Colorado College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Colorado Springs, Colorado · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Decision II
- Early Action
- 8,822
- Applicants
- 1,949
- Admitted22%
- 510
- Enrolled
- 26%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Highly selective22% admittedRanked #34 (tie) in National Liberal Arts Colleges; Economics #161 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by Colorado College (see the source), read on 2026-09-20. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
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Open in College SearchColorado College is a private nonprofit university in Colorado Springs, Colorado that admits about 22% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $33,375 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Economics, Political Science and Government and Natural Resources Conservation and Research, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 86% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 13.9 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Colorado College is a private institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Colorado College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 22%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1340. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,375 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Colorado College?
68% of enrolled students at Colorado College had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.93, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What does Colorado College weight in admissions?
Colorado College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Important
5- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
Considered
13- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- Interview
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Colorado College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 590–730. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1240 |
| 50th percentile | 1340 |
| 75th percentile | 1430 |
| % submitting SAT | 28% |
| 25th percentile | 28 |
| 50th percentile | 32 |
| 75th percentile | 34 |
| % submitting ACT | 12% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional for all applicants, incl. homeschool; scores used only if they help.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Colorado College's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 58.1% |
| Top 25% of class | 86.3% |
| Top 50% of class | 97.4% |
| % submitting class rank | 22.6% |
How much does Colorado College actually cost?
Published tuition is $70,734 for in-state students and $70,734 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,020 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $33,375 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 14% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $75,702 |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $33,375 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $65,911 |
| Average merit award, no financial need37 first-year students received one | $9,466 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 31% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $24,659 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS Profile (incl. noncustodial parent)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Colorado College
| Regular deadline | 1/15 |
| Notification date | 3/12 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 15 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 36% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from Colorado College?
These predict outcomes at Colorado College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Colorado College
The most popular undergraduate programs at Colorado College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Political Science and Government and Natural Resources Conservation and Research. Across all programs, Colorado College confers roughly 294 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $84,600 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 60 | $84,600 |
| Political Science and Government | 51 | n/a |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 43 | n/a |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 33 | n/a |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 31 | n/a |
| Psychology, General | 28 | n/a |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 24 | n/a |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 24 | n/a |
Is Colorado College safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Colorado College disclosed 28 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 13.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 7 violent offenses and 10 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Colorado College?
About 76% of undergraduates at Colorado College live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 12% of men join a fraternity and 14% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
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Next steps for Colorado College
Common questions parents ask about Colorado College
What GPA do I need for Colorado College?
68% of enrolled students at Colorado College had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.93, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Colorado College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 590–730. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33.
How much does Colorado College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Colorado College after grants and scholarships is $33,375 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $70,734. Budget against the net figure.
Is Colorado College realistic for my child?
Colorado College admits 22% of applicants, so 590–730 SAT Math is target range and below 590 is a reach. Then check the $33,375 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Colorado College?
Colorado College accepts about 22% of applicants out of roughly 8,822 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is Colorado College test-optional?
Yes. Colorado College is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Colorado College?
About 86% of students at Colorado College graduate within six years, and 74% finish in four years. 93% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Colorado College?
Colorado College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 36%, compared with its overall rate of 22%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
Is Colorado College a public or private school, and where is it located?
Colorado College is a private nonprofit institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
What are the most popular majors at Colorado College?
The largest undergraduate majors at Colorado College by annual graduates are Economics, Political Science and Government and Natural Resources Conservation and Research. The school awards about 294 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Colorado College safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Colorado College reported 28 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 13.9 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Colorado College?
At Colorado College, 76% of undergraduates live on campus, 12% of men are in fraternities, 14% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Colorado College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers