More selective than 6% 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 $25,736. College Scorecard.
Higher than 62% of Colorado colleges we cover and 43% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 48% of Colorado colleges we cover and 31% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Western Colorado University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,283 applicants, Western Colorado University admitted 3,200 and 423 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1163–1353 on the SAT or 22–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Western Colorado 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 Western Colorado University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Western Colorado 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 | $11,490 | $51,245 | 8.2 years |
| $30–48k | $10,868 | $48,471 | 7.8 years |
| $48–75k | $13,908 | $62,030 | 10.0 years |
| $75–110k | $16,928 | $75,499 | 12.1 years |
| $110k+ | $21,396 | $95,426 | 15.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (32% 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 ($46,833) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,223 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.
Western Colorado University majors, earnings & careers
Western Colorado University offers 26 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Arts & Design · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at Western Colorado University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $63,922 | — |
| Business Administration | $61,876 | $24,000 |
| Sociology | $57,359 | — |
| Biology | $50,954 | $23,973 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $49,170 | $21,612 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $48,109 | $19,507 |
| Communications | $47,426 | $23,500 |
| Psychology | $47,401 | $26,000 |
Quick list of all 26 majors
- Accounting$63,922
- Anthropology—
- Biology$50,954
- Business / Corporate Communications—
- Business Administration$61,876
- Chemistry—
- Communications$47,426
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Programming—
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- English$39,414
- Environmental Science / Conservation$49,170
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$40,636
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies$48,109
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$47,401
- Sociology$57,359
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$39,865
— 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
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Gunnison
2 bedrooms $1,437.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 13 inches of rain a year, 46 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Gunnison County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Gunnison County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Western Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Colorado University | 100% | $16,425 | 51% | $46,833 | This school |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | 95% | $10,051 | 40% | $55,563 | |
| University of Northern Colorado | 86% | $17,760 | 51% | $52,231 | |
| Fort Lewis College | 77% | $17,296 | 36% | $46,349 | |
| Trinidad State College | — | $10,772 | 55% | $36,475 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Western Colorado University would cost you $6,374 more per year than Colorado State University Pueblo, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Western Colorado University, mostly from more Colorado State University Pueblo students living at home, which lowers its average (+$2,927).
- Colorado State University Pueblo gives aided families $4,575 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Colorado resident | Western Colorado University | Colorado State University Pueblo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,318 | $9,720 | +$1,598 |
| Books & supplies | $1,350 | $1,460 | −$110 |
| Housing & meals | $10,442 | $11,596 | −$1,154 |
| Personal & travel | $3,276 | $4,738 | −$1,462 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$650 | −$3,577 | +$2,927 |
| Sticker price | $25,736 | $23,937 | +$1,799 |
| Average grants | −$9,311 | −$13,886 | +$4,575 |
| You pay | $16,425 | $10,051 | +$6,374 |
“+” means Western Colorado 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 Western Colorado University
What is the Western Colorado University acceptance rate?
Western Colorado University accepts 100% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,200 of 3,283 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1163–1353 on the SAT or 22–26 on the ACT.
How much does Western Colorado University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,736 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,425 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,490 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,396.
How much do Western Colorado University graduates earn?
Former Western Colorado University students earn a median $46,833 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Western Colorado University graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year.
How long does a Western Colorado University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Western Colorado University costs about $62,030 after grants ($13,908 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $46,833 ten years after starting, $6,223 more than high school graduates in Colorado ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 10.0 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: “Western Colorado University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-colorado-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).