Western Colorado University
Basic Information
Type
Public
Geographical Reach
National
Location
Gunnison, CO
Population
18,000
Website
https://www.western.edu/
Demographics
Total Undergraduates
1,653
Men / Women
57% / 43%
White
74%
Hispanic
15%
Mixed
4%
Black
3%
Asian
2%
Native American
1%
International
1%
From State
62%
From Region
8%
Academics
Undergraduate Degrees
Business & Economics
26%
Life & Natural Sciences
23%
Health Sciences
10%
Computer Science
7%
Arts
4%
Physical Sciences & Math
4%
Education
2%
Financial
In-State Tuition & Fees
$11,318
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$24,434
Est. In-State Cost
$14,641
Est. Out-of-State Cost
$31,608
10-Year ROI
$140,000
ROI Percentile
47th
Retention & Graduation
Full-Time Retention
72%
4-Year Graduation Rate
35%
6-Year Graduation Rate
50%
Transfer-Out Rate
0%
Weather
Comfortable Days
115 (84%) very dry
Sunshine Hours
3,100 (90% ☀️)
Days Without Precipitation
260 (73%)
Admissions
Uses Common App
Yes
Acceptance Rate
85%
Yield (Unbound)
11%
Regular Decision
Jan 1
Research
Research Level
—
Honors College
Standardized Tests
Test Scores
Test Policy
optional
Submitted Test Scores
19%
SAT Range
1190
–
1320
SAT Math Range
555
–
670
SAT RW Range
608
–
683
ACT Range
22
–
26
Earnings by Major Category
Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).
Schools & Majors
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Colorado University | 303 | 53% / 47% | 0% | $50,820 | 94% | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | — — | — | — | $75,062 | 87 | — | |
| Computer Science | 20 — | 75% / 25% | 0% | $77,699 | 89 | — | |
| Chemistry | 3 +1 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $51,254 | 49 | — | |
| Geology | 4 — | 25% / 75% | 0% | $45,525 | 32 | 100% | |
| Mathematics | 6 — | 33% / 67% | 0% | $57,411 | 64 | — | |
| Physics | — — | — | — | $62,055 | 72 | — | |
| Biology | 53 — | 45% / 55% | 2% | $47,411 | 38 | 95% | |
| Environmental Studies | 17 +2 | 24% / 76% | 0% | $46,470 | 35 | 89% | |
| Exercise Science | 31 — | 65% / 35% | 0% | $54,285 | 57 | 91% | |
| Accounting | 1 +2 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $60,215 | 69 | 100% | |
| Business Administration | 49 +4 | 82% / 18% | 0% | $60,638 | 70 | 98% | |
| Business Communication | 1 — | 100% / 0% | 0% | $55,564 | 60 | — | |
| Economics | 4 +3 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $77,434 | 89 | 100% | |
| Recreation Management | 23 — | 57% / 43% | 0% | $31,184 | 5 | 95% | |
| Anthropology | 3 +1 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $45,781 | 33 | — | |
| Communication Studies | 15 +1 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $46,477 | 35 | 92% | |
| English | 9 — | 22% / 78% | 0% | $38,626 | 14 | 94% | |
| History | 7 — | 29% / 71% | 0% | $45,366 | 32 | — | |
| Political Science | 5 +1 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $43,894 | 28 | 100% | |
| Psychology | 26 +5 | 42% / 58% | 0% | $50,522 | 47 | 89% | |
| Sociology | 5 +6 | 60% / 40% | 0% | $52,935 | 54 | 92% | |
| Spanish | 2 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $45,549 | 32 | — | |
| Elementary Education | 7 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $46,818 | 36 | — | |
| Music | 1 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $32,688 | 6 | — | |
| Studio Art | 11 +2 | 36% / 64% | 0% | $28,705 | 4 | 91% |