Colorado State: the complete school report for parents

What does Colorado State actually weigh in admissions?

Colorado State rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 5 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Colorado State's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

65% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.7 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.9% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Colorado State admitted 65.1% of 4,292 transfer applicants, against 88.6% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Colorado State reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Colorado State requires 17 academic units and recommends 18. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Colorado State actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $21,279 a year at Colorado State after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $11,093. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 68% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,343 merit awards averaging $7,517 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

45% of Colorado State graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $32,519 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $212 a month in repayment. Colorado State’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Colorado State pay off?

Graduates earn a median $60,543 ten years after entering, and $49,748 at six years. 82% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 71% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$121,497 to $44,547, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Colorado State:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

88% of first-years return for a second year. 68% within six (Fall 2019 cohort).

How big are the classes?

The student-faculty ratio is 17:1, and 74% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.

What is life at Colorado State like?

26,490 undergraduates, 30% of first-years from out of state. 92.8% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 27.4% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 5.6% of men join a fraternity and 7.6% of women a sorority. 24% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $73,818.

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Colorado State recommends 18 academic units.
• 65% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.7. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Its highest-earning major returns $121,497 five years out against $44,547 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Colorado State

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