97.4%
Acceptance Rate
$10,149
Avg Cost (In-State)
$24,336
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
46.1%
Graduation Rate
8,697
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
August 1
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$50
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essays required for standard admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$30,406
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$37,180
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
18%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $43,326 | $66,553 | 375 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $71,864 | $78,904 | 289 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $37,002 | $50,692 | 190 |
| Biology, General. | $32,374 | $54,639 | 134 |
| Psychology, General. | $34,607 | $48,725 | 126 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | $42,199 | $53,198 | 122 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $70,440 | $91,192 | 120 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $40,198 | $46,244 | 88 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Colorado Student Grant
Varies (need-based)
stateCO residents with financial need attending CO postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: Apply via FAFSA + school
Learn more ↗Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF)
Stipend per credit hour at CO publics
stateCO undergrads at CO public institutions; reduces tuition on per-credit basis. Must apply once at start of college.
Deadline: Apply once during admissions
Learn more ↗CO Veterans Tuition Assistance
In-state tuition + fees at CO publics
stateCO veterans + dependents per state Veteran Tuition Assistance Program.
Deadline: Through institution
Learn more ↗Colorado State University Honors Scholarship
$2,000-$8,000/year
universityTop CSU freshmen admitted to Honors program.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗U Colorado Boulder Esteemed Scholar Award
$1,000-$5,000/year
universityTop CU Boulder freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: November 15
Learn more ↗Colorado School of Mines Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityTop Mines freshmen via competitive process; STEM emphasis.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗U Denver Daniel L. Ritchie Scholarship
Full tuition + leadership programming
universityTop DU incoming freshmen via competitive Ritchie School scholarship process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Colorado Promise Scholarship (CC Free)
Tuition-free CC for households under $90k
stateCO residents with household income under $90,000 enrolling at a CO community college.
Deadline: FAFSA + COF
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $12,065 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $11,642 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $12,104 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $18,388 |
| $110,001+ | $22,142 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for University of Colorado Colorado Springs →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 97.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
97.35%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
27.3%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
31.3%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
26.9%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
68.4%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
46.9%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
97.4% acceptance
Both admit around 97% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL
97.5% acceptance
Both admit around 98% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY
96.9% acceptance
Both admit around 97% of applicants, with 8k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Atlanta, GA
90.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (91% vs 97%) but out-of-state cost runs $10k — meaningfully less than $24k.
Austin Community College
Austin, TX
100% acceptance
Similar selectivity (100% vs 97%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $24k.
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
99.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (99% vs 97%) but out-of-state cost runs $12k — meaningfully less than $24k.
Reaches above this college
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the region, but more selective (57% vs 97%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Colorado Springs is already on your list.
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
33% acceptance
Same s setting in the West, but more selective (33% vs 97%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Colorado Springs is already on your list.
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
28.6% acceptance
Same s setting in the West, but more selective (29% vs 97%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Colorado Springs is already on your list.
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