Best Colleges in Colorado 2023

Best Colleges in Colorado 2023

Here are the best colleges and universities in Colorado, categorized into two lists – research universities and liberal arts colleges – to help you find the right kind of school for you.

10 Best Colleges in Colorado

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Colleges and Universities in Colorado

Fans of the outdoors will feel right at home in Colorado. With the Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, and even part of the Great Plains, you’re sure to find adventure in The Centennial State. Students looking to balance outdoor adventure with higher education can choose from over 40 colleges and universities offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees for an average in-state tuition of $10,800.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Colorado’s 28 public institutes include junior colleges, universities, the United States Air Force Academy, and the Colorado School of Mines, a research university that specializes in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Tuition for Colorado’s public schools ranges from $3,000 to $19,000, with many of the colleges and junior colleges starting at $4,000 and the universities at $8,000. Several of public colleges in Colorado enroll a large number of online students, including Colorado State University

.

Colorado’s private institutions boast smaller class sizes and student populations. This category includes five religiously affiliated campuses. Private colleges in Colorado tend to be more expensive, ranging from $4,000 to $55,000 in tuition. There are several online colleges in Colorado that are categorized as private schools.

The University of Colorado, Boulder, a notable research institute, is ranked as the number one school in the state and has a student population of just over 32,000. Students can earn degrees in computer science and physics both through in-person courses and online learning. Influential Boulder alumni include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Academy Award-winning actor and director Robert Redford.

Prospective art students can check out Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, and those desiring a career in the medical field can look into the Institute of Business and Medical Careers.

To learn more, check out the best brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Colorado.


What are Colorado’s Colleges & Universities?

Colorado’s Best Overall

Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges

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We’ve identified 24 colleges and universities in Colorado that meet our criteria. This list of the top 30 colleges in Colorado below focuses on schools that offer bachelor’s degrees. The ranking features fully accredited public and private colleges and universities in Colorado.

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Best Colleges in Colorado 2022

  1. #9

    Aspen University

    Phoenix , AZ
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Student body

    6K

    What is Aspen University known for?

    Aspen University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Aspen University’s Online Degrees

    BS in Business Administration
    Degree Concentrations
    • Completion
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Early Childhood Studies
    Degree Concentrations
    • Completion
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Healthcare Administration
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Nursing
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  2. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    89%

    Graduation

    30%

    Student body

    15K

    Median SAT/ACT

    980/17

    Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Online Degrees

    BS in Business Intelligence
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Marketing And Sales
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. Tuition + fees

    $11K

    Acceptance

    95%

    Graduation

    44%

    Student body

    10K

    University of Colorado Colorado Springs’s Online Degrees

    BS in Business
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Criminal Justice
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Communication
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Philosophy
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Sociology
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Healthcare Sciences
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: None Reported
  4. #14

    Colorado Technical University

    Colorado Springs , CO

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Graduation

    23%

    Student body

    31K

    What is Colorado Technical University known for?

    Colorado Technical University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  5. Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Graduation

    18%

    Student body

    4K

    What is Community College of Denver known for?

    Community College of Denver’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Community College of Denver’s Online Degrees

    BAS in Dental Hygiene
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  6. Tuition + fees

    $18K

    Graduation

    61%

    Student body

    9K

    Colorado Christian University’s Online Degrees

    BS in Accountancy
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Business
    Degree Concentrations
    • Entrepreneurship
    • International Business
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Economics
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Human Resource Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Logistics And Supply Chain Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Marketing And Sales
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Nonprofit Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Organizational Management In Christian Leadership
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Organizational Management In Enterprise Agility
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Organizational Management In Project Management
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Computer Information Technology
    Degree Concentrations
    • Data Engineering
    • Database Management
    • Networking
    • System Analyst
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Information Systems Management
    Degree Concentrations
    • Cybersecurity
    • System Analyst
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Criminal Justice
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Early Childhood Education
    Degree Concentrations
    • Licensure
    • Non Licensure
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Elementary Education
    Degree Concentrations
    • Licensure
    • Non Licensure
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Special Education
    Degree Concentrations
    • Licensure
    • Non-Licensure
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Applied Apologetics
    Degree Concentrations
    • Cultural Engagement
    • Global Apologetics
    • Innovative Evangelism
    • Practical Apologetics
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Biblical Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Christian Ministry
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Communication Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Healthcare Administration
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  7. #21

    Colorado Mountain College

    Glenwood Springs , CO

    Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Graduation

    27%

    Student body

    3K

    What is Colorado Mountain College known for?

    Colorado Mountain College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  8. Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    99%

    Graduation

    39%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1010/20

  9. Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    22%

    Student body

    4K

    What is Red Rocks Community College known for?

    Red Rocks Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  10. Tuition + fees

    $5K

    Graduation

    19%

    Student body

    4K

    What is Pueblo Community College known for?

    Pueblo Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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Colorado’s Best Colleges in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. Colorado College
  2. United States Air Force Academy
  3. University of Denver
  4. University of Colorado Denver
  5. University of Colorado Boulder
  6. Colorado School of Mines
  7. Colorado State University
  8. Regis University
  9. University of Northern Colorado
  10. Fort Lewis College