Out-of-State Students to Pay Colorado Rates Starting Fall 2025, Including International Sister Cities
In a bid to boost enrollment and expand its regional footprint, Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) received approval to offer a tuition rate equal to the school’s in-state cost to new students in 10 states and five countries, marking one of the institution’s most ambitious recruitment initiatives to date.
Strategic Enrollment Initiative
The Regional In-State Equivalent or RISE rate was endorsed by the Colorado State University System Board of Governors during its December meeting, allowing CSU Pueblo to extend the rate to students from states including Texas, California, and Arizona starting Fall 2025. The initiative includes international students from five countries where Pueblo maintains sister city partnerships.
Addressing the board, Dr. Kristyn White Davis, CSU Pueblo’s Vice President for Enrollment Management and Extended Studies said the university already has a similar system in place with an equivalent in-state tuition offered to athletes and in-bound New Mexico students.
“The idea is to attract new students to CSU Pueblo,” said White Davis. ” We feel pretty strongly that these are key markets where we could make a real difference for our MSI (minority serving institution) and HSI (Hispanic Serving Institutions). We attracted 24 students from Texas this past year, with particular success in Panhandle communities like Dumas and Amarillo.”
Campus Impact
The move comes as Colorado’s higher education landscape grapples with shifting enrollment patterns. In-state enrollment has faced headwinds since the global pandemic, particularly within the University of Colorado and Colorado State University systems. However, out-of-state student interest has shown promising growth, according to a 2023 state legislature enrollment forecast. The university projects a 1% increase in undergraduate enrollment for the upcoming academic year, building on current growth trends.
“The initiative serves a dual purpose,” added White Davis. “Beyond enrollment growth, we’re looking to enhance campus vitality. We do have a bit of a commuter school because 55% of our current students come from Pueblo. Increasing our out-of-state population would naturally boost on-campus residency. Having more students living on campus creates a more vibrant community atmosphere that benefits all students, including our local commuters.”
Under the approved plan, eligible students from Arizona, California, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming will pay under $450 per credit hour – the same rate as Colorado residents. However, these students will not receive the College Opportunity Fund stipend, which remains exclusive to Colorado residents.
Current Student Considerations
The university is also extending the tuition benefit to students from China, Italy, Mexico, Slovenia, and South Korea, leveraging existing sister city relationships to strengthen international enrollment.
Figure 2 CSU Pueblo President Armando Valdez listens to Dr. White Davis address the Board of Governors.
While the initiative marks a significant change in CSU Pueblo’s tuition structure, current out-of-state students will continue under their existing Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or TWOLF rates.
The announcement comes alongside other significant developments discussed at the Board meeting, including the implementation of Pack Cares, a comprehensive five-year mental health plan spanning all CSU system campuses, and updates to campus safety protocols.CSU Pueblo’s tuition initiative follows a broader trend of regional public universities seeking creative solutions to enrollment challenges.
Communication Strategy
As CSU Pueblo looks at geographic expansion and tuition restructuring to increase enrollment it may also present a different model for regional public universities seeking to remain competitive. As institutions nationwide deal with demographic shifts and changing enrollment patterns, the university could serve as a template for others while maintaining their public mission of accessibility and affordability.
