Colorado · Public · Predominantly bachelor's

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado. 7,604 undergraduate students. 129 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.

ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS

What the data flags at Colorado Mesa University

Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+13%

Out-of-state tuition

Out-of-state tuition at Colorado Mesa University rose 13% between 2021 and 2024 ($22.3k → $25.1k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING BETTER-100%

3-year cohort default rate

3-year cohort default rate at Colorado Mesa University fell 100% between 2021 and 2024 (3.4% → 0.0%).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+10%

In-state tuition

In-state tuition at Colorado Mesa University rose 10% between 2021 and 2024 ($9.0k → $9.9k).

SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT

The numbers, vs. Colorado

Each tile compares this institution to the Colorado median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.

MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10Y
$45,823+17% · 6→10y
Colorado median $43,242
MEDIAN EARNINGS · 6Y
$39,223
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry
COMPLETION · 150%
41.5%+113% · '98→'24
Colorado median 55.5%
MEDIAN FEDERAL DEBT
$11,000+406% · '97→'20
At program completion
UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT
7,604+73% · '96→'24
latest IPEDS
RETENTION
75.2%+36% · '04→'24
first-time, full-time
ADMISSION RATE
81.4%-2% · '01→'24
latest cohort
IN-STATE TUITION
$9,712+354% · '00→'24
out-of-state $24,312
SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS

How earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry

Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).

ALL FEDERALLY AIDED STUDENTS · TAX-RECORD EARNINGSVINTAGE 2025-05
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS

What loans cost relative to earnings

Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.

Institution-wide

3.2%
0%8% · GE20%+

Median federal debt $11,000 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $45,823 (10y after entry).

SECTION 04 · LONG ARC

Ten-plus year arc

Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.

UNDERGRAD · 199620248,143
8,7344,57619962024
Undergraduate enrollment.IPEDS EF
COMPLETION 150% · 1998202440.6%
42%19%19982024
150%-time completion rate.IPEDS GR
MEDIAN DEBT · 19972020$22,000
$23,000$3,93819972020
Median federal student debt at exit.SCORECARD
COMPLETION · 150% · 19982024+113%

Colorado Mesa University · completion · 150% rose

19.0% → 40.6%

COMPLETION · 100% · 19982024+477%

Colorado Mesa University · completion · 100% rose

4.9% → 28.5%

RETENTION · 20042024+36%

Colorado Mesa University · retention rose

58.0% → 78.8%

UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT · 19962024+73%

Colorado Mesa University · undergrad enrollment rose

4,718 → 8,143

IN-STATE TUITION · 20002024+354%

Colorado Mesa University · in-state tuition rose

$2,185 → $9,927

OUT-OF-STATE TUITION · 20002024+271%

Colorado Mesa University · out-of-state tuition rose

$6,767 → $25,124

MEDIAN DEBT · 19972020+406%

Colorado Mesa University · median debt rose

$4,351 → $22,000

COHORT DEFAULT RATE · 20112024-100%

Colorado Mesa University · cohort default rate fell

15.6% → 0.0%

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_8YR · 20052020+21%

Colorado Mesa University · earnings_median_8yr rose

$35,100 → $42,409

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_6YR · 20032020+29%

Colorado Mesa University · earnings_median_6yr rose

$30,500 → $39,223

SECTION 05 · PROGRAMS

Ranked by 5-year earnings

Each row is one (CIP × credential) program reported by the institution in College Scorecard's Field-of-Study data. Cohort floor is 30 students; below this, federal data is suppressed.

