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Colorado State University is a large, public university founded in 1870. The school is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is not far from Denver, the borders of Wyoming and Nebraska, and the foothills of the Rocky National Park. The student population is 33,426 with close to 80% undergraduates. Each student will have the opportunity to pursue any number of degree programs, as well as student life activities for a complete college experience.


Overview of Colorado State University at Fort Collins


CSU is home to a variety of traditional academic programs that remain popular today including business, teaching, liberal arts, natural sciences, and others. The university also offers a number of more progressive academic colleges that work to improve the environment, science, and technology; these include agricultural sciences, engineering, biomedical sciences, and health and human sciences. Students will also have access to numerous types of academic advising and support systems throughout each degree program.

To accomplish the ideal personal and academic life balance, Colorado State offers a vast array of student life activities and events including over 500 student organizations and clubs, intramural sports, community services, climbing, lazy river days, NCAA Division I sports, and much more. The school also offers student diversity services and programs, study abroad opportunities, and allows students to create new clubs and organizations.

General Information


School Type Public
Campus Setting City: Midsize
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 14:1
Graduation Rate 70%
Year Founded 1870

Student Enrollment


Total Students33,426

Undergraduate
25,789
Graduate
7,637

Undergraduate Student

Male 12,121
12,121
Female 13,668
13,668

Graduate Student

Male 3,589
3,589
Female 4,048
4,048

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Admissions


APPLICATIONS28,319

Male 11,842
Female 16,477

ACCEPTANCE22,938

Male 9,474
Female 13,676

Acceptance Rate81%

Male 80%
Female 83%

Enrollment 5,276

Male 2,271
Female 3,005
Admissions
Application Fee $50
High School GPA Required
High School Rank Recommended
High School Transcripts Required
College Prep Courses Recommended
Recommendations Required
SAT/ACT Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Required
Application Deadline July 1
Common Application Accepted Yes

Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


As a public, state school, the in-state tuition is significantly lower than smaller private schools in the state at a rate of $11,900. The out-of-state tuition is almost triple that of in-state tuition at $30,622. Students may require as much as $15,000 additional funding each year to pay for living expenses including room and board, books, supplies, and classroom fees. If a student plans to participate in a study abroad program, they will need to pay for that separately.

Fortunately, financial aid is widely available and nearly 80% of students secure financial aid of some sort including student loans, grants, and scholarships. Plenty of scholarship aid is available both through the school and online sources including aid for new students, returning students, study abroad students, CSU employee family members, and more. These scholarships can be awarded based on financial need, talent, or merit. More scholarships are also be awarded by community organizations, government agencies, individuals, non-profits, and others.

Average net price 2018-2019
Net Price $16,793
Average Total Aid $9,161
Students Receiving Financial Aid 79%
Room & Board $12,430

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $11,901
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $30,622
  • Books and Supplies - $1,200
  • Room & Board - $12,430
  • Other - $1,404

Academics


CSU offers a solid foundation in tradition while adapting approaches to today’s demands and ever-changing needs. Students can select from almost 300 programs at all degree levels including bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, PhDs, and certifications. It’s also possible to choose between 70 majors, 80 minors, and 140 concentrations, as well as pre-professional advising. Students can create their own combinations to meet long-term career aspirations that may not fit into pre-established curriculums. An honors program is available in most campuses for exceptional students.

The university prides itself on distributing 95% of all budgets to academic support, instruction and financial assistance in the form of scholarships thus limiting administration funds to a mere 5%. They have also increased faculty by 13% in over 5 years to maintain the faculty-to-student ratio of 1 to 18, which is decently low, and institutional aid has improved by nearly 55% in the past 5 years to help improve upon research, technology, and academic support.

As a full student experience and support continues to receive greater emphasis, the school helps students select the right career paths based on their strengths. It is these efforts and initiatives that help the university secure an 84% retention rate alongside four-year and six-year graduation rates of 49% and 70%, respectively. These figures are right about the national average.

Student Population Total


Student Population 33,426

Undergraduate
25,789
Graduate
7,637
Evening Classes : No
Online Learning : Yes

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


All Business Majors 747 Total Graduates / 15%
Business Administration and Management, General 698 Graduates
Restaurant/Food Services Management 49 Graduates
All Biological & Biomedical Majors 693 Total Graduates / 13%
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 170 Graduates
Wildlife Biology 95 Graduates
Biomedical Sciences, General 90 Graduates
Ecology 74 Graduates
All Engineering Majors 516 Total Graduates / 10%
Mechanical Engineering 215 Graduates
Civil Engineering, General 84 Graduates
Chemical Engineering 66 Graduates
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 51 Graduates
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 51 Graduates
All Social Science Majors 435 Total Graduates / 8%
Economics, General 177 Graduates
Sociology 118 Graduates
Political Science and Government, General 92 Graduates
Anthropology 46 Graduates
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies 338 Total Graduates / 7%
Kinesiology and Exercise Science 241 Graduates
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management, General 97 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 47%

Outcome & Salary


CSU graduating statistics are quite impressive, with 75% of graduates becoming employed in their major, 4,500 unique hiring employers across the US and the world, and 84% of recent graduates will be employed or continue education at over 200 graduate schools in just 6 months. These great statistics are enabled because of the existence of various career and academic support services at the school.

Many students will complete work-study programs or internships to gain invaluable hands-on experience. Both in-person and virtual career fairs are another advantageous way students can secure job opportunities before they graduate. The CSU Career Center is available to provide resume assistance, elevator pitches, and more.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $54,200
College Grads Average Salary $67,761
College Grads Mid Career Salary $100,200
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $677,610
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $1,679,610
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $67,172
10 Year Projected ROI $610,438
20 Year Projected ROI $1,612,438
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

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