Debt by Degrees » Colorado

This database was last updated in March 2017 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. More recent data is available from the U.S. Dept. of Education’s College Scorecard.

Type

Private not-for-profit, 4-year

Classification

Predominately Bachelor's Degrees College

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CollegeAmerica-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colo. | www.collegeamerica.edu/

Main campus: CollegeAmerica-Denver

Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year

Classification: Predominately Bachelor's Degrees College

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Schools in Colorado »

Rankings

This school is ranked against other Private not-for-profit, 4-year Predominately Bachelor's Degrees Colleges.

Pell Grantees
79.62, 20.38 79.6%
of undergraduates in 2014
High Low
Rank #30 out of 456
Discount Off Total Cost i
14%
for low-income families
High Low
Rank #442 out of 445
Median Federal Debt i
$19,500
for Pell grantees
High Low
Rank #235 out of 443
Graduation Rate (2013) i
N/A
for Pell grantees

Although higher education has long been seen as a class equalizer, not everybody can take on the debt necessary to afford it. The Pell Grant program was established in 1965 to help poor students attend college without taking on loans that limit their options later in life, but the program has not kept pace with the rapid growth of tuition. Some schools with large endowments use their resources to make tuition cheaper for poor students, while others expect even the poorest students to take on substantial debt.

During School

Though Pell Grant money is crucial, attending college can still require large student loans if a prospective student doesn’t choose a school carefully. Data only for students who receive any federal aid.

Total Annual Cost (2014)
$29,366
including tuition, books & living expenses
High Low
Rank #111 out of 446
Avg. Spending on Instruction
$4,069
Per Student
Low-Income Students Paid
$25,110
per year, on average
High Low
Rank #423 out of 445
Income Level Avg. Cost
$0-30k $25,110
$30k-48k $24,259
$48k-75k $28,106
$75k-110k N/A
Over $110k N/A
All $25,169

This School’s Price Calculator»

Discount
14%
off the total cost, per year
High Low
Rank #442 out of 445

At Graduation

Especially if students are not pursuing potentially lucrative majors, such as so-called STEM disciplines or law, their school choices can have a big effect on their income and ability to pay off college debt. Recent graduates can fall behind on their loans quickly, and unlike other kinds of debt, student loans are not forgiven through bankruptcy.

Median Federal Debt (All)
$27,236
High Low
Rank #382 out of 442
Median Federal Debt (Pell Students)
$19,500
High Low
Rank #235 out of 443
Graduation Rate (Within Six Years)
39.3%
High Low
Rank #335 out of 443

Drop-Outs Have Debt Too

Students who drop out of school still have to pay back the loans they took out. This can be a double whammy for them: With large debts to pay off and no college degrees, their career options are limited and their expected earnings are lower.

Median Federal Debt of Students Who Drop Out
$9,500

Years Later

The choices 18 year olds make about where to go to school — and how much debt to take on to pay for it — matter enormously over the long haul. Although everybody knows this instinctively, the U.S. Department of Education worked with Treasury Department data to work out the details, including, for each school, average salary and debt levels 10 years after students enter school.

How Graduates Fare 3 Years After Graduation

A new measure, the nonrepayment rate, includes all students who are unable to pay off any of the principal on their student loans. The traditional measure, the default rate, does not include students who may be in deferment or forbearance. Federal loans only.

Nonrepayment Rate (All)
84.5%
3-Year Rate, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #422 out of 443
Nonrepayment Rate (Pell Students)
85.7%
3-Year Rate, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #399 out of 415
Default Rate
22.0%
3-Year Cohort, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #426 out of 446

How Students Fare 10 Years After Entering School

This includes salary data starting 10 years after a student enters school. Typically this means 6 years after graduation, but some students take longer to complete school. Data only for students who have received federal aid.

Median monthly debt payments
$279.52
(10-year amortization plan)
Median Income (2012)
N/A
Students working and not enrolled
Earns $25k or Less Per Year (2012)
48.8%
Includes unemployed and not looking for work
High Low
Rank #411 out of 437

About the School

In 2014, CollegeAmerica-Colorado Springs had a N/A admissions rate. It had 350 undergraduate students, 0% of which were part-time. 70.7% of its undergraduates took out federal loans.

Demographics
White 50.6%
Black 16.6%
Hispanic 15.4%
Asian 0.9%
Other 16.6%