Western Colorado University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Gunnison, Colorado. It enrolls 1,586 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
59/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes36
Value56
Affordability36
Selectivity30
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Western Colorado University admits 99.7% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
99.7%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1163 – 1353
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
22 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Western Colorado University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
13.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $16,425 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$11,318
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$24,434
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,760
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,785
Books & Supplies
$1,350
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,294
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,294
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,736
Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,490
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,868
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,908
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,928
Over $110,000
$21,396
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,25010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$20,250Medianpercentile
$22,50075%percentile
$30,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $14,190
↓ $6,060
No Pell $10,912
↓ $9,338
Dependent students $11,785
↓ $8,465
Independent students $16,892
↓ $3,358
Female students $11,910
↓ $8,340
Male students $12,500
↓ $7,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($20,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
49% of students who start here finish within six years, and 73% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
49%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $46,833 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,833
Earning > $25K
78%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$36,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$47,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$41,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,100, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,586 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,586
Part-Time
10%
First-Generation
25%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 75.7%1,200
Hispanic 11.2%177
Other 5.2%83
Black 3.2%50
International 1.3%21
Asian 1.2%19
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Western Colorado University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Western Colorado University offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$19,990
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$8.8M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$67,550
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
139 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
48
35%
$83,796
Associate Professors
8
6%
$66,078
Assistant Professors
23
17%
$67,730
Instructors
1
1%
$73,500
Lecturers
59
42%
$54,361
Pros & Cons of Western Colorado University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Western Colorado University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Western Colorado University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Western Colorado University
The questions families ask most about Western Colorado University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Western Colorado University hard to get into?
Not especially. Western Colorado University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 99.7%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Western Colorado University?
99.7% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Western Colorado University?
Aim for 1353 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1163 and 1353 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Western Colorado University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 22 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Western Colorado University cost?
Budget around $16,425 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Western Colorado University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $46,833 a year against a net price of $16,425, about 2.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Western Colorado University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Education, General, Biology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Western Colorado University graduates earn?
About $46,833 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Western Colorado University accredited?
Yes. Western Colorado University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Western Colorado University?
1,586 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Western Colorado University?
49% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Western Colorado University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Western Colorado University located?
Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, Colorado.
What programs does Western Colorado University offer?
32 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Education, General, Biology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Western Colorado University?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Colorado
Other colleges in Colorado share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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