NAU vs. Colorado Mesa

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

NAU Colorado Mesa
Location Flagstaff, AZ Grand Junction, CO
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 28,086 8,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #886
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nau.edu mesastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NAU Colorado Mesa
Tuition (In State) $11,024 $8,261
Tuition (Out of State) $26,286 $21,983
Room & Board $11,728 $11,522
Avg Net Price $17,115 $15,085
Avg Grant Aid $11,865 $9,209
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

NAU Colorado Mesa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 44,855 9,810
Admitted 35,881 8,021
Acceptance Rate 80% 81.8%
Enrolled % 15.5% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.28
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 930/1180
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

NAU Colorado Mesa
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

NAU Colorado Mesa
Graduation Rate 52% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $21,750
Median Loan Payment $206 $224

Diversity

NAU Colorado Mesa
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 70%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 22% 17%
% Native American 3% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

NAU Colorado Mesa
% In-State 73% 83%
% Out-of-State 26% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Arizona University is larger than than Colorado Mesa based on total student enrollment (28,086 students vs. 8,905 students)

NAU vs. Colorado Mesa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NAU or Colorado Mesa?

  • Northern Arizona University is 33.4% more expensive to attend than Colorado Mesa for in-state tuition ($11,024.00 vs. $8,261.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at NAU than Colorado Mesa University ($26,286.00 vs. $21,983.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado Mesa University than NAU ($15,085 vs. $17,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado Mesa University are 1.8% lower than costs at Northern Arizona University ($11,522 vs. $11,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than Colorado Mesa University (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 28.8% larger than aid received Colorado Mesa University ($11,865 vs. $9,209)

NAU vs. Colorado Mesa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Colorado Mesa (3.28)
  • Colorado Mesa has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than NAU (80%)

NAU vs. Colorado Mesa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NAU 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 NAU.

  • The graduation rate at NAU is higher than Colorado Mesa University (52% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Northern Arizona University earn on average $3,900 more per year than Colorado Mesa graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $40,000)
  • Northern Arizona University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,750)
  • NAU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado Mesa graduates. ($206 vs. $224)
  • More NAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado Mesa students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 48%)

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