (80% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 2.9% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($11,043 vs. $10,727)

Colorado State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 3 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than ISU (90.2%)

Colorado State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State or ISU? 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 ISU and Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $1,900 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $51,800)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $2,864 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,868)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($217 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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