Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Adams State University #725 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,469 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 68.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Adams State University #1298 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions — reflecting strong outcomes for its broad-access student population. --- Adams State University's composite ranking reflects balanced performance across access, mobility, and affordability pillars. The institution serves a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students while delivering meaningful economic mobility outcomes.
Azimuth ranks Adams State University #725 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public master's university in Alamosa, Colorado, Adams State University enrolls roughly 1,250 undergraduates. Retention stands at 50.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 39.4%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a regional public institution. Adams State University serves a student population with substantial economic diversity. 37.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 41.5% are first-generation college students, positioning the university as an access-oriented institution. Azimuth ranks Adams State University #1180 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,469 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Adams State University in the 68.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The composite reflects a balanced profile across access and outcomes. Adams State University sits in the 82.2 percentile for access and the 12.2 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, while affordability ranks in the 85.1 percentile. As a regional public master's institution with strength in Business, Adams State University offers a pathway to solid long-term financial outcomes for students seeking an affordable, accessible option in the Rocky Mountain region.
Adams State University's published cost of attendance is $24,352. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $9,947, middle-income families pay around $11,921, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,274. Azimuth ranks Adams State University #213 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Adams State's affordability profile reflects its public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach. The university participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, with need-based scholarships available to qualifying students. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,058; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $52,621, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, four-year earnings of $42,754 would shift the real affordability picture — a pattern worth exploring at the program level rather than the institutional average. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning and repayment-mode guidance — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Adams State University is a strong fit for students seeking a public university experience in CO with a focus on Business programs, particularly those interested in regional career pathways. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,621, placing Adams State University in the 12.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,469 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 68.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university serves a substantial population of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 37.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 41.5% are first-generation. These figures track CO's regional labor market and represent meaningful returns relative to the state's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $37,571. Fit depends on program alignment — the strongest outcomes cluster in Business fields, which represent 39% of degree output. Students whose interests align with these areas will find the most direct career pathways.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Adams State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
14 graduates
Biology, General
15 graduates
Business/Commerce, General
123 graduates
Sociology
25 graduates
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
29 graduates
Adams State University's program mix is anchored in business, education, and applied professional fields—a portfolio reflecting the institution's regional public-university identity in Colorado's San Luis Valley. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 123 graduates, followed by General Studies, Kinesiology, Sociology, and Biology, General.
Across 13 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with strength concentrated in applied business and workforce-aligned fields. The earnings pattern reflects practical, career-focused program design.
Nursing leads with median earnings of $78,402 four years after enrollment among 14 graduates, followed by Biology, General with $56,467 and Business/Commerce, General with $51,111. Kinesiology and General Studies round out the highest-earning cohort.
The institution's dominant concentration in Business aligns with regional labor-market demand, where business and management fields support stable employment pathways in Colorado's growing professional services sector. Several of these programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the regional and national workforce directly—particularly in accounting, business administration, and applied management fields.
Others, including education and psychology, serve local and regional workforce needs where graduates often remain in Colorado communities. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Adams State University's dominant program families align with broader labor-market trends and regional economic opportunity.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Adams State University's published cost of attendance is $24,352. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $9,947, middle-income families pay around $11,921, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,274.
Azimuth ranks Adams State University #213 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Adams State's affordability profile reflects its public-tuition structure and need-based aid reach. The university participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, with need-based scholarships available to qualifying students.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,058; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For the typical graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $52,621, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment.
In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, four-year earnings of $42,754 would shift the real affordability picture — a pattern worth exploring at the program level rather than the institutional average. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning and repayment-mode guidance — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Adams State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,621, placing Adams State University in the 12.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,469 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Adams State University in the 68.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Adams State University #1180 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Adams State's business-focused program portfolio.
Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 123 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $51,111, representing 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. The General Studies program graduates 37 students earning $41,809, while Kinesiology and Sociology round out the institution's core offerings.
The Biology, General program graduates 15 students with median 4-year earnings of $56,467. These programs anchor Adams State's return profile and reflect the institution's concentration in Business fields, which drive consistent outcomes for graduates entering Colorado's regional labor market.
