More selective than 25% 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 $24,595. College Scorecard.
Higher than 58% of Colorado colleges we cover and 36% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 67% of Colorado colleges we cover and 54% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
UCCS acceptance rate & admissions
Of 13,103 applicants, University of Colorado Colorado Springs admitted 12,653 and 1,747 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
UCCS 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 UCCS costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Colorado Colorado Springs 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 | $12,065 | $53,810 | 3.8 years |
| $30–48k | $11,642 | $51,923 | 3.7 years |
| $48–75k | $12,104 | $53,984 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $18,388 | $82,010 | 5.8 years |
| $110k+ | $22,142 | $98,753 | 7.0 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 ($54,659) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,049 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.
UCCS majors, earnings & careers
University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers 40 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Science & Math · 7
- Engineering · 5
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at UCCS
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $121,678 | $25,075 |
| Electrical Engineering | $113,627 | $25,324 |
| Computer Science | $97,001 | $26,863 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $91,192 | $23,250 |
| Nursing | $78,904 | $28,000 |
| Economics | $75,209 | $25,000 |
| Mathematics | $69,992 | $22,500 |
| Business Administration | $66,553 | $22,002 |
Quick list of all 40 majors
- Anthropology—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$54,639
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$66,553
- Chemistry—
- Communications$50,692
- Computer Engineering$121,678
- Computer Science$97,001
- Criminal Justice$53,198
- Economics$75,209
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$46,244
- Electrical Engineering$113,627
- Engineering, Other—
- English$42,627
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Geography$48,892
- Health Sciences$60,605
- History$43,949
- Human Services—
- Information Technology—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Mathematics$69,992
- Mechanical Engineering$91,192
- Museology / Museum Studies—
- Music—
- Nursing$78,904
- Philosophy$49,909
- Physics—
- Physiology$53,284
- Political Science$63,538
- Psychology$48,725
- Social Work—
- Sociology$46,444
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Systems Engineering—
- Visual and Performing Arts$37,628
- Writing—
— 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 →Business Administration → 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
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
Living in Colorado Springs
Overall prices in the Colorado Springs, CO area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,621. Housing costs 16% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 17 inches of rain a year, 55 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, El Paso County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
El Paso County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare UCCS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 97% | $15,788 | 47% | $54,659 | This school |
| Colorado Mesa University | 82% | $15,103 | 41% | $45,823 | |
| University of Northern Colorado | 86% | $17,760 | 51% | $52,231 | |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | 95% | $10,051 | 40% | $55,563 | |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 75% | $11,900 | 46% | $64,270 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Colorado Colorado Springs would cost you $685 more per year than Colorado Mesa University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Colorado Colorado Springs, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,525).
- Colorado Mesa University gives aided families $136 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Colorado resident | UCCS | Colorado Mesa University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,149 | $9,927 | +$222 |
| Books & supplies | $1,400 | $1,800 | −$400 |
| Housing & meals | $12,278 | $11,760 | +$518 |
| Personal & travel | $4,800 | $3,275 | +$1,525 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,032 | −$2,716 | −$1,316 |
| Sticker price | $24,595 | $24,046 | +$549 |
| Average grants | −$8,807 | −$8,943 | +$136 |
| You pay | $15,788 | $15,103 | +$685 |
“+” means UCCS 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 UCCS
What is the UCCS acceptance rate?
University of Colorado Colorado Springs accepts 97% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 12,653 of 13,103 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1010–1220 on the SAT or 20–26 on the ACT.
How much does University of Colorado Colorado Springs cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,595 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,788 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,065 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,142.
How much do UCCS graduates earn?
Former University of Colorado Colorado Springs students earn a median $54,659 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the UCCS graduation rate?
47% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 68% return for their second year.
How long does a UCCS degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Colorado Colorado Springs costs about $53,984 after grants ($12,104 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $54,659 ten years after starting, $14,049 more than high school graduates in Colorado ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 3.8 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: “University of Colorado Colorado Springs: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-colorado-colorado-springs (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).