by our College Data Analytics TeamHere is what you can expect to pay at Western Colorado University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
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Cost of attendance at Western Colorado University fell between $25,426.00 ranging to $38,542.00 depending on whether you qualify for in-state rates.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: roughly $25,426.00 in-state against $38,542.00 out-of-state.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $11,318.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,108.00 |
| Total cost | $25,426.00 |
| That is 32% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,426.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,311.00 |
| Net price | $16,115.00 |
| That is 16% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,426.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$14,246.00 |
| Net price | $11,180.00 |
| That is 42% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $24,434.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,108.00 |
| Total cost | $38,542.00 |
| That is 100% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,542.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,311.00 |
| Net price | $29,231.00 |
| That is 52% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $38,542.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$14,246.00 |
| Net price | $24,296.00 |
| That is 26% above the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on tuition and fees and living costs. |
Published costs have climbed year over year by around 2.9% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Freshman year | $11,501.00 | $16,578.00 | $26,156.00 |
| Senior year | $12,521.00 | $18,048.00 | $28,476.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $48,025.00 | $69,224.00 | $109,220.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $18,296.00 | $26,372.00 | $41,609.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $553.00 | $797.00 | $1,257.00 |
| Total amount paid | $66,321.00 | $95,596.00 | $150,830.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Freshman year | $11,501.00 | $16,578.00 | $26,156.00 |
| Senior year | $11,832.00 | $17,054.00 | $26,908.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $23,333.00 | $33,632.00 | $53,064.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,889.00 | $12,813.00 | $20,215.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $269.00 | $387.00 | $611.00 |
| Total amount paid | $32,222.00 | $46,445.00 | $73,280.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Freshman year | $24,994.00 | $30,071.00 | $39,649.00 |
| Senior year | $27,210.00 | $32,737.00 | $43,165.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $104,366.00 | $125,565.00 | $165,562.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $39,760.00 | $47,836.00 | $63,073.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,201.00 | $1,445.00 | $1,905.00 |
| Total amount paid | $144,126.00 | $173,401.00 | $228,635.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Freshman year | $24,994.00 | $30,071.00 | $39,649.00 |
| Senior year | $25,712.00 | $30,934.00 | $40,788.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $50,706.00 | $61,005.00 | $80,437.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $19,317.00 | $23,241.00 | $30,644.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $584.00 | $702.00 | $926.00 |
| Total amount paid | $70,023.00 | $84,246.00 | $111,081.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the Net Price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $16,425.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $16,773.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. Below, average net price is broken out by family income:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,573.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $9,926.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,090.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,658.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,621.00 |
Get a tailored estimate from the Western Colorado University Net Price Calculator, or reach out to the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
Median graduate debt at Western Colorado University is $12,000.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,250.00 |
| 25th | $5,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $12,000.00 |
| 75th | $22,500.00 |
| 90th | $30,500.00 |
The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is one signal of how variable debt outcomes are across the student body.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student loan debt detail.
Debt at graduation is far from uniform across income levels. Below the data splits borrowers across three income groups:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $12,500.00 |
| Middle income | $14,250.00 |
| High income | $11,250.00 |
Borrowers from lower-income families leave school with $1,250.00 more debt than their high-income peers.
First-gen students typically face different financial-aid contexts than students whose parents attended college.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $12,000.00 |
The Pell Grant is the largest federal grant for undergraduates from low-income families. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of Western Colorado University comes to $3,278.00. The Department of Education flags this school for a Pell-debt-inequity pattern.
The federal default-rate classification for Western Colorado University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 4.8% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at Western Colorado University reach $128,297,998.00 distributed across 7,967 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 36 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $10,772.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 4 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,811.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veterans benefits detail.
The figures above are a starting point — as you weigh Western Colorado University, consider the following:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.