Colorado State University is on the rise

Colorado State University is one of the nation’s top public Tier 1 Research universities and an institution on the rise. Our Ram success is driven by an ambition to be excellent in all we do combined with an unparalleled location that is one of the fastest-growing and most vibrant areas in the country.

CSU is a higher education destination for working and learning for faculty, staff, and students from across Colorado, the nation, and around the globe. CSU has produced record enrollment in the past decade, built on all-time highs in student diversity and student success, experienced record fundraising and research expenditures that keep hitting new highs year-after-year, and our faculty are known nationally and internationally for their groundbreaking research. Among other recognition for research and creative scholarship, CSU was recognized in 2022 as one of 10 top research institutions in the world contributing to solving the COVID pandemic.

CSU is thriving, with a five-year average enrollment of more than 33,400 students. The record-setting 2022 incoming class of 5,517 students reflects 25% from diverse populations and 24% who were first in their families to attend college.

CSU graduates find success with 85% securing a job related to their career plans within six months of graduation. More than nine out of 10 Rams would select CSU again, demonstrating the quality of the campus and learning environments.


33,455

student population in 2022


$456.9M

total research expenditures in FY2022


$1.6B

in campus infrastructure improvements since 2008


252,000

living alumni, with 142,000 in Colorado

LEADERSHIP

The leadership at Colorado State University has deep experience, an aligned commitment to success, and an entrepreneurial approach to strategic decision making in the pursuit of excellence in all areas of the University.

The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System includes nine voting members who are appointed by the governor of Colorado. As an appointed board, members are aligned, decision-oriented, and actively promoting the success of CSU as a leading national public research institution. The CSU System includes three distinct institutions: CSU Pueblo, CSU Global, and the flagship Colorado State University with its main campus in Fort Collins and a presence in every county of Colorado as the state’s land-grant university.

Amy Parsons is the 16th president of Colorado State University. Prior to being named president and assuming the role in February 2023, Amy served in various senior executive leadership roles at CSU and the CSU System and combines her higher education experience with a private sector background. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from CSU and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado.

Colorado State University President Amy Parsons, February 8, 2023

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

For the 2022-23 academic year, we saw record enrollment in CSU’s incoming class while continuing to strengthen our commitment to diversity and to first-generation students. In recent years, CSU’s diversity and graduation rates have risen consistently. In 2020-21, 24% of graduating students were minoritized — up from 12% in 2011-12. Our land-grant heritage and commitment to access are still defining characteristics of our University.


Scholarship and sustainability are in our Ram DNA

Colorado State University in 2023 once again demonstrated it is among the most sustainable higher education institutions in the world by earning its fourth consecutive Platinum rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System, or STARS. We were the first university in the world to earn a Platinum STARS rating, and we were the first in the world to be four-time Platinum rated. We were also one of the first institutions in the country to be designated as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the APLU.

In 2023 and for the second year in a row, Colorado State University was named one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright U.S. Scholars — professionals, artists, and scholars who usually hold faculty appointments. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs annually announces the top-producing institutions for the Fulbright Program — the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program — in The Chronicle.

Demonstrated Success

CSU has worldwide appeal with students from more than 100 countries and research projects in more than 85 countries.

Our curriculum has retained its focus, yet has never been broader, to give our students what they need to succeed in a global marketplace.

Total faculty numbers have grown 11% in 10 years to keep pace with record enrollment. We’ve also had a 16% increase in women tenure-track faculty and a 31% increase in minority tenure-track faculty during this period.

We’ve directed our resources to our students by doubling institutionally funded financial aid during the past 10 years, peaking before a pandemic dip and now rebounding strongly. Overall, 60% of CSU students receive some kind of grant and/or scholarship aid.

Every year, more than 4,700 CSU students receive our landmark Colorado Tuition Assistance Grant. In all, the need-based program has disbursed $180 million to about 21,000 Colorado students, half of them first-generation.


