Colorado State vs. UB

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

Colorado State UB
Location Fort Collins, CO Buffalo, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 33,500 31,889
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu buffalo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State UB
Tuition (In State) $10,186 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $31,041 $26,860
Room & Board $15,606 $16,754
Avg Net Price $19,828 $20,511
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $9,996
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 74%

Admission

Colorado State UB
Applied 36,612 38,210
Admitted 32,801 26,481
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 69.3%
Enrolled % 16.1% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 27/32
SAT Range 1080/1290 1210/1380
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Colorado State UB
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Colorado State UB
Graduation Rate 64% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $217 $201

Diversity

Colorado State UB
% Men 10% 17%
% Women 13% 19%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 48%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 16%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Colorado State UB
% In-State 65% 88%
% Out-of-State 34% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than UB based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 31,889 students)

Colorado State vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or UB?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 44.1% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at Colorado State than University at Buffalo ($31,041.00 vs. $26,860.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than UB ($19,828 vs. $20,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 7.4% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($15,606 vs. $16,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than Colorado State University Fort Collins (74% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 5.6% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,554 vs. $9,996)

Colorado State vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 28 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
  • Incoming UB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Colorado State (25)
  • Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Colorado State (3.68)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than UB (69.3%)

Colorado State vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UB is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (71% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $6,600 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $51,800)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $1,504 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,004)
  • UB graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($201 vs. $217)
  • More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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