Adams State University
Adams State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Adams State University Featured Rankings
- #7 Best Small Colleges in Colorado 2026
- #8 Most Affordable Online PhDs in Psychology
- #9 Best Grad Schools in Colorado 2026
- #9 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees
- #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Colorado 2026
- #13 Most Affordable Online PhD in Counseling Doctorate Programs 2026
- #14 Best Public Colleges in Colorado
- #14 Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado
- #19 Best Colleges in Colorado
About Adams State University
According to Wikipedia, Adams State University is a public university in Alamosa, Colorado. The university's Adams State Grizzlies athletic teams compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. History Adams State was founded in 1921 as a teacher's college. Billy Adams, a Colorado legislator who would later become a three-term governor of Colorado, worked for three decades before obtaining the authorization to found Adams State Normal School in 1921, to provide higher education opportunities for teachers from remote and rural areas of Colorado, such as the San Luis Valley, and see them work in those same areas. In 1926, Harriet Dalzell Hester became the university's first graduate. She became the school's first librarian and an Alamosa County school superintendent. The school adopted the name Adams State College in 1946, corresponding with the expansion of its undergraduate and graduate programs.
Adams State University's Online Degrees
MA in Sport Management
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 2 years
- Format: Fully online
MS in Coaching
- Required Credits: 36
- Completion Time: 18 months
- Format: Fully online
MA in Curriculum And Instruction
Degree Concentrations
- Post Baccalaureate Initial Teacher License
- Format: Fully online
MA in Educational Leadership
Degree Concentrations
- Principal Licensure
- Format: Fully online
MS in Higher Education Administration And Leadership
- Format: Fully online
MA in Teacher Education
Degree Concentrations
- Curriculum And Instruction
- Curriculum And Instruction With Endeavor Stem Certificate
- Format: Fully online
MA in Culturally And Linguistically Diverse
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
MA in Humanities
Degree Concentrations
- Cultural Resource Management
- Public Administration
- Us History
- Format: Fully online
Adams State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| 51% | 37% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Adams State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,968 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $6,414 |
| 30K - 48K | $4,946 |
| 48K - 75K | $9,013 |
| 75K - 110K | $7,757 |
| 110K+ | $16,701 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Adams State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Adams State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $51,295 a year, and 90% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Adams State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 3,852 | 2,053 | 1,799 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Adams State University?
Adams State University is located at 208 Edgemont Blvd, Alamosa, CO 81101.
How Safe is Adams State University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Adams State University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Adams State University has a violent crime rate of 0.14% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Alamosa has a violent crime rate of 0.98% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 4.82%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Adams State University Known For?
Adams State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Nursing
- Earth Sciences
- History
- Psychology
- Education
- Medical
- Political Science
- Literature
- Biology
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Business
Adams State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Adams State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Adams State University ranks #620 in the U.S. and #2120 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesAdams State University ranks #648 in the U.S. and #3074 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesAdams State University ranks #1062 in the U.S. and #2714 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesAdams State University ranks #1077 in the U.S. and #3969 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesAdams State University ranks #1166 in the U.S. and #3736 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesAdams State University ranks #1274 in the U.S. and #3340 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesAdams State University ranks #1638 in the U.S. and #6420 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesAdams State University ranks #1676 in the U.S. and #5763 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesAdams State University ranks #1904 in the U.S. and #8023 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesAdams State University ranks #1977 in the U.S. and #6181 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesAdams State University ranks #2090 in the U.S. and #8379 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesAdams State University ranks #2130 in the U.S. and #7912 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesAdams State University ranks #2179 in the U.S. and #7963 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesAdams State University ranks #2272 in the U.S. and #8137 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesWho Are Adams State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Adams State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Sociology, Nursing, and Physics. Here are some of Adams State University's most famous alumni:
