Western Colorado University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 1,586 students.
About This School
Western Colorado University is a public institution located in Gunnison, Colorado with approximately 1,586 undergraduate students enrolled. Western Colorado University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 100%. The average net price after financial aid is $16,425 per year. The graduation rate is 51%, and the typical graduate earns $43,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Western Colorado University is a public university in Gunnison, Colorado, United States. It enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate students and 450 graduate students, with about 28 percent coming from out of state. Western offers more than 110 undergraduate areas of study and 8 graduate programs, many of which are available through accelerated degree pathways.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the $12,000 median debt is impressively low, and the affordable net price of ~$16,773/year makes this one of the better financial deals in Colorado — but a 51% graduation rate means roughly half of students who start don't finish, which is a real concern worth asking about. This is a strong option for outdoors-oriented students who thrive in a small, remote mountain town (Gunnison is genuinely isolated) and want hands-on programs in fields like outdoor recreation, environmental studies, or education. Just go in with a plan — the retention and completion data suggest that students who struggle here often do so because the fit wasn't right, not because the school lacks resources.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
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: 15% 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 (1,586 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO · Public
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO · Private for-profit
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO · Public
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
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.
All school names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this page is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with CollegeHelpGuide.