Colorado State University-Fort Collins: the complete school report for parents

What does Colorado State University-Fort Collins actually weigh in admissions?

Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins'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 University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

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

What will Colorado State University-Fort Collins actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $21,279 a year at Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins:

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 University-Fort Collins 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 University-Fort Collins 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.
• Do not spend money on test preparation for Colorado State University-Fort Collins: scores are not read even if you send them.
• 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 University-Fort Collins

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