University of Colorado Colorado Springs: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Denver, Colorado · Public · Open access · CDS 2023-2024
University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a public university in Denver, Colorado that admits about 99% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $14,294 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Research and Experimental Psychology, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Biology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 27% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a public institution located in Denver, Colorado. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Colorado Colorado Springs admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 99%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1014 and an ACT composite around 21. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,294 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Colorado Colorado Springs is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores University of Colorado Colorado Springs typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 430–540, with an EBRW midpoint near 520. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–23. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 880 |
| 50th percentile | 1010 |
| 75th percentile | 1070 |
| % submitting SAT | 30% |
| 25th percentile | 17 |
| 50th percentile | 20 |
| 75th percentile | 23 |
| % submitting ACT | 3% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
How much does University of Colorado Colorado Springs actually cost?
Published tuition is $10,780 for in-state students and $29,503 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,294 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 35% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $8,868 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $27,591 |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $14,294 |
| Application fee | — |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Colorado Colorado Springs
| Regular deadline | 7/1 |
| Notification date | 8/31 |
| Reply deadline | No set date |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Colorado Colorado Springs, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Research and Experimental Psychology, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Biology, General. Across all programs, University of Colorado Colorado Springs confers roughly 1,220 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Research and Experimental Psychology program report a median income of about $45,360 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 282 | $45,360 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 182 | $69,862 |
| Biology, General | 180 | $56,962 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 157 | $53,863 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 117 | $72,474 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 104 | $51,799 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 100 | $46,218 |
| Marketing | 98 | $65,726 |
Is University of Colorado Colorado Springs safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Colorado Colorado Springs disclosed 87 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 8 violent offenses and 5 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in Colorado parents ask about
- University of Colorado Boulder83% acceptance
- Colorado State University-Fort Collins90% acceptance
- University of Denver71% acceptance
- University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus78% acceptance
- Colorado College97% acceptance
- Community College of Denver93% acceptance
- Arapahoe Community College
- Colorado School of Mines20% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Colorado Colorado Springs recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Colorado Colorado Springs
What GPA do I need for University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Colorado Colorado Springs typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 430–540, with an EBRW midpoint near 520. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–23.
How much does University of Colorado Colorado Springs actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Colorado Colorado Springs after grants and scholarships is $14,294 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Colorado Colorado Springs realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs accepts about 99% of applicants out of roughly 10,271 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Colorado Colorado Springs test-optional?
Yes. University of Colorado Colorado Springs is test-optional, 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 University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
About 27% of students at University of Colorado Colorado Springs graduate within six years. 70% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Is University of Colorado Colorado Springs a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a public institution located in Denver, Colorado.
What are the most popular majors at University of Colorado Colorado Springs?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Colorado Colorado Springs by annual graduates are Research and Experimental Psychology, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Biology, General. The school awards about 1,220 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Colorado Colorado Springs safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs reported 87 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2023-2024 Common Data Set submitted by University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.