Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Colorado State University-Fort Collins #204 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,911, placing Colorado State University-Fort Collins in the 71.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #38 nationally for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $114,076 — a program-level anchor for Colorado State University-Fort Collins's broad academic profile. Colorado State University-Fort Collins delivers strong graduate earnings and a high-return program signature that place it well above the midpoint among nonprofit four-year institutions on Azimuth's composite. The university's median 4-year earnings reflect consistent outcomes across a broad program mix, anchored by a nationally ranked program that drives meaningful financial returns for graduates.
Azimuth ranks Colorado State University-Fort Collins #204 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Fort Collins, CO, Colorado State University-Fort Collins enrolls roughly 25,538 undergraduates. Retention stands at 85.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 66.5%, reflecting solid degree completion relative to the broader national landscape. The composite is shaped by a balance of strengths rather than a single dominant pillar. Colorado State University-Fort Collins sits in the 93.0 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, meaning low-income graduates convert access into meaningful earnings gains at rates that outpace most comparable institutions. Colorado State University-Fort Collins sits in the 68.6 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $2,823 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Colorado State University-Fort Collins in the 69.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program family is Biological Sciences, which anchors a broad academic portfolio spanning health, business, and engineering fields. Access and affordability round out the profile. Colorado State University-Fort Collins admits about 88.5% of applicants, and 21.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants while 24.2% are first-generation college students — figures that reflect a broad-access admissions posture typical of large public research universities. Colorado State University-Fort Collins sits in the 63.6 percentile for access and the 50.9 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, positioning the university as a reasonably accessible and cost-competitive option within CO's public higher-education landscape.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins lists a published cost of attendance of $31,642, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $13,259, while middle-income families pay around $15,905, and higher-income families pay approximately $29,763. Azimuth ranks Colorado State University-Fort Collins #700 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. Colorado State participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the gap between sticker price and net price is meaningful for lower-income families — a pattern worth examining carefully, since published costs and actual costs can differ substantially. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and both Pell Grants and institutional scholarships contribute to reducing out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $36,000; 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 a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $67,911, median federal debt of $20,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $226 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins is a strong fit for students drawn to the biological sciences, natural resources, agriculture, and related applied fields who want a public research university experience in CO with solid long-term financial outcomes. Graduates earn in the 71.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Colorado State University-Fort Collins sits in the 69.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $2,823 more than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions. The access profile is broad: 21.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 24.2% are first-generation students, with a Pell completion rate of 64.2% — a signal that Colorado State University-Fort Collins supports students from a range of economic backgrounds through to graduation. The admission rate of 88.5% makes the university broadly accessible to most qualified applicants, and median student debt at graduation is $20,000. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio is concentrated in Biological Sciences and related life-science and environmental fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes. Students seeking a heavily STEM-professional or business-dominant program mix may find a stronger match elsewhere.
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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
189 graduates
Information Science/Studies
13 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
67 graduates
Fire Protection
8 graduates
Chemical Engineering
75 graduates
Colorado State University-Fort Collins's program mix is anchored in Biological Sciences, consistent with the university's land-grant research identity, but the degree portfolio extends well beyond the life sciences. Business accounts for 13% of graduates, Engineering for 10%, and Social Sciences for 9% — a broad distribution that balances applied professional fields with foundational sciences.
Across 68 programs serving roughly 5,383 students annually, 45 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, and the strongest financial outcomes cluster in construction management, nursing, and engineering subfields rather than in the biological sciences that dominate enrollment. The highest four-year earnings belong to Artificial Intelligence, where 189 graduates earn median earnings of $114,076 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks the program #38 nationally [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician follows with median earnings of $94,921 and a national rank of #17, and the The Mechanical Engineering program graduates 179 students into median earnings of $94,260, ranking #68 nationally. By contrast, the largest programs by cohort — Business Administration (651 graduates) and Biology, General (318 graduates) — produce more moderate early-career earnings, a gap that reflects the difference between high-demand applied fields and foundational disciplines where many graduates continue to graduate or professional school.
That distinction matters for prospective students weighing major choice. Business Administration and Communication and Media Studies are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly at median earnings of $79,256 and $61,434 respectively, while programs like Business Administration and Psychology, General are more often grad-school-dependent — four-year earnings undercount the lifetime trajectory for students who continue to medical school, veterinary programs, or doctoral study.
The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how Colorado State University-Fort Collins's strongest program families align with national labor-market demand. ```
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan State University Of Denver Similar quality tier in West (#5418 ranked) | CO | 99% | $52,093 | #5418 | Compare |
East Texas A&M University Similar quality tier (#5423 ranked) | TX | 92% | $50,296 | #5423 | Compare |
University Of North Florida Similar quality tier (#5427 ranked) | FL | 53% | $56,343 | #5427 | Compare |
University Of West Florida Similar quality tier (#4903 ranked) | FL | 58% | $49,137 | #4903 | Compare |
Iowa State University Similar quality tier (#4896 ranked) | IA | 89% | $63,386 | #4896 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins lists a published cost of attendance of $31,642, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $13,259, while middle-income families pay around $15,905, and higher-income families pay approximately $29,763.
Azimuth ranks Colorado State University-Fort Collins #700 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.
Colorado State participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the gap between sticker price and net price is meaningful for lower-income families — a pattern worth examining carefully, since [published costs and actual costs can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and both Pell Grants and institutional scholarships contribute to reducing out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $36,000; 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 a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $67,911, median federal debt of $20,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $226 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn median earnings of $67,911 four years after enrollment, placing Colorado State University-Fort Collins in the 71.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn about $2,823 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 69.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to CO's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $37,571 (the state median earnings of working adults without a college credential).
While institution-level earnings track CO's regional labor market, specific programs deliver materially stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #38 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning median earnings of $114,076 — 1.24x the national benchmark for the field.
Business Administration is the largest program with 651 graduates earning median earnings of $79,256, and Azimuth ranks it #54 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Biology, General program graduates 318 students with median earnings of $60,981, ranking #137 nationally.
The degree mix leans toward Biological Sciences, which accounts for 13% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 10% and Social Sciences at 9% — a composition that helps explain why median earnings cluster closer to applied-science and life-science salary bands rather than higher-paying engineering or computing fields.
