Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublicHSI

Adams State University

Alamosa, Colorado·Public, 4-year or above·Rocky Mountains·adams.edu
Acceptance
99.2%
+15.1pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
6-yr Graduation
39%
-5.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
2,901
peer median 3,793
Avg net price
$12,980
-$1.0k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeResearch fundingCommon Data SetDocumentsAlumni

About

Adams State University is a public university in Alamosa, Colorado, United States. The university's Adams State Grizzlies athletic teams compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
1,580
1,580 candidates competed
Admitted
1,567
99.2% acceptance rate
Enrolled
303
19.3% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
39%-5.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
20%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
32%
Full-time retention
51%

Pell equity

15.5pp gap
Pell recipients
33%78 of 238
Non-Pell (all)
49%84 of 173
Subsidized loan, no Pell
44%26 of 59
No Federal Aid
51%58 of 114

Non-Pell students graduate at a 15.5-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 50 Title IV programs, 9 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 41 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
50
Passing
9
18.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

50programs
  • Passing9 · 18.0%
  • No Data41 · 82.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
3
Safe
5
No data
41

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

9
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+6.7%
$41,809 vs $39,174
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+14.1%
$44,701 vs $39,174
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
+15.5%
$56,207 vs $48,653
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+16.8%
$74,560 vs $63,816
Business/Commerce General
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+30.5%
$51,111 vs $39,174
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+34.1%
$59,136 vs $44,091
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+44.1%
$56,467 vs $39,174
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Master's Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+60.2%
$74,831 vs $46,700

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

7
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
87%
$48,765 debt · $56,207 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
56%
$23,413 debt · $41,809 earn
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
55%
$41,000 debt · $74,560 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
45%
$20,249 debt · $44,701 earn
Business/Commerce General
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
44%
$22,306 debt · $51,111 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
37%
$21,783 debt · $59,136 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
26%
$20,688 debt · $78,402 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1950Next review Aug 2028

Programmatic accreditations · 4

Action history · 3

  1. Aug 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  2. Jun 2018Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    Higher Learning Commission
  3. Aug 2014Change in Agency recognition
    National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation · Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$9,947
$30–48k$10,392
$48–75k$11,921
$75–110k$15,787
$110k+$20,274

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$12,980
-$1,047vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $14,027
Federal loans
33.4%
In-state tuition
$9,824
Out-of-state
$21,944

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 755 students received $4.0M in Pell grants, alongside $18.8M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
755
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$4.0M
$4,011,040 total
Direct Loans
$18.8M
1,850 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$1.7M
444 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$1.6M
397 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$12.5M
822 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.1M
74 loan awards
Grad PLUS$1.9M
113 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 905 borrowers who entered repayment, 30 (3.3%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
3.3%
+1.0pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
905
Defaulted
30
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
9.7%
2017
9.3%
2018
5.6%
2019
3.3%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Adams State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs41
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

851 total completions
01Psychology
40247.2%
02Business
11914.0%
03Education
10011.8%
04Liberal Arts
9711.4%
05Parks/Recreation
516.0%
06Social Sciences
313.6%
07Health Professions
172.0%
08Biological Sciences
131.5%
09Physical Sciences
111.3%
10Visual/Performing Arts
101.2%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
2,901
12-mo unduplicated
3,853
Undergraduate
2,185
Graduate
1,668

Gender split

Men
46%1,780
Women
54%2,073

Race / ethnicity composition

White
41.0%
Hispanic
33.4%
Black
9.1%
Unknown
7.0%
Two or more
4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native
1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
1.4%
Asian
1.2%
Non-resident
0.6%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
671
458 M · 213 W
Women athletes
31.7%
Athletic aid
$2.3M
Total student aid
Budget
$7.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.4M
$952K
Recruiting expense
$25K
$29K
Head-coach salaries
$68K
$52K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
136 M · 82 W
$1.4M
Football
130 M · —
$1.2M
Soccer
34 M · 36 W
$517K
Wrestling
44 M · 22 W
$632K
Baseball
44 M · —
$345K
Lacrosse
38 M · —
$293K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
3.05
9 offenses · 2,950 students

3-year trend

2.552 yrs ago5.261 yr ago3.05Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
32
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
38
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
3
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Fondling
5
Rape
3
Aggravated assault
1

By location

9total
  • On campus9

Includes 7 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

2
Domestic violence
8
Dating violence
7
Stalking
17 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons03
Drugs314
Liquor120

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Data quality: 3 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
14.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
125

Adams State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Adams State selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectAdams State University
39%99.2%2,901$12,980Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Chicago State University
15%43.3%2,238$12,335Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
75%22.7%3,793$20,723Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Delta State University
48%100.0%2,654$13,540Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
East Central University
34%58.1%3,377$8,683Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
39%91.7%5,725$4,904Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Framingham State University
48%83.6%4,002$16,114Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Frostburg State University
50%89.2%4,104$16,715Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Governors State University
21%48.3%4,397$12,329Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Minnesota State University Moorhead
57%58.8%4,386$17,997Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
New Mexico Highlands University
27%—2,704$14,838Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Plymouth State University
52%87.5%3,707$19,216Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
44%75.3%4,732$14,027Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Southern Oregon University
43%88.6%5,113$16,732Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Southwest Minnesota State University
44%62.2%8,214$15,291Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Sul Ross State University
30%98.7%2,384$13,286Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
55%81.3%2,733$14,164Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Baltimore
38%78.7%3,187$13,868Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Houston-Victoria
26%95.9%3,586$8,109Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Illinois Springfield
52%85.9%4,628$9,833Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of North Texas at Dallas
42%84.5%3,794$6,420Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Wayne State College
52%—4,666$15,360Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Western New Mexico University
26%—3,531$8,522Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Western Oregon University
47%98.1%3,722$17,237Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Westfield State University
54%81.4%4,588$16,721Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median44%84.0%3,793$14,027

Institutions like Adams State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Adams State's comparison group.

IPEDS

Adams State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Email
oie [at] adams.edu
Phone
719-587-7011
Address
208 Edgemont Blvd. Alamosa, CO 81101

The mission of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness is to take an active role in advancing the institutional goal to become the university community of choice for diverse groups by providing guidance and service in the fields of research, accreditation, planning, and data management.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Dr. Becky Meidinger

Research funding

External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.

NSF
USA Spending
$29,395,510
All sources
$29,395,510

Common Data Set

Adams State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Source publications

Reports & documents (3)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of Adams State (35)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Carmen Roybal Arteaga
  • Gene Carpenter
  • Tony Case
  • Connie Claussen
  • Robert E. DeNier
  • Anthony Drealan
  • Ted Egger
  • Gary W. Gallagher
  • Nino Giarratano
  • Sydney Gidabuday
  • Grace Padilla
  • Jarrell Harrison
Showing 1–12 of 35
1 / 3

Frequently asked questions about Adams State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Adams State.

What is the acceptance rate at Adams State University?

Adams State University's acceptance rate is 99.2% (1,567 admitted from 1,580 applicants), based on the latest IPEDS.

What is the graduation rate at Adams State University?

Adams State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 39% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Adams State University?

Adams State University reports a total enrollment of 2,901 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Adams State University?

The average net price at Adams State University is $12,980 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Adams State University?

Adams State University's yield rate is 19.3%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Adams State University located?

Adams State University is located in Alamosa, Colorado 81101.

Who runs Institutional Research at Adams State University?

Adams State University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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