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Compare Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design vs Western Colorado University

Lakewood, CO · Gunnison, CO

Rocky Mountain College of Art and DesignWestern Colorado University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$32,363/yr$16,425/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$29,847/yr$11,490/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$31,000$20,250
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$29,351/yr$10,868/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$32,387/yr$13,908/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$36,040/yr$16,928/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$36,201/yr$21,396/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$329/mo$215/mo
Room & board (on campus)No data reported$10,760/yr
Room & board (off campus)$21,944/yr$16,785/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,460/yr$1,350/yr
Other living costs (on campus)No data reported$3,294/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$37,505/yr$25,736/yr
Tuition (in-state)$20,190/yr$11,318/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$20,190/yr$24,434/yr
Students with Pell Grants48%12%
Students taking federal loans60%20%
Getting in
Students who get acceptedNo data reported100%
SAT range (middle 50%)No data reported1163–1353
SAT averageNo data reported1230
ACT range (middle 50%)No data reported22–26
ACT sections (middle 50%)No data reportedEnglish 21–27 · Math 20–24
Admissions data fromNo data reportedFall 2023
Applications receivedNo data reported3,283
Students acceptedNo data reported3,200
Students who enrolledNo data reported423
Accepted students who enrollNo data reported13%
Enrolled who sent SAT scoresNo data reported29%
Enrolled who sent ACT scoresNo data reported10%
High-school GPANo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
High-school transcriptNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
EssayNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
Recommendation lettersNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
Class rankNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
College-prep programNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
Work experienceNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testNo data reportedRequired
Other admission testsNo data reportedNot considered
Legacy consideredNo data reportedOptional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOpen admission (everyone qualified gets in)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate32%51%
Freshmen who come back54%72%
Typical earnings 10 years in$42,958/yr$46,833/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$22,213–$64,437$32,806–$66,361
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)39%47%
White students graduating37%51%
Black students graduating18%64%
Hispanic students graduating22%44%
Asian students graduatingNo data reported25%
Typical earnings 6 years in$30,280/yr$40,037/yr
Earn more than a HS grad58%67%
Graduate on time24%35%
Pell students who graduate18%44%
First-gen students who finish24%47%
Low-income students who finish18%48%
Typical earnings 8 years in$37,813/yr$43,861/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsVisual & Performing Arts 70% · Communications Technologies 18% · Computer & Information Sciences 8%Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10%
Most popular programVisual & Performing Arts — 70% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees
2nd most popular programCommunications Technologies — 18% of degreesParks, Recreation & Fitness — 13% of degrees
3rd most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 8% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees
4th most popular programEducation — 4% of degreesSocial Sciences — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programNo data reportedComputer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Computer Software and Media Applications — $37,268/yrEconomics — $53,403/yr
Degrees in STEM8.1%22%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment2,0501,586
Students per professor13 : 117 : 1
Graduate studentsNo data reported420
Average professor pay$5,588/mo$7,628/mo
Full-time professors28%68%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$28,600$61,406
SettingSuburb (large)Town (remote)
LocationLakewood, COGunnison, CO
RegionRocky MountainsRocky Mountains
Founded19631901
Public or privateFor-profitPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationBaccalaureate Colleges: Diverse FieldsMaster's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.1%1.3%
Men24%57%
Women76%43%
White students54%76%
Black students14%3.2%
Hispanic or Latino students16%11%
Asian students2.8%1.2%
Two or more races5.7%3.9%
Other / not reported7.7%3.6%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students34%25%
Part-time students47%9.6%
Students age 25+43%7%
Spent on teaching per student$5,374/yr$14,568/yr
EndowmentNo data reported$9.5M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingNo — no campus housingYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housingNo data reported1,263
Required to live on campusNo data reportedNo
Room charge (campus housing)No data reported$5,304/yr
Meal plan chargeNo data reported$5,183/yr
Meal plan offeredNoYes
Meals per weekNo data reportedVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadNoYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceNoNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingNoYes
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data fromNo data reported2024-25
College sports levelNo intercollegiate athletics reportedNCAA Division II with football
Football teamNo data reportedYes
Varsity teamsNo data reported9
Student athletesNo data reported460
Athletic scholarshipsNo data reported$2.3M
Athletics budgetNo data reported$8.4M
Athletics revenueNo data reported$8.4M
Recruiting spendNo data reported$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, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.