Fort Lewis College is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Durango, Colorado. It enrolls 3,079 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes13
Value49
Affordability60
Selectivity35
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 77.3%, Fort Lewis College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
77.3%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1010 – 1210
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
18 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Fort Lewis College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
1.8 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Fort Lewis College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $17,296 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,296
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
30%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$9,958
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$21,526
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,680
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,784
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,180
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,180
Total Cost of Attendance
$27,030
Application fee: $40 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$18,622
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,014
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,468
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,498
Over $110,000
$13,158
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$18,389Medianpercentile
$20,75075%percentile
$29,84790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,950
↓ $8,439
No Pell $7,500
↓ $10,889
Dependent students $8,250
↓ $10,139
Independent students $11,000
↓ $7,389
Female students $9,500
↓ $8,889
Male students $8,250
↓ $10,139
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,905, less than completers ($18,389), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
43% of full-time students who enrolled at Fort Lewis College graduate within six years, and 64% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
43%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
64%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Fort Lewis College earn a median of $46,349 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,349
Earning > $25K
74%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,100
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,600, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Fort Lewis College is home to 3,079 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 31% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
3,079
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
31%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 43.2%1,331
Other 38.4%1,181
Hispanic 15.2%468
Black 1.7%52
International 0.7%22
Asian 0.5%14
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Fort Lewis College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantDurango, Colorado
Housing
Mostly residential1,637 beds on campus
Adult Learners
12%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Fort Lewis College offers
a varied set of programs:
38 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Fort Lewis College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,080
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$16M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$69,472
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
217 instructional faculty across 6 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
62
29%
$90,463
Associate Professors
35
16%
$75,553
Assistant Professors
78
36%
$61,540
Instructors
8
4%
$45,250
Lecturers
33
15%
$49,855
No Rank
1
0%
$15,000
Pros & Cons of Fort Lewis College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Fort Lewis College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
CONS
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Fort Lewis College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fort Lewis College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Fort Lewis College.
Is Fort Lewis College hard to get into?
Fort Lewis College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 77.3%.
What is the acceptance rate at Fort Lewis College?
Fort Lewis College has an acceptance rate of 77.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Fort Lewis College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Fort Lewis College scored between 1010 and 1210 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Fort Lewis College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Fort Lewis College scored between 18 and 26 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Fort Lewis College cost?
The average net price after aid at Fort Lewis College is $17,296 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Fort Lewis College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,349 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,296 per year. That's roughly 2.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Fort Lewis College known for?
Fort Lewis College is best known for its programs in Business, Psychology, Kinesiology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Fort Lewis College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Fort Lewis College are $46,349, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Fort Lewis College accredited?
Yes. Fort Lewis College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Fort Lewis College?
Fort Lewis College enrolls 3,079 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Fort Lewis College?
Fort Lewis College graduates 43% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Fort Lewis College a public or private college?
Fort Lewis College is a Public institution.
Where is Fort Lewis College located?
Fort Lewis College is located in Durango, Colorado.
What programs does Fort Lewis College offer?
Fort Lewis College offers 38 distinct programs. The most popular include Business, Psychology, Kinesiology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Fort Lewis College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Fort Lewis College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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