Head-to-head comparison
Colorado Mountain College vs Adams State University: which has better ROI?
Option A Glenwood Springs, CO
Colorado Mountain College
- Net price / year
- $7,813
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,127
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alamosa, CO
Adams State University
- Net price / year
- $12,980
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,372
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Colorado Mountain College comes closer — median earnings $44,127 against a $31,252 total, vs $44,372 at Adams State University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Colorado Mountain College | Adams State University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,813 | $12,980 |
| Total net cost | $31,252 | $51,920 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,127 | $44,372 |
| Median debt | $9,000 | $19,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$115,912 | -$131,680 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Colorado Mountain College or Adams State University?
Colorado Mountain College, at $7,813 a year after aid versus $12,980 — a gap of $5,167 a year, or $20,668 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Colorado Mountain College or Adams State University graduates earn more?
Adams State University graduates report a median $44,372 ten years after entry, $245 more than the $44,127 at Colorado Mountain College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Colorado Mountain College or Adams State University?
Colorado Mountain College: its completers carry a median $9,000 in federal loans versus $19,500 at Adams State University, a difference of $10,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
39% of students finish at Adams State University, against 27% at Colorado Mountain College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.