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Colorado vs Washington: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Colorado offers a higher average award size, making it suitable for applicants seeking substantial financial support, while Washington provides a greater number of scholarships, appealing to those who prefer more opportunities.

State vs State

State A

Colorado

State B

Washington

Quick comparison

MetricColoradoWashington
Active scholarships in catalog74191
Avg. award (where known)$4,183$3,652
Max indexed award$64,000$25,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

In 2026, Colorado presents a robust scholarship climate with an average award size of $4,320.81, significantly higher than Washington's $3,738.70. Colorado offers a total of 62 scholarships, while Washington boasts a larger volume with 124 scholarships available. The maximum award in Colorado reaches up to $64,000, compared to Washington's maximum of $25,000. Notable universities in Colorado include Morgan Community College Foundation and Medical Group Management Association, while Washington's top institutions feature Wenatchee Valley College Foundation and Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.

Final verdict explanation

ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 74 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Colorado alongside about 191 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Washington using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing Colorado campuses against Washington footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.

After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.

Top Scholarship Providers in Colorado

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Top Scholarship Providers in Washington

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Scholarship climate by state

Colorado

Colorado's scholarship climate is characterized by fewer but larger awards, making it ideal for applicants seeking significant funding.

Washington

Washington offers a wider array of scholarships, providing more opportunities for applicants, albeit with generally smaller average awards.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Colorado

Median household income

$94,510

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,321

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

23.86/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$59,800

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 41.18 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

lower indicator band

SVI counties

64

ADI counties

63

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 64 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 63 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Washington

Median household income

$97,733

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,418

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

23.29/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$62,990

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 27.40 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

lower indicator band

SVI counties

39

ADI counties

39

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 39 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 39 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

What is the average scholarship amount in Colorado?
The average scholarship amount in Colorado is $4,320.81.
How many scholarships are available in Washington?
Washington has a total of 124 scholarships available.
Which state has a higher maximum scholarship award?
Colorado has a higher maximum scholarship award of $64,000 compared to Washington's $25,000.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

More guides around this State vs State comparison

Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Colorado and Washington.

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