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Gunnison , CO
Western Colorado University is a public liberal arts university located in Gunnison, Colorado. With a stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, the university offers a unique and enriching educational experience for its students. Founded in 1901 as a teacher's college, Western Colorado University has grown into a comprehensive university with a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines.
What sets Western Colorado University apart is its commitment to personalized education. The university boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, ensuring that students receive individual attention and guidance from their professors. This close-knit community allows for meaningful interactions, fosters a supportive learning environment, and cultivates strong mentorship relationships. Furthermore, the university offers experiential learning opportunities such as internships, research projects, and field experiences to enhance the academic journey and prepare students for their future careers.
Western Colorado University prides itself on its strong academic programs and diverse range of majors that cater to students' individual interests and passions. Whether it's in the fields of business, arts and sciences, education, environmental studies, or professional studies, students have the opportunity to pursue their chosen paths with dedicated faculty and state-of-the-art facilities. The university also offers a range of extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations to ensure a well-rounded experience for its students. With its breathtaking location, personalized attention, and quality academic programs, Western Colorado University offers a unique and fulfilling educational experience.
Western Colorado University is a public upper-level higher education institution with graduate programs located in Gunnison, CO. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 99%. The freshman retention rate at Western Colorado University is 72.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 47%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is August 22. To find out more about what Western Colorado University has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
3,149
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
17:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
47%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Knowing as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission improves your chances of getting admitted. Here are the most vital information you have to know about admission policy and requirements at Western Colorado University.
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 3,106 in 2025.
Test Scores
10% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 7% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 8.11% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 59.46% between 1,200 and 1,399, 24.32% between 1,000 and 1,199, 5.41% between 800 and 999, and 2.7% of the students between 400 and 599. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 11.1, 40.74 between 24-29, 44.44 in the range between 18-23, and 3.72 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2025 was 24 and the average GPA was 3.45. This implies that you'll probably need a GPA above the average to secure admission, as well as an above-average ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 640 and an average SAT Math score of 610.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by August 22.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. That information can tell you if the majority of new students liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Western Colorado University was 72.1% in 2025, which is considered an above-average retention rate and is indicative of the quality of educational experience at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 47%.
Student Body
It is always challenging to figure out which school is best for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Western Colorado University in 2025 was 3,569.
The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 3,149, 21 of which were foreign students. The number of transfer students at this school was 97.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 912 male and 819 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Western Colorado University.
This school had 20 Asian students and 50 Afro-American students in 2025. 179 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 43 as multirace. The school also had 3 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 18 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 32 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to consider before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Western Colorado University.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for Western Colorado University is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
According to the reports from public county and municipal institutions, tuition fees were $7,308 for area residents. Tuition fees were $20,424 for students coming from a different state. Tuition costs at Western Colorado University for international students were $20,424. Full-time students in 2025 were mandated to pay additional fees in the amount of $4,010.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $20,424 | $4,010 | $24,434 |
| In-State | $7,308 | $4,010 | $11,318 |
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The estimated expense of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $1,350.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What do colleges and universities typically charge for accommodation and meals?
At Western Colorado University, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $10,760. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 came to $5,463 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 7,308 |
| Room and Board | $ 10,760 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,350 |
| Total Expense | $ 19,418 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial aid: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the info about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid you might get at Western Colorado University.
According to the most recent data, 181 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $14,409 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
552 students obtained some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Western Colorado University is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 687. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution came to $2,754,363, and state $1,757,538. The students of Western Colorado University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $4,410,365, and external in the amount of $240,656.
$6,717
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 566 students overall (including freshmen) at Western Colorado University in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 158 full-time freshman. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $2,754,363 while the state aid is $1,665. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $3,395,104. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $440,628 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
17:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at Western Colorado University was 17:1. That means that there were 17 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 164 teachers at this school. Out of that number, there were 84 men and 77 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Western Colorado University is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some information about students' life at Western Colorado University.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership typically consists exclusively of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 55 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The student organization that is most favored by students is Pre-Health Club, followed by Multicultural Center and Young Life. Other popular student organizations at this school are Pi Sigma Epsilon and Western Energy Management Club.
If you have an interest in acting, there's a drama club you can be a part of. Interested in media and communication? Western Colorado University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Western Colorado University offers a number of services crucial for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Western Colorado University is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Western Colorado University.
Career Counselling
There are job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career.
FAQ
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Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, CO.
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Western Colorado University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Western Colorado University is 99%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Western Colorado University is 72.1%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.