Head-to-head comparison
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs vs Colorado State University-Fort Collins: which has better ROI?
Option A Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
- Net price / year
- $16,745
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,180
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Fort Collins, CO
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Net price / year
- $21,279
- Earnings, 10 years
- $60,543
- Payback
- 7 yrs
Colorado State University-Fort Collins has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $85,116 in 7 years versus not at all at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs, on median earnings of $60,543 vs $37,180 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | Colorado State University-Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,745 | $21,279 |
| Total net cost | $66,980 | $85,116 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,180 | $60,543 |
| Median debt | $29,832 | $20,000 |
| Payback | — | 7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$290,580 | $158,544 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs or Colorado State University-Fort Collins?
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs, at $16,745 a year after aid versus $21,279 — a gap of $4,534 a year, or $18,136 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 Technical University-Colorado Springs or Colorado State University-Fort Collins graduates earn more?
Colorado State University-Fort Collins graduates report a median $60,543 ten years after entry, $23,363 more than the $37,180 at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs. 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 Technical University-Colorado Springs or Colorado State University-Fort Collins?
Colorado State University-Fort Collins: its completers carry a median $20,000 in federal loans versus $29,832 at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs, a difference of $9,832. 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?
67% of students finish at Colorado State University-Fort Collins, against 19% at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs. 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.