Denver, Colorado Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Denver, Colorado shows: median public in-state tuition $11,124 (+101.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $71,630 (+31.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 88.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,436 (+52.1% vs U.S.) 55,272 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 20 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 55,272 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $11,124 (+101.8% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $71,630 (+31.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 88.2% (+0.3 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $18,397 (+84.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,436 (+52.1% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $10,555
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 53.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 72.7%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Denver, Colorado—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Colorado and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Denver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, Colorado | $11,124 | $18,397 | $20,436 | 53.6% | 55,272 |
| 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: Denver, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, Colorado | $71,630 | 88.2% | 72.7% | 2.9% | — | 74.2% | 0.32 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, Colorado | $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 |
| Aurora | $8,256 | $16,666 | $10,500 | 63.6% | 5,026 | $34,657 | 79.2% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Denver, Colorado
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public | 3 | $64,270 | 87.6% | 72.7% | 4.5% | — | 66.5% |
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 75.6%, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 61.0%, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 46.2%, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 31.5%, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.1%, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 88.9%, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 88.4%, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 88.1%, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 87.6%, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 86.7%, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 most selective colleges in Denver, Colorado (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 74.7%, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 77.8%, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 86.5%, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 98.4%, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 98.8%, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, 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, $78,878, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,333, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,736, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,161, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $74,960, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $72,250, University of Denver
University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, 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, $121,993, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $114,098, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $112,754, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $111,187, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $95,518, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $83,778, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $80,184, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $65,131, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $64,557, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $57,118, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,475, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,391, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $81,283, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $73,820, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $69,937, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $63,910, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $59,654, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $48,919, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $81,809, Denver College of Nursing
Denver College of Nursing
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $76,813, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $72,105, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $71,155, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $64,270, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $52,093, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, 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, $290,061, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $231,422, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $198,760, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $172,594, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $140,044, University of Denver
University of Denver
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Denver, 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, $11,900, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 2, Net Price, $15,327, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
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Rank 3, Net Price, $16,510, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 4, Net Price, $18,397, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $36,131, University of Denver
University of Denver
Top 10 colleges in Denver, Colorado by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 88.9%, University of Denver
University of Denver
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 74.0%, Colorado State University Global
Colorado State University Global
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 72.7%, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 71.4%, Regis University
Regis University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 62.9%, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
In-state tuition: Denver, Colorado vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Denver, Colorado median in-state tuition is $11,124, +101.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Denver, Colorado vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Denver, Colorado is $20,436 (+52.1% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $10,555.
Median earnings (10 years out): Denver, Colorado vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Denver, Colorado center around $71,630 (+31.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Denver, Colorado vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 88.2% at the median Denver, Colorado campus (+0.3 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
Denver, Colorado median public in-state tuition is $11,124, about +101.8% vs the national median. Versus the Rocky Mountains region, tuition is +126.5%.
Median graduate debt is $20,436 (+52.1% above 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 Denver, Colorado are $71,630, about +31.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 88.2% 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% (+0.3 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 72.7% 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 2.9% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 74.2% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Denver College of Nursing (92.1%), Regis University (88.9%), University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (88.4%), University of Denver (88.1%), Colorado State University Global (87.6%), Metropolitan State University of Denver (86.7%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Denver, Colorado, sector medians diverge: Public median 10-yr earnings $64,270 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Denver, Colorado is 53.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Denver?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 20 campuses in Denver, Colorado with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Denver?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Denver is $11,124 and median net price is $18,397. For Colorado overall, medians are $5,140 and $12,045; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Denver?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Denver is $71,630 vs $52,231 for Colorado and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Denver colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Denver is $20,436 vs $11,338 for Colorado and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Denver?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Denver (graduation) and Denver College of Nursing (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Denver?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 20 campuses in Denver, Colorado, 12 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, and Community College of Denver; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (1), Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Colorado college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON