Colorado State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Public · Fort Collins, CO · 25,834 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Colorado State admitted 89.6% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 77.4% in 2013. Colorado residents pay $13,774 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $36,113.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 77.4% | 17,970 | 13,914 |
| 2014 | 80.5% | 16,655 | 13,404 |
| 2015 | 80.8% | 18,556 | 14,997 |
| 2016 | 78.0% | 21,759 | 16,963 |
| 2017 | 82.6% | 23,137 | 19,116 |
| 2018 | 83.9% | 24,496 | 20,545 |
| 2019 | 81.4% | 28,319 | 23,038 |
| 2020 | 83.5% | 28,843 | 24,091 |
| 2021 | 89.6% | 31,586 | 28,314 |
| 2022 | 90.8% | 33,006 | 29,955 |
| 2023 | 89.6% | 36,612 | 32,801 |
Applications went from 17,970 in fall 2013 to 36,612 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $12,291 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,331 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,009 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,777 |
| Over $110,000 | $32,378 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $13,774 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $36,113 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $34,684 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $22,247 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| CU Boulder CO | 83.3% | $17,513 in-state |
| CU Denver CO | 77.8% | $10,835 in-state |
| Georgia Southern GA | 89.6% | $6,022 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
At Colorado State, 32,801 of 36,612 applicants for fall 2023 were admitted, giving a rate of 89.6%.1 That rate matches the 89.6% median across 17 Colorado bachelor's colleges.1 In fall 2013 it was 77.4%, so the rate is 12.2 percentage points higher, and it declined in 3 of the 10 yearly changes.1 The applicant count climbed 104%, from 17,970 to 36,612, and admitted students went from 13,914 to 32,801.1
IPEDS lists the university as test-blind for 2023, so no SAT or ACT results are published.1
Colorado residents pay $13,774 for tuition and fees in 2025-26 and nonresidents pay $36,113.2 Resident tuition is above the $10,835 median of 13 public bachelor's colleges in Colorado.2 Average net price runs $12,291 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $16,009 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $32,378 above $110,000.2
A 68% share of 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, compared with a 48% state median across 20 colleges.2 Retention for fall 2023 entrants was 86%, median earnings are $66,947 10 years after entry, and median federal debt is $18,750.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 36,612 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 32,801 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 5,293 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 25,834 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-blind | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $13,774 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $36,113 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $34,684 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $22,247 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $12,291 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,331 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,009 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,777 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $32,378 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 68% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 86% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 24% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $66,947 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,750 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median admit rate, Colorado (N = 17) | 89.6% | IPEDS ADM2023, median ADMSSN/APPLCN, bachelor's institutions, fall 20231 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Colorado (N = 13) | $10,835 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Colorado (N = 20) | 48% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Colorado State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page