Construction Engineering Technologies.CIP 1510 · Bachelor's Degree$91,83825 gradsRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.CIP 5138 · Bachelor's Degree$82,496186 gradsElectrical and Power Transmission Installers.CIP 4603 · Associate's Degree$78,6117 gradsComputer and Information Sciences, General.CIP 1101 · Bachelor's Degree$77,81229 gradsCriminal Justice and Corrections.CIP 4301 · Associate's Degree$77,3110 gradsRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.CIP 5138 · Associate's Degree$77,2230 gradsBusiness Administration, Management and Operations.CIP 5202 · Bachelor's Degree$70,748170 gradsAccounting and Related Services.CIP 5203 · Bachelor's Degree$66,62947 gradsBusiness/Commerce, General.CIP 5201 · Bachelor's Degree$63,9350 gradsPractical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.CIP 5139 · Associate's Degree$62,933Natural Resources Conservation and Research.CIP 0301 · Bachelor's Degree$62,84518 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.CIP 5109 · Associate's Degree$62,6768 gradsEducation, General.CIP 1301 · Master's Degree$55,65217 gradsCriminal Justice and Corrections.CIP 4301 · Bachelor's Degree$54,40763 gradsPrecision Metal Working.CIP 4805 · Associate's Degree$53,35316 gradsAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.CIP 5109 · Bachelor's Degree$49,44321 gradsHealth and Physical Education/Fitness.CIP 3105 · Bachelor's Degree$49,140137 gradsBiology, General.CIP 2601 · Bachelor's Degree$48,04179 gradsEducation, General.CIP 1301 · Graduate/Professional Certificate$47,7369 gradsPsychology, General.CIP 4201 · Bachelor's Degree$47,69053 gradsCommunication and Media Studies.CIP 0901 · Bachelor's Degree$45,86622 gradsLiberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.CIP 2401 · Bachelor's Degree$45,01736 gradsAllied Health and Medical Assisting Services.CIP 5108 · Associate's Degree$43,51410 gradsHealth and Physical Education/Fitness.CIP 3105 · Associate's Degree$42,541
Showing top 24 of 31 ranked programs.129 TOTAL PROGRAMS
SECTION 06 · BY CIP FAMILY

31 programs with earnings, grouped

Programs are grouped by 2-digit CIP family. Programs without reported earnings are hidden to keep the list focused.

COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES · CIP 11

PERSONAL & CULINARY SERVICES · CIP 12

EDUCATION · CIP 13

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES · CIP 15

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE · CIP 23

LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL STUDIES · CIP 24

BIOLOGICAL & BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES · CIP 26

PARKS, RECREATION & FITNESS · CIP 31

PSYCHOLOGY · CIP 42

HOMELAND SECURITY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES · CIP 43

CONSTRUCTION TRADES · CIP 46

PRECISION PRODUCTION · CIP 48

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS · CIP 50

HEALTH PROFESSIONS · CIP 51

BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT & MARKETING · CIP 52

HISTORY · CIP 54

NATURAL RESOURCES & CONSERVATION · CIP 03

COMMUNICATION & JOURNALISM · CIP 09

FINANCIAL OUTCOME · ILLUSTRATION

Estimate the financial outcome at Colorado Mesa University

Pick a program. Cost from Scorecard net price by family income; earnings from Treasury 5-year-post-completion median, projected forward with a Mincer age-earnings curve. The selection-bias toggle applies the Dale-Krueger shrinkage. Outcomes illustration, not a forecast — see methodology.

Shrinks the earnings premium toward the matched-applicant mean. STEM <15%, business ~40%, arts & education ~60%.

NET PRESENT VALUE
$727,763
Over 40 years, discounted 5.0%
BREAKEVEN
Year 6
First year cumulative discounted earnings cross zero
graduationbreakeven · year 6year 0year 39
Cost per year
$15,061
HS-only baseline · CO
$40,100
Years to complete
4
CIP family
51

Outcomes illustration · not a forecast. Projects observed Scorecard earnings forward with a Mincer age-earnings curve under your assumptions. See methodology for the math.

CAUSAL DISCIPLINE

Colorado Mesa University graduates earn $X” — not “Colorado Mesa University makes you earn $X”

Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending Colorado Mesa University caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.

Methodology →