Colorado School of Mines vs United States Air Force Academy

Colorado School of Mines and United States Air Force Academy, two esteemed institutions with distinct identities, offer prospective students unique educational experiences. Colorado School of Mines, a public research university, excels in engineering and science, boasting a 79% acceptance rate and a diverse student body. In contrast, United States Air Force Academy, a federal service academy, focuses on military leadership and aerospace studies, with a highly selective 13% acceptance rate and a predominantly male student population. While both institutions offer exceptional education, their contrasting acceptance rates, academic foci, and student demographics cater to different aspirations and career paths. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Colorado School of Mines	United States Air Force Academy
Overview
Location	Golden, Colorado	USAF Academy, Colorado
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Town: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	91.0%	93.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	56.9%	12.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1310 - 1470	1208 - 1490
ACT range	29 - 33	29 - 34
Students submitting SAT score	53.0%	35.0%
Students submitting ACT score	31.0%	21.0%
Total number of applicants	12,022	11,687
Total number of admissions given out	6,838	1,453
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,449	1,091
Yield rate	21.2%	75.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $34,245 Out of state: $55,545
Average net price	$26,179
Tuition	In state: $17,160 Out of state: $38,460
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,196 Meal plan: $6,520
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $10,778
Students receiving federal student loan	43.0% Average amount $5,292
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $24,651

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	5,487 Men 68.4% Women 31.6%	4,181 Men 71.4% Women 28.6%
Graduate students	1,700 Men 69.1% Women 30.9%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	N/A
Out-of-state students	43.6%	N/A
International students	8.8%	N/A
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	2,445	4,200
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Colorado Texas California Washington Illinois	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Computer and Information Science Physical Science Mathematics and Statistics Engineering Technologies	Business Engineering Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	8:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	83.2%	86.1%
Dropout rate	10.5%	13.9%
Transferred out	4.8%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $94,022 Year 2: $77,213 Year 3: $99,390 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,458 Year 2: $78,971 Year 3: $97,622 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $81,719 Year 2: $77,966 Year 3: $94,221 Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,308 Year 2: $77,715 Year 3: $91,467 Geological/Geophysical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $119,159 Year 2: $77,715 Year 3: $90,384 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,554 Year 2: $73,949 Year 3: $84,256 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,556 Year 2: $70,886 Year 3: $82,164 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $62,256 Year 2: $64,990 Year 3: $82,134 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,029 Year 2: $64,865 Year 3: $78,404 Engineering Physics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,721 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $77,926	N/A

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Colorado School of Mines vs United States Air Force Academy

Colorado School of Mines

United States Air Force Academy

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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