Aurora, Colorado Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Aurora, Colorado shows: median public in-state tuition $8,256 (+49.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $34,657 (-36.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 79.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $10,500 (-21.8% vs U.S.) 5,026 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 10 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 5,026 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $8,256 (+49.8% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,657 (-36.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 79.2% (-8.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $16,666 (+67.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,500 (-21.8% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $10,555
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 63.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 45.8%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Aurora, Colorado—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Colorado and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Aurora vs Colorado & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, Colorado | $8,256 | $16,666 | $10,500 | 63.6% | 5,026 |
| Colorado (state median) | $5,140 | $12,045 | $11,338 | 47.9% | 256,174 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, Colorado | $34,657 | 79.2% | 45.8% | 13.3% | — | 36.7% | 0.27 |
| Colorado (state median) | $52,231 | 88.1% | 72.5% | 4.5% | — | 70.7% | 0.39 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Colorado (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, Colorado | $8,256 | $16,666 | $10,500 | 63.6% | 5,026 | $34,657 | 79.2% |
| Denver | $11,124 | $18,397 | $20,436 | 53.6% | 55,272 | $71,630 | 88.2% |
| Colorado Springs | $12,750 | $21,374 | $11,338 | 33.8% | 50,355 | $48,054 | 81.5% |
| Boulder | $26,143 | $27,262 | $19,500 | 55.4% | 40,794 | $49,229 | 77.1% |
| Fort Collins | $13,373 | $21,279 | $14,375 | 66.5% | 25,877 | $60,543 | 90.3% |
| Lakewood | $15,977 | $26,083 | $14,892 | 32.0% | 12,838 | $46,687 | 83.0% |
| Lakewood | $15,977 | $26,083 | $14,892 | 32.0% | 12,838 | $46,687 | 83.0% |
| Greeley | $7,337 | $14,612 | $7,917 | 45.4% | 9,246 | $52,231 | 90.2% |
| Littleton | $4,434 | $14,354 | $11,276 | 29.1% | 5,431 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Aurora, Colorado by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,169, Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Top 10 colleges in Aurora, Colorado by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $87,378, Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Aurora, Colorado (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $37,153, Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
In-state tuition: Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Aurora, Colorado median in-state tuition is $8,256, +49.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Aurora, Colorado is $10,500 (-21.8% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $10,555.
Median earnings (10 years out): Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Aurora, Colorado center around $34,657 (-36.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 79.2% at the median Aurora, Colorado campus (-8.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Aurora, Colorado median public in-state tuition is $8,256, about +49.8% vs the national median. Versus the Rocky Mountains region, tuition is +68.1%.
Median graduate debt is $10,500 (-21.8% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Aurora, Colorado are $34,657, about -36.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 79.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-8.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 45.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 13.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 36.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Aurora, Colorado is 63.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Aurora?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 10 campuses in Aurora, Colorado with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Aurora?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Aurora is $8,256 and median net price is $16,666. For Colorado overall, medians are $5,140 and $12,045; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Aurora?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Aurora is $34,657 vs $52,231 for Colorado and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Aurora colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Aurora is $10,500 vs $11,338 for Colorado and $13,432 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Aurora?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 10 campuses in Aurora, Colorado, 6 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Concorde Career College-Aurora, Community College of Aurora, and Pickens Technical College.
Sources & related
- Colorado college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON