Admit rate has ranged 14%–20% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Colorado College is a fiercely selective liberal arts school where the Rocky Mountains are as much a classroom as the lecture hall. Its signature Block Plan—immersive 3.5-week courses—attracts outdoorsy intellectuals who thrive on intensity and adventure. With an 86% graduation rate and alumni earning median salaries competitive with Ivy League grads, CC proves rigor and play can coexist.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
2,014
In-state tuition
$70,734
Out-of-state tuition
$70,734
Acceptance Rate
18-19%
On-Campus Housing
71%
Signature Program
Block Plan (3.5-week courses)
Student-Faculty Ratio
10:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
86%
Notable Alumni Employers
National Geographic, Tesla, NPR
Average Financial Aid Package
$72,952
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$65,222
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.0×
Median debt at graduation
$18,257
Graduation rate
88%
First-year retention
94%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
89%
Pell (lower-income) share
42%
First-generation share
18%
Endowment / student
$491,471
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Economics$46,087
Political Science and Government$37,568
Sociology$25,194
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$21,508
English Language and Literature, General$20,482
Biology, General$20,140
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
5
Per 1,000 students
2.48
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
90
Summer high
84°F
Winter low
18°F
Annual rain
13.7"
Annual snow
33.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
146
Scholarly works
5,129
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.8%
Bottom → top quintile
38%
From bottom quintile
5%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Colorado College?
Colorado College's acceptance rate is approximately 18% (Colorado Springs, CO), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Colorado College?
Admitted students at Colorado College typically score 1230–1460 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Colorado College cost?
At Colorado College, the average net price (after aid) is about $33,375 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Colorado College?
Colorado College enrolls approximately 2,014 undergraduate students.
Where is Colorado College located?
Colorado College is located in Colorado Springs, CO.
Admissions
Getting into Colorado College is a feat—the admit rate hovers around 18-19%, with early decision offering only a slight edge (20.6%). Middle 50% SAT scores range from 1240-1460, while ACT composites fall between 29-33. The college is Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. but expects academic rigor: admitted students often have GPAs north of 3.8. Notably, CC uses a binding early decision policy; accepted applicants must withdraw applications elsewhere. The admissions office emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., seeking 'quirky, outdoorsy' students who can handle the Block Plan's pace.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Academics
CC’s Block Plan—one course every 3.5 weeks—is academic adrenaline. Students dive into subjects like Molecular Biology or Philosophy without distraction, with field trips to nearby peaks or Santa Fe art galleries. The 42 majors and 33 minors span from classic liberal arts (Political Science, Economics) to niche offerings like Southwest Studies. Small classes are the norm: 70% have fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Environmental Science, Psychology, and International Relations, but all students complete a broad liberal arts core (writing, foreign language, etc.). The vibe? 'Well-traveled, intelligent...quirky' (Princeton Review) with a penchant for debate over coffee at Sacred Grounds.
Life at CC orbits around outdoor adventure and tight-knit community. 71% live on campus, often in theme houses like the Outdoor Recreation or Arts Collective dorms. Weekends mean skiing at Breckenridge (90 minutes away) or hiking Garden of the Gods. The school’s 23 DIII teams (Tigers) are big, but club sports like Ultimate Frisbee draw more participants. Social life leans toward low-key: 'There’s no Greek life, so parties are smaller and often themed—think ‘80s night or a poetry slam.' (College Confidential). The vibe is 'curious, adventurous' (CC website), with a strong sustainability ethos—the campus is bike-friendly, and the student-run farm supplies the dining hall.
CC’s 86% graduation rate (top 10% nationally) reflects its academic support. Alumni land jobs at National Geographic, Tesla, and NPR, with median first-year earnings rivaling Ivies. 60% pursue grad school within 5 years—common destinations include CU Boulder and Yale. The Career Center tracks grads into fields like tech (25%), education (15%), and environmental work (12%). One outlier: Colorado’s college-going rate is just 47.5% statewide, but CC bucks the trend by retaining 94% of first-years. 'Mobility is high—alumni move for jobs, but stay connected through the Outdoor Industry Network.' (AIR report)
Sticker price is steep—$89,000/year including room/board—but CC meets 100% of demonstrated need. The average aid package is $72,952, slashing Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to $23,881 for most. Merit scholarships (like the Trustee Award) cover up to half tuition. Oddity: The Block Plan means financial aid is calculated per 'block,' not semester. Students praise the aid office’s transparency: 'They walked us through loan options over homemade cookies' (Net Price Calculator comment). Work-study jobs often tie to the outdoors (trail maintenance, climbing gym staff).
CC is the only top-tier liberal arts college where you can summit a 14er before afternoon seminar. The Block Plan demands focus—students joke about 'academic tunnel vision'—but rewards it with unparalleled professor access (one geology class camped in the Rockies for a week). Its location in Colorado Springs blends intellectualism with outdoor culture: the Ethics Center debates climate policy by day; by night, students stargaze at 9,500 feet. Unlike peer schools, CC rejects pretension—the unofficial mascot is a yellow school bus (used for field trips). For students who want Thoreau’s wilderness and a Wall Street-worthy degree, it’s the ultimate hybrid.
