Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Colorado State University-Fort Collins — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Colorado State University-Fort Collins at a Glance
Colorado State University is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. It was founded in 1870 as Colorado Agricultural College and assumed its current name in 1957. In 2024, enrollment was approximately 34,000 students, including resident and non-resident instruction students. The university has approximately 1,500 faculty in 8 colleges and 55 academic departments.
1870
156 years old
$668M
$667.5 million (2025)
34,412
26,839 undergrad · 6,862 grad
1,468
4,773 acres
Identity
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins Worth It?
Colorado State University-Fort Collins offers moderate value at $21,279/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $60,543, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.4 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
The 67% graduation rate means roughly 33% of students leave without a degree — taking on debt without the earnings boost that completion brings.
How Colorado State University-Fort Collins compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #51 of 75 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California State University-San Bernardino | 100 | $4,564 | $59,977 |
| #2 | California State University-Fresno | 100 | $7,000 | $61,244 |
| #3 | California State University-Fullerton | 100 | $6,555 | $62,951 |
| #4 | California State University-Los Angeles | 100 | $3,967 | $59,211 |
| #5 | California State University-Northridge | 100 | $7,021 | $59,115 |
| #6 | Foothill College | 100 | $7,653 | $57,072 |
| #51 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 47 | $21,279 | $60,543 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Colorado State University-Fort Collins's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 1 in CO.
Best Programs at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
The highest-earning program at Colorado State University-Fort Collins is Computer and Information Sciences, General at $71,700/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is International/Global Studies at $21,800/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer and Information Sciences, General graduate from Colorado State University-Fort Collins earns $71,700, while a International/Global Studies graduate earns $21,800. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates carry $23,426 in median debt vs. $19,500 for International/Global Studies.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $21,279/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $71,700 | $71,700 | $23,426 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $67,700 | $67,700 | $26,983 |
| Construction Engineering Technologies | $67,200 | $67,200 | $21,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $63,000 | $63,000 | $29,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $62,200 | $62,200 | $25,500 |
| Information Science/Studies | $61,100 | $61,100 | $23,250 |
| Civil Engineering | $58,500 | $58,500 | $24,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $49,900 | $49,900 | $24,750 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $46,000 | $46,000 | N/A |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $44,600 | $44,600 | $19,250 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $41,500 | $41,500 | $17,750 |
| Soil Sciences | $39,100 | $39,100 | $15,097 |
| Economics | $38,100 | $38,100 | $19,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $36,600 | $36,600 | $24,193 |
| Natural Resources Management and Policy | $36,100 | $36,100 | $22,000 |
| Mathematics | $36,000 | $36,000 | $21,500 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | $35,700 | $35,700 | N/A |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $35,600 | $35,600 | $22,250 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $34,800 | $34,800 | $25,426 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $34,400 | $34,400 | $22,473 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $34,300 | $34,300 | $20,344 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $34,100 | $34,100 | $23,250 |
| Social Work | $33,700 | $33,700 | $20,632 |
| Animal Sciences | $32,200 | $32,200 | $18,063 |
| Forestry | $32,200 | $32,200 | $23,823 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $32,200 | $32,200 | $20,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $31,800 | $31,800 | $22,250 |
| Sociology | $31,500 | $31,500 | $19,523 |
| Journalism | $30,500 | $30,500 | $19,500 |
| Psychology, General | $29,200 | $29,200 | $21,500 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $28,900 | $28,900 | $21,250 |
| Music | $28,800 | $28,800 | $23,750 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $28,500 | $28,500 | $21,500 |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management | $28,400 | $28,400 | $21,251 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $28,100 | $28,100 | $21,000 |
| Biology, General | $28,000 | $28,000 | $21,500 |
| Political Science and Government | $27,800 | $27,800 | $20,400 |
| History | $27,800 | $27,800 | $21,250 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $27,700 | $27,700 | $19,675 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $27,500 | $27,500 | $23,250 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | $27,100 | $27,100 | $22,250 |
| Plant Sciences | $26,700 | $26,700 | $24,410 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $26,100 | $26,100 | $23,000 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $25,400 | $25,400 | $20,000 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $24,700 | $24,700 | $21,914 |
| Anthropology | $24,700 | $24,700 | $24,399 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $24,500 | $24,500 | $21,582 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $22,800 | $22,800 | $22,076 |
| International/Global Studies | $21,800 | $21,800 | $19,500 |
Similar Colleges in CO
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Fort Collins, CO
- Student Body
- 25,538 students
- Admission Rate
- 89%
- Graduation Rate
- 67%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $21,279
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $60,543
- Median Student Debt
- $20,000