187

total majors (highest in the Mountain West)


5,000+

students participate in undergraduate
research opportunities every year


3.7

 average GPA for incoming 2022-23 class


98%

increase in institutionally funded
financial aid during the past 10 years


CSU RANKS AMONG THE BEST

Colorado State is routinely highlighted in national rankings recognizing top universities and programs.


Tied as top-ranked university in Mountain West

Colorado State University ties San Diego State University atop the Mountain West Conference in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. CSU is No. 67 among public universities.


Top 1% of universities worldwide

The Center for World University Rankings has continuously placed CSU in the top 1% of universities worldwide. CSU ranked No. 260 out of more than 20,500 universities globally in the 2023 rankings, the largest academic ranking of global universities.


1 of 387 Best Colleges

CSU has been perennially highlighted in Princeton Review’s “The Best 387 Colleges,” including in 2022. Of nearly 150,000 students who responded in 2019, CSU students said Colorado State University is “an institution that is determined to engage and challenge its students, preparing them for post-graduate life beyond the university.”


Top public university

CSU was again featured among Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges in 2022 and ranked among the Top 100 public universities in the country for the fifth year in a row. CSU was listed among the nation’s top public universities for academics, affordability, and admissions and among the top 10% in college athletic programs in America, according to Niche in 2022.


SUSTAINABILITY

In 2023, CSU demonstrated it is among the most sustainable higher education institutions in the world by earning its fourth consecutive platinum ranking in STARS. In 2015, Colorado State became the first university in the world to earn a Platinum STARS rating for sustainability performance, and we haven’t rested since.

CSU was ranked first for public engagement for the fourth year in a row in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index, a publication of AASHE. Since the beginning of its rankings, AASHE has listed CSU as its top performer for best doctoral university in overall sustainability impact, including curriculum, research, and public engagement, according to its STARS rating system.

CSU was one of 27 universities in the nation to earn a perfect score in sustainability, according to Princeton Review. Colorado State consistently ranks in the top 10 in the nation among environmentally responsible colleges. CSU has been on the Green Honor Roll for four consecutive years.


Top 8% in nation for faculty

CSU is in the top 8% of all colleges and universities for best professors based on accomplishments, diversity, and pay, based on key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and student reviews, according to Niche in 2022.


PEACE CORPS

CSU ranks among the Peace Corps’ annual list of Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities. The list places CSU at No. 15 among large American colleges and universities. Colorado State has sent more than 1,750 volunteers since 1961, which is 11th among all-time sending institutions in the nation. The number of CSU alumni serving in the Peace Corps has averaged around 50 for the last five years.

Researchers
Students present their research at MURALS
Researchers in lab coats
Students present their research MURALS
Natural Resources building
Ram Head Art at the LSC

$1.62B

invested


4.43M

square feet


45

projects

Cheerleader running with a flag at CANVAS Stadium
Players at a CSU Football Game

ATHLETICS

Colorado State University is well-established as one of the nation’s top public research universities, propelled by a steadfast commitment to excellence in all we do combined with an unparalleled location in one of the most vibrant regions in the country. Ram Athletics is part of this drive — on the move, on the rise, and headed to even greater success in the years ahead.


COMPETITIVE COMMITMENT

We have committed to playing by the same rules instituted by the Power 5 conferences — providing all allowable amenities and benefits for student-athletes, including paying the full cost of attendance.

Our University commitment to Athletics has increased 141% since 2010, from $25.35 million to $61.26 million in 2022. Total University commitment to Rams football has increased 278% since 2010, from $8.17 million to $30.92 million in 2022.

  • We’re tied for the highest federal graduation rate in the Mountain West Conference.
  • We’ve built an in-house Athletics video production unit to enhance recruiting, gameday experiences, and live game-streaming capabilities.
  • We’ve added women’s soccer as a varsity program which enters its 10th season in 2023 with an eye to add additional women’s sports programs in the future.
  • Colorado State is the anchor sports property on ESPN Radio, including live coverage for all football and men’s basketball games and select women’s games.
  • Under Armour is the Rams’ official apparel provider.

