Aurora, Colorado Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Aurora, Colorado: median public in-state tuition $6,698 (+21.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $34,657 (-36.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 79.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $10,500 (-20.9% 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: $6,698 (+21.5% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,657 (-36.3% 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 (-20.9% vs U.S. $13,271); 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
Colleges and universities in Aurora serve students across Colorado with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 10 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 5,026 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $6,698. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Aurora, 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 | $6,698 | $16,666 | $10,500 | 63.6% | 5,026 |
| Colorado (state median) | $5,140 | $12,045 | $11,008 | 48.0% | 256,128 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
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) | $53,445 | 87.9% | 72.4% | 4.4% | — | 70.4% | 0.38 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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 | $6,698 | $16,666 | $10,500 | 63.6% | 5,026 | $34,657 | 79.2% |
| Denver | $11,124 | $18,977 | $20,436 | 53.6% | 55,249 | $71,630 | 88.2% |
| Colorado Springs | $11,616 | $20,725 | $11,008 | 33.8% | 50,332 | $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% |
| 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% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college 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 college 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 college in Aurora, Colorado by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $-17,538, Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
Most affordable college 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 $6,698, +21.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Aurora, Colorado vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Aurora, Colorado is $10,500 (-20.9% vs U.S. median $13,271). 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 (-36.3% 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 $6,698, about +21.5% vs the national median. Versus the Rocky Mountains region, tuition is +36.4%.
Median graduate debt is $10,500 (-20.9% below the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 -36.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
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 88.0% (-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 76.4%—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%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Aurora?
This city profile covers 10 campuses in Aurora, Colorado with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Aurora?
Median in-state tuition in Aurora is $6,698 and median net price is $16,666. For Colorado overall, medians are $5,140 and $12,045; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Aurora?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Aurora is $34,657 vs $53,445 for Colorado and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Aurora colleges?
Median completer debt in Aurora is $10,500 vs $11,008 for Colorado and $13,271 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Aurora?
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