College Trends

Public universities in Colorado

The College Scorecard lists 13 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Colorado, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 123,082 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $17,244 a year, higher than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $60,043 at the median institution, about the same as the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 48.0%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
13
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
123,082
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$17,244
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$60,043
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$19,826
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
48.0%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Colorado on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Colorado. Showing 12 of 13 public universities in Colorado; schools missing either value are left out.

All 13 public universities in Colorado

University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder
31,939$23,708$17,513$47,142$77,574$18,50074.3%90.1%78.1%
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins
25,538$22,247$13,774$36,113$66,947$18,75067.6%85.9%88.5%
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver
15,002$13,803$11,540$31,784$57,612$21,55031.5%62.9%98.8%
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver
10,519$10,217$10,835$30,179$69,387$18,65048.9%72.7%74.7%
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
8,697$14,954$10,345$24,771$61,386$20,50045.9%68.3%97.4%
Colorado State University Global
Denver
6,563$17,732$9,000$9,000$82,047$23,00026.3%74.0%98.4%
Colorado School of Mines
Golden
6,155$32,901$22,658$47,288$102,077$21,28782.1%92.8%60.7%
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley
5,598$18,711$12,882$28,370$56,980$19,50049.3%75.8%85.9%
United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy
4,114n/a$0$0n/an/a83.8%96.5%14.1%
Fort Lewis College
Durango
3,079$20,090$10,588$22,564$49,164$16,59135.7%66.1%77.3%
Colorado State University Pueblo
Pueblo
3,042$8,851$10,099$18,610$58,700$20,30741.5%64.3%94.9%
Western Colorado University
Gunnison
1,586$16,756$11,511$24,963$53,355$20,15148.0%72.4%99.7%
Adams State University
Alamosa
1,250$8,585$9,968$22,400$51,295$18,00036.7%50.7%n/a
Showing 13 of 13. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Colorado

How many public universities are in Colorado?
The College Scorecard lists 13 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Colorado.
What do public universities in Colorado cost?
Across the 12 schools that report it, the median average net price is $17,244 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $8,585 at Adams State University to $32,901 at Colorado School of Mines.
Which public universities in Colorado have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Adams State University ($8,585), Colorado State University Pueblo ($8,851), University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ($10,217), Metropolitan State University of Denver ($13,803), and University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($14,954).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Colorado?
The median published in-state tuition is $10,835 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $24,963. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Colorado earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $60,043 10 years after starting college (12 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Colorado School of Mines ($102,077), Colorado State University Global ($82,047), and University of Colorado Boulder ($77,574).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Colorado?
The median graduation rate is 48.0%, across 13 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Colorado have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $19,826 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Colorado

Public universities in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.