GREEN AND GOLD GUARD

CSU’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective, The Green and Gold Guard serves to help ensure our student-athletes make the most of their time in Fort Collins. By assisting them in pursuing NIL opportunities, hosting experiential events with donors, ensuring they are prepared for life after sports, and driving deep and meaningful community engagement projects, we’re dedicated to setting the gold standard of NIL collectives with a focus on the full development of our young men and women at CSU.

COMPETITIVE FACILITIES

With the addition of the on-campus Canvas Stadium, CSU has in process or has already built more than a quarter of a billion dollars in athletic facilities upgrades in the past decade.

Moby Arena has been expanded and renovated, most recently with locker room upgrades ($7 million for men’s and women’s basketball). The entire Moby Complex is heated and cooled by one of the largest geothermal energy exchange projects west of the Mississippi. The $20 million GeoX project was installed in 2021. The $7 million, 16,000-square-foot Anderson Academic Training Center opened in 2009 and is a centerpiece of CSU’s commitment to student-athletes, with a state-of-the-art weight room, strength and conditioning offices, a computer lab, study areas, and a nutrition center.

CSU’s $13-million, LEED-Gold certified, 66,267-square-foot indoor Practice Facility is designed for use by multiple sports.


BASKETBALL

Men’s basketball has emerged as a consistent 20-win team and postseason participant under head coach Niko Medved including an NCAA Tournament appearance as the No. 6 seed in 2021-22 and a top 25 ranking.

Women’s basketball is led by point guard McKenna Hofschild, finalist for the 2023 Nancy Lieberman Award, AP All-American honorable mention, and Mountain west player of the year. Colorado State women’s basketball has seen great success under head coach Ryun Williams, who entered his 11th season with the Rams and his 24th overall as a collegiate head coach in 2022-23.


WINNING PROGRAMS

  • We have produced 21 NFL draft picks since 2000.
  • Women’s volleyball has won the regular season Mountain West Conference Championship six of the last nine years: 2014-16 and 2017-22.
  • Women’s indoor track and field has won the Mountain West Conference Championship five of the last nine years: 2015-17, 2018-19, and 2021-23.
  • Women’s outdoor track and field has won the Mountain West Conference Championship three of the last seven years: 2014-16 and 2018-19.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

  • 201 Rams earned Mountain West Academic All-Conference recognition for achieving a grade-point average of 3.0 or better while competing in at least 50% of their teams’ varsity contests during the year.
  • 161 Rams earned Mountain West Scholar-Athlete awards for achieving a grade-point average of 3.5 or better while utilizing a season of competition (competing in at least one contest), 12 of which earned a 4.0 GPA.

YOU CAN GET TO CSU

Colorado State University is in the heart of Fort Collins in Northern Colorado, an hour north of Denver along Colorado’s picturesque Front Range. With quick access to major highways, Denver International Airport (DIA), and ample lodging and entertainment venues, visiting CSU and Fort Collins is easy and enjoyable.


1 Hour

drive time from DIA to Fort Collins


#3 Globally

DIA had more than 69 million passengers travel through the airport in 2022, making it the third busiest airport in the world.

Airport service to Denver or Fort Collins


Denver International Airport

DEN is one of the busiest airline hubs in the world’s largest aviation market. With more than 20 airlines, Denver International Airport (DEN) is the third busiest airport in the world, topped only by Atlanta (ATL) and Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW).


Fort Collins–Loveland Municipal Airport

FORT COLLINS-LOVELAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (FNL) is a vibrant regional transportation center just 15 miles from Colorado State University. Charters can fly directly into and out of the airport. An FAA-certified commercial airport, FNL serves users ranging from single-seat, privately-owned aircraft to 170-passenger commercial airliners.