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Alamosa, CO · Gunnison, CO
| Adams State University | Western Colorado University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $12,980/yr | $16,425/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $9,947/yr | $11,490/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,500 | $20,250 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $10,392/yr | $10,868/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,921/yr | $13,908/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $15,787/yr | $16,928/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $20,274/yr | $21,396/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $207/mo | $215/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $9,820/yr | $10,760/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $16,785/yr | $16,785/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,920/yr | $1,350/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,790/yr | $3,294/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $24,352/yr | $25,736/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $9,824/yr | $11,318/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $21,944/yr | $24,434/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 38% | 12% |
| Students taking federal loans | 33% | 20% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | No data reported | 100% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1163–1353 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1230 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 22–26 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 21–27 · Math 20–24 |
| Admissions data from | No data reported | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | No data reported | 3,283 |
| Students accepted | No data reported | 3,200 |
| Students who enrolled | No data reported | 423 |
| Accepted students who enroll | No data reported | 13% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 29% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 10% |
| High-school GPA | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| High-school transcript | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Essay | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | No data reported | Required |
| Other admission tests | No data reported | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 39% | 51% |
| Freshmen who come back | 51% | 72% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $44,372/yr | $46,833/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $28,262–$64,019 | $32,806–$66,361 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 42% | 47% |
| White students graduating | 46% | 51% |
| Black students graduating | 20% | 64% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 36% | 44% |
| Asian students graduating | 67% | 25% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $38,338/yr | $40,037/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 63% | 67% |
| Graduate on time | 20% | 35% |
| Pell students who graduate | 33% | 44% |
| First-gen students who finish | 26% | 47% |
| Low-income students who finish | 23% | 48% |
| Students who transfer out | 37% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $43,072/yr | $43,861/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 30% · Business, Management & Marketing 24% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 10% | Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 30% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 24% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 10% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Social Sciences — 10% of degrees | Social Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Psychology — 5% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $70,926/yr | Economics — $53,403/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 8.7% | 22% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,250 | 1,586 |
| Students per professor | 14 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,296 | 420 |
| Average professor pay | $7,123/mo | $7,628/mo |
| Full-time professors | 50% | 68% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $31,933 | $61,406 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | Town (remote) |
| Location | Alamosa, CO | Gunnison, CO |
| Region | Rocky Mountains | Rocky Mountains |
| Founded | 1921 | 1901 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Men | 57% | 57% |
| Women | 43% | 43% |
| White students | 41% | 76% |
| Black students | 9.1% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 33% | 11% |
| Asian students | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Two or more races | 4.5% | 3.9% |
| Other / not reported | 10% | 3.6% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 42% | 25% |
| Part-time students | 27% | 9.6% |
| Students age 25+ | 15% | 7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $9,349/yr | $14,568/yr |
| Endowment | $57,169 | $9.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 950 | 1,263 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $4,113/yr | $5,304/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,440/yr | $5,183/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division II with football | NCAA Division II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 16 | 9 |
| Student athletes | 671 | 460 |
| Athletic scholarships | $2.3M | $2.3M |
| Athletics budget | $7.6M | $8.4M |
| Athletics revenue | $7.6M | $8.4M |
| Recruiting spend | $54,335 | $108,799 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.