Chico State vs MSU Denver

California State University-Chico and Metropolitan State University of Denver, both public universities with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. CSU-Chico, nestled in the picturesque Sacramento Valley, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, providing a vibrant and diverse campus community. MSU Denver, situated in the heart of the Mile High City, offers a more selective admissions process and a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit academic environment. While both universities excel in various academic disciplines, CSU-Chico is renowned for its strong programs in business, communication, and education, while MSU Denver shines in fields like hospitality, nursing, and public affairs. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details about these institutions, including their graduation rates, popular majors, and student demographics, to determine which university best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	California State University-Chico	Metropolitan State University of Denver
Overview
Location	Chico, California	Denver, Colorado
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	81.0%	63.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.5%	88.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $70	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $50
SAT range	N/A	910 - 1140
ACT range	N/A	18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score		32.0%
Students submitting ACT score		8.0%
Total number of applicants	19,990	11,306
Total number of admissions given out	17,086	10,042
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,929	1,832
Yield rate	11.3%	18.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $23,984 Out of state: $35,864	In state: $30,721 Out of state: $48,202
Average net price	$13,749	$14,195
Tuition	In state: $5,742 Out of state: $17,622	In state: $8,280 Out of state: $25,761
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,609 Meal plan: $3,881
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	63.0% Average amount $8,691	61.0% Average amount $6,912
Students receiving federal student loan	29.0% Average amount $4,637	57.0% Average amount $5,116
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $11,369	2.0% Average amount $10,638

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	14,462 Men 45.5% Women 54.5%	16,515 Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
Graduate students	1,240 Men 33.6% Women 66.4%	1,163 Men 21.6% Women 78.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	1.3%	2.4%
International students	2.9%	0.7%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,323	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Oregon Washington Arizona Colorado	Colorado California Texas Arizona Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Public Administration and Social Service Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Engineering Technologies	Public Administration and Social Service Health Professions Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Business
Students to faculty ratio	22:1	19:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	65.4%	29.8%
Dropout rate	27.4%	26.8%
Transferred out	4.8%	37.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $94,107 Year 2: $95,797 Year 3: $96,478 Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $78,190 Year 2: $83,091 Year 3: $93,961 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,808 Year 2: $74,241 Year 3: $91,563 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,244 Year 2: $70,176 Year 3: $79,499 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,761 Year 2: $69,617 Year 3: $79,308 Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,803 Year 2: $66,355 Year 3: $76,389 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,879 Year 2: $59,350 Year 3: $74,258 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,880 Year 2: $66,222 Year 3: $74,116 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,298 Year 2: $68,499 Year 3: $69,321 Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,812 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $68,680	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,483 Year 2: $72,790 Year 3: $83,404 Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,535 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $70,061 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,241 Year 2: $58,131 Year 3: $68,317 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,003 Year 2: $54,254 Year 3: $66,636 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,686 Year 2: $62,922 Year 3: $64,216 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,437 Year 2: $56,415 Year 3: $64,125 Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,154 Year 2: $57,770 Year 3: $61,122 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,504 Year 2: $51,551 Year 3: $58,317 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,409 Year 2: $48,376 Year 3: $55,676 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,189 Year 2: $44,356 Year 3: $54,984

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