Colorado State University-Fort Collins
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want a large campus community. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 25,538 students.
About This School
Colorado State University-Fort Collins is a public institution located in Fort Collins, Colorado with approximately 25,538 undergraduate students enrolled. Colorado State University-Fort Collins has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 89%. The average net price after financial aid is $21,279 per year. The graduation rate is 67%, and the typical graduate earns $53,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Colorado State University is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. It was founded in 1870 as Colorado Agricultural College and assumed its current name in 1957. In 2024, enrollment was approximately 34,000 students, including resident and non-resident instruction students. The university has approximately 1,500 faculty in 8 colleges and 55 academic departments.
This is a solid option for students who want a large public research university experience at a reasonable cost — median debt at graduation is just $14,750, which is notably low. The 90% acceptance rate makes it accessible, but the 67% graduation rate is worth paying attention to, as it suggests a meaningful number of students don't finish. If you're drawn to programs in agriculture, environmental science, or engineering and are self-motivated enough to stay on track, CSU can deliver good value for the price.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
What This School Looks For
From the school's most recent Common Data Set (2022-23). What the admissions office actually weighs:
Early vs. Regular Decision
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 23% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (25,538 undergraduates).
In the Classroom & On Campus
Class size distribution
Source: Colorado State University-Fort Collins Common Data Set (2022-23).
Contact & Location
Address
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
102 Administration Building
Fort Collins, CO 80523-0100
Official Links
Other Schools in Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · Public
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO · Private for-profit
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO · Public
Front Range Community College
Westminster, CO · Public
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO · Public
Pikes Peak State College
Colorado Springs, CO · Public
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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