Colorado State University
Colorado 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
Colorado State University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Public Colleges in Colorado
- #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado
- #3 Best Research Universities in Colorado 2026
- #3 Best Colleges in Colorado
- #3 Best Grad Schools in Colorado 2026
- #3 Colorado's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #3 Colorado's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #4 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #5 Online Colleges That Start Anytime
- #5 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs
- #6 Best Online MBAs Colorado
- #11 Most Affordable Online Sociology Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs)
- #15 Online Bachelor's in Construction Management
- #24 The 50 Best No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs
About Colorado State University
According to Wikipedia, Colorado State University is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". It was founded in 1870 as Colorado Agricultural College, and in 1935 was renamed the Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1957, the Colorado General Assembly approved its current name, Colorado State University.
Colorado State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36,612 | 89% | 86% | 68% |
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 Colorado State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $13,774 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $12,291 |
| 30K - 48K | $12,331 |
| 48K - 75K | $16,009 |
| 75K - 110K | $21,777 |
| 110K+ | $32,378 |
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 Colorado State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Colorado State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $66,947 a year, and 93% 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.
Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 37,218 | 28,050 | 9,168 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Colorado State University?
Colorado State University is located at 102 Administration Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0100.
How Safe is Colorado State University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Colorado 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, Colorado State University has a violent crime rate of 0.08% and a property crime rate of 0.06%. Fort Collins has a violent crime rate of 0.28% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 2.18%. 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 Colorado State University Known For?
Colorado State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Earth Sciences
- Biology
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Philosophy
- Business
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Medical
- Political Science
- Education
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- History
- Anthropology
- Criminal Justice
- Literature
- Communications
- Psychology
- Social Work
Colorado State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Colorado 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
Colorado State University ranks #41 in the U.S. and #164 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesColorado State University ranks #86 in the U.S. and #258 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesColorado State University ranks #102 in the U.S. and #400 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesColorado State University ranks #115 in the U.S. and #520 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesColorado State University ranks #118 in the U.S. and #498 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesColorado State University ranks #128 in the U.S. and #406 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesColorado State University ranks #154 in the U.S. and #472 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesColorado State University ranks #156 in the U.S. and #578 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesColorado State University ranks #157 in the U.S. and #656 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesColorado State University ranks #160 in the U.S. and #502 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesColorado State University ranks #171 in the U.S. and #673 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesColorado State University ranks #188 in the U.S. and #727 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesColorado State University ranks #190 in the U.S. and #712 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesColorado State University ranks #195 in the U.S. and #743 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesColorado State University ranks #197 in the U.S. and #571 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesColorado State University ranks #204 in the U.S. and #628 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesColorado State University ranks #228 in the U.S. and #400 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesColorado State University ranks #241 in the U.S. and #699 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesColorado State University ranks #279 in the U.S. and #1009 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesColorado State University ranks #306 in the U.S. and #760 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesColorado State University ranks #342 in the U.S. and #838 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWho Are Colorado State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Colorado State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Earth Sciences, Biology, and Criminal Justice. Here are some of Colorado State University's most famous alumni:
- Jean Bethke Elshtain
- An American ethicist, political philosopher, and public intellectual.
- Steve Hanke
- An American neoliberal economist.
- Yusef Komunyakaa
- An American poet and academic.
- Elaine Ingham
- An American microbiologist and soil researcher.
- Mark Mattson
- An American neuroscientist.
- Rebecca Skloot
- An American writer.
- Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf
- A Former finance Minister of Saudi Arabia.
- William Tietz
- An American academic.
- James van Hoften
- An American astronaut.
- Jenna Ellis
- An American lawyer.
- Martin J. Fettman
- An American pathologist and researcher.
- Anwar al-Awlaki
- A Yemeni-American imam.
Who Are Colorado State University's Most Influential Faculty?
Colorado State University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Earth Sciences, Biology, and Criminal Justice. Here are some of Colorado State University's most famous faculty:
- Susan Athey
- An American economist.
- Tami Bond
- An American scientist and academic.
- Diego Krapf
- A Researcher.
- Justin Lehmiller
- An American social psychologist & sex researcher.
- Alán Aspuru-Guzik
- A Mexican-Canadian chemist.
- Snehalata V. Huzurbazar
- An American statistician.
- Juan Manuel Guayasamin
- An Ecuadorian biologist and herpetologist.
- Rachel Justine Pries
- An American mathematician.
- Emily V. Fischer
- An American atmospheric chemist and academic.
- Dameyune Craig
- An American football player and coach.
- Dan Beachy-Quick
- A Poet, writer, critic.
- Terence Thornberry
- An American university teacher.
