Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs Metropolitan State University of Denver
Side by side on cost after aid, graduation, debt and earnings. Figures are from the 2022-23 reporting year and are averages, so they will differ from what any one student pays.
What stands out
Metropolitan State University of Denver has the lower average net price, Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports the higher graduation rate, Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports higher median earnings ten years on, while Colorado State University-Fort Collins leaves graduates with less median federal debt. Which of those matters more depends on what you need, and none of it predicts your own cost or your own chance of admission.
| Metric | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, COPublic · 4-yearHighest graduation rateHighest retentionLowest median debtHighest median earnings | Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, COPublic · 4-yearLowest net price |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Average net priceWhat students on federal aid actually paid per year, after grants. | $21,279 | $15,327 |
| Published costSticker price before aid. Few students pay it. | $31,642 | $24,622 |
| In-state tuition | $13,373 | $11,124 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $34,783 | $30,684 |
| Admissions | ||
| Acceptance rate | 89% | 99% |
| SAT midpoint | 1,185 | 1,025 |
| ACT midpoint | 26 | 21 |
| Outcomes | ||
| Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time. Excludes transfer students. | 67% | 31% |
| Retention rateFirst-year students who come back for a second year. | 86% | 63% |
| Median debt at graduationFederal loans only. Private and parent loans are not included. | $20,000 | $21,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrsReflects the subjects a college teaches and where it sits, not only its teaching. | $60,543 | $52,093 |
| Campus | ||
| Undergraduates | 25,538 | 15,002 |
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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2022-23. A blank figure means the college did not report that measure, not that the value is zero. Acceptance rate and enrollment carry no highlight, because neither a lower acceptance rate nor a larger campus is better in itself. How this works.