Colorado State University Case Study

Being just over 30 miles apart, most would think Colorado State University-Fort Collins and the University of Northern Colorado would have much in common. Both universities are four-year public institutions located in similar sized cities. Any outsider would think the two universities are very comparable. However, this is not the case at all. The two institutions differ drastically in cost, student body, and academic excellence. Money always has to be considered in any decision a person makes throughout their life. The decision students make for universities is no different. The cost differential between CSU and UNC is one to especially make note of. According to the Colorado State University website, tuition and general fees are a steep $10,590. Housing and meals are not cheap either at $11,526, books and supplies are $1,140, transportation is $674, and other educational costs are $1,360. This adds up to a grand total of $25,290. UNC, however, is much more affordable. According to the University of Northern Colorado’s website, tuition and general fees are much more reasonable at $6,024. Housing and meals are $10,560, books and supplies are $1,350, and other educational costs are $1,709. The total of UNC’s cost comes to just $19,643, an amount that is over $5,000 dollars less than CSU’s cost. With college costs being as high as they are,

Based on an article titled “Colorado State University-Fort Collins vs. University of Northern Colorado,” 90% of incoming freshman receive financial aid. This is 15% more than the percentage of incoming CSU freshman that receive financial aid. The same trend continues for undergraduates attending the two universities. An undergraduate at UNC receives 16% more financial aid than a CSU undergraduate. This is a significant amount considering CSU’s cost of attendance is already much greater than UNC’s cost of attendance without considering financial