More selective than 56% of Colorado colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,046. College Scorecard.
Higher than 46% of Colorado colleges we cover and 26% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 33% of Colorado colleges we cover and 28% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Colorado Mesa University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 10,631 applicants, Colorado Mesa University admitted 8,653 and 1,806 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1160 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Colorado Mesa University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Colorado residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Colorado Mesa University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Colorado Mesa University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Colorado. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,792 | $48,564 | 9.3 years |
| $30–48k | $11,920 | $53,640 | 10.3 years |
| $48–75k | $14,692 | $66,114 | 12.7 years |
| $75–110k | $16,945 | $76,253 | 14.6 years |
| $110k+ | $20,606 | $92,727 | 17.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($45,823) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,213 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Colorado Mesa University majors, earnings & careers
Colorado Mesa University offers 38 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Science & Math · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Business & Finance · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Education · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Colorado Mesa University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $96,708 | $25,000 |
| Nursing | $81,319 | $27,000 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $74,932 | $24,823 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $72,815 | — |
| Accounting | $71,577 | — |
| Business Administration | $69,297 | $21,000 |
| Criminal Justice | $58,708 | $25,000 |
| Business | $57,897 | $24,000 |
Quick list of all 38 majors
- Accounting$71,577
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$74,932
- Biology$45,737
- Business$57,897
- Business Administration$69,297
- Chemistry—
- Communications$54,717
- Computer and Information Sciences$96,708
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician—
- Criminal Justice$58,708
- Dance—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$43,733
- Environmental Science / Conservation$50,384
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications—
- History—
- Hospitality Management—
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$49,348
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$44,651
- Management Information Systems—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$72,815
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$81,319
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$54,321
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$50,441
- Sociology$42,701
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$32,144
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Grand Junction
Overall prices in the Grand Junction, CO area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,282. Housing costs 14% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 11 inches of rain a year, 18 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Mesa County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Mesa County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Colorado Mesa University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Colorado by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Mesa University | 82% | $15,103 | 41% | $45,823 | This school |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 75% | $11,900 | 46% | $64,270 | |
| University of Northern Colorado | 86% | $17,760 | 51% | $52,231 | |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 97% | $15,788 | 47% | $54,659 | |
| Fort Lewis College | 77% | $17,296 | 36% | $46,349 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Colorado Mesa University would cost you $3,203 more per year than University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Colorado Mesa University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$3,160).
- University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus gives aided families $4,059 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Colorado resident | Colorado Mesa University | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,927 | $10,383 | −$456 |
| Books & supplies | $1,800 | $1,460 | +$340 |
| Housing & meals | $11,760 | $14,920 | −$3,160 |
| Personal & travel | $3,275 | $6,426 | −$3,151 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,716 | −$8,287 | +$5,571 |
| Sticker price | $24,046 | $24,902 | −$856 |
| Average grants | −$8,943 | −$13,002 | +$4,059 |
| You pay | $15,103 | $11,900 | +$3,203 |
“+” means Colorado Mesa University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Colorado Mesa University
What is the Colorado Mesa University acceptance rate?
Colorado Mesa University accepts 82% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 8,653 of 10,631 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1160 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
How much does Colorado Mesa University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,046 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,103 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,792 and families earning $110k+ pay $20,606.
How much do Colorado Mesa University graduates earn?
Former Colorado Mesa University students earn a median $45,823 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Colorado Mesa University graduation rate?
41% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
How long does a Colorado Mesa University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Colorado Mesa University costs about $66,114 after grants ($14,692 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,823 ten years after starting, $5,213 more than high school graduates in Colorado ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 12.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Colorado Mesa University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-mesa-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).