Colorado State University Pueblo
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado- Graduation Rate
- 39% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $55,563 B
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $10,051 B
- 41% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 95% D
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 38.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $38.7 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado.
Every $1 spent returns $38.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,514,953.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 36% above the national college median.
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Graduation of 39% — 32% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $38.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Colorado State University Pueblo Matters
Colorado State University Pueblo is a public university in Pueblo, CO and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 3,042
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Social Sciences
Why students choose Colorado State University Pueblo
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 95% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $10,051 a year after grants and scholarships — 41% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $55,563 ten years after enrolling — 36% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.42 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Colorado State University Pueblo has an acceptance rate of 95%, making it accessible to a wide range of students. This open-door policy allows many to pursue higher education, even if they face academic challenges in their past.
According to Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, specific mobility metrics for CSU Pueblo are not available. However, the overall graduation rate stands at 39%, indicating that students may encounter hurdles on their way to earning a degree. This figure suggests that while many students are able to enroll, a significant number may struggle to complete their programs.
Financially, attending CSU Pueblo is relatively affordable, with a net price of $10,051 and a median debt of $21,500. Graduates earn an average of $55,563 ten years after enrollment. This school might be a good fit for students seeking a supportive environment, especially those interested in fields like health professions, business, or psychology.
Rankings
- #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado
- #8 Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado
- #9 Best Computer Science Colleges in Colorado
- #9 Best Data Science Colleges in Colorado
- #13 Best Biology Colleges in Colorado
- #14 Best Bachelor's Programs in Colorado
- #14 Best Business Colleges in Colorado
- #15 Best Psychology Colleges in Colorado
Can I Get In?
How selective Colorado State University Pueblo is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Colorado State University Pueblo? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Colorado State University Pueblo, located in Pueblo, Colorado, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,120. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Retention Rate
- 64%
- SAT Average
- 1120
- ACT Midpoint
- 22
- ACT Range
- 19–26
- Full-Time Faculty
- 55%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,216
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- First-Gen Students
- 41%
- Applicants
- 1,572
- Admitted
- 1,553
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Colorado State University Pueblo? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Colorado State University Pueblo is $17,944, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,051. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,374 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $9,720
- Out-of-State
- $17,944
- Avg Net Price
- $10,051
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 29%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 23%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,374
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,948
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,961
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,858
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Colorado State University Pueblo — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Colorado State University Pueblo Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Colorado State University Pueblo earn a median of $55,563, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $43,053
- 8 Years
- $51,258
- 10 Years
- $55,563
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.39x
- Earning > $25K
- 64%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (171)
- 19%
- 100% (171)
- 19%
- 100% (171)
- 19%
- 100% (171)
- 19%
How Colorado Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Colorado State University Pueblo Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Colorado State University Pueblo delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,051/year ($40,204 total). Graduates earn $55,563 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,555,157 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,514,953 (38.7× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 39% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $40,204
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,555,157
- Net Return
- $1,514,953
- ROI Multiple
- 38.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $10,051
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 39%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-673,289
Top Programs
The fields Colorado State University Pueblo awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 21% $72,440 early-career
- Business & Marketing 19% $52,389 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 13% $52,229 early-career
- Social Sciences 8% $41,912 early-career
- Psychology 6% $31,636 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 4% $37,849 early-career
- Humanities 3% $32,782 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 3% $32,647 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Colorado State University Pueblo's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Colorado State University Pueblo? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Colorado State University Pueblo, located in Pueblo, Colorado, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,120. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Colorado State University Pueblo? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Colorado State University Pueblo is $17,944, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,051. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,374 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
Is Colorado State University Pueblo Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Colorado State University Pueblo earn a median of $55,563, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is Colorado State University Pueblo? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Colorado State University Pueblo. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Colorado State University Pueblo.
- Midwestern State UniversityWichita Falls, TX · Close peer42% grad $55,747 earn 94% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- The University of Texas Permian BasinOdessa, TX · Close peer42% grad $56,073 earn 95% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Hawaii-West OahuKapolei, HI · Close peer48% grad $52,075 earn 95% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Texas A&M University-VictoriaVictoria, TX · Close peer26% grad $54,467 earn 96% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity
- Saint Xavier UniversityChicago, IL · Close peer58% grad $58,656 earn 84% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Saint Cloud State UniversitySaint Cloud, MN · Close peer44% grad $55,813 earn 95% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Colorado State University Pueblo? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Colorado State University Pueblo. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note