University of Denver
University of Denver at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
University of Denver Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Online MBAs Colorado
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Colorado
- #1 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #1 Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Information Technology
- #2 Best Research Universities in Colorado 2026
- #2 Best Colleges in Colorado
- #2 Best Grad Schools in Colorado 2026
- #2 Best Online Juris Doctorate (JD)
- #2 Colorado's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #2 Colorado's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #3 Best PhD Programs for Forensic Psychologists
- #4 Best Online Degree Completion Programs
- #4 The Best Online PhD of Applied Behavioral Analysis Degree Programs Ranked in 2026
- #4 20 Fastest Online Master's of Counseling Degree Programs
- #9 Most Influential Colleges in Hockey Today
- #19 Non-GMAT Online MBAs
- #26 Most Influential Colleges in Lacrosse Today
- #47 Best Private Grad Schools 2026
About University of Denver
According to Wikipedia, The University of Denver is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – very high research activity". DU enrolls approximately 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. The main campus is a designated arboretum and is located primarily in the University Neighborhood, about five miles south of downtown Denver. The 720-acre Kennedy Mountain Campus is located approximately 110 miles northwest of Denver, in Larimer County.
University of Denver Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19,214 | 78% | 89% | 74% | 1325 | 30 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does University of Denver Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $63,246 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $15,042 |
| 30K - 48K | $15,009 |
| 48K - 75K | $19,505 |
| 75K - 110K | $29,756 |
| 110K+ | $46,868 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do University of Denver Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former University of Denver students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $77,205 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
University of Denver's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 16,004 | 7,320 | 8,684 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is University of Denver?
University of Denver is located at 2199 S. University Blvd, Denver, CO 80208.
How Safe is University of Denver?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, University of Denver publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, University of Denver has a violent crime rate of 0.11% and a property crime rate of 0.44%. Denver has a violent crime rate of 1.00% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 4.78%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is University of Denver Known For?
University of Denver is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Political Science
- Social Work
- Law
- Psychology
- Business
- Economics
- Anthropology
- History
- Education
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Literature
- Physics
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Engineering
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Medical
University of Denver's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much University of Denver's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
University of Denver ranks #47 in the U.S. and #152 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #62 in the U.S. and #108 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #76 in the U.S. and #228 worldwide for influence in Law.
University of Denver ranks #90 in the U.S. and #179 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #105 in the U.S. and #291 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #110 in the U.S. and #445 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #112 in the U.S. and #306 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #116 in the U.S. and #311 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #124 in the U.S. and #436 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #127 in the U.S. and #565 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #147 in the U.S. and #494 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #147 in the U.S. and #407 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #152 in the U.S. and #599 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #153 in the U.S. and #250 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #161 in the U.S. and #602 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #168 in the U.S. and #643 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #171 in the U.S. and #593 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #171 in the U.S. and #827 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #175 in the U.S. and #636 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #181 in the U.S. and #815 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #198 in the U.S. and #663 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesUniversity of Denver ranks #204 in the U.S. and #697 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWho Are University of Denver's Most Influential Alumni?
University of Denver's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Political Science, and Psychology. Here are some of University of Denver's most famous alumni:
- Huston Smith
- A Religious studies scholar .
- Mohammad Javad Zarif
- An Iranian career diplomat.
- Dean Baker
- An American economist.
- Robert Gilpin
- An American political scientist.
- Margaret Singer
- An American clinical psychologist.
- Bruce Hoffman
- An American academic.
- Katherine Anne Porter
- An American journalist, essayist, short story writer, novelist, and political activist.
- Condoleezza Rice
- An American Republican politician. Condoleezza Rice is U.S. Secretary of State. Condoleezza Rice is political scientist.
- Henry T. Lynch
- A Physician noted for research into genetic links to cancer.
- John L. Horn
- An American psychologist & scholar.
- Njabulo Ndebele
- A South African writer.
- Ted Shawn
- An American dancer.
Who Are University of Denver's Most Influential Faculty?
University of Denver's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Social Work, Political Science, and Psychology. Here are some of University of Denver's most famous faculty:
- James Gross
- An American psychologist.
- Thomas Nail
- An American philosopher.
- Erica Chenoweth
- An American political scientist.
- Mike Johnston
- A 46th mayor of Denver.
- William E. Cross Jr.
- An American psychologist.
- Haider A. Khan
- An American economist.
- Daniel D. Domenico
- An American judge.
- Astrid an Huef
- A German-born New Zealand mathematician.
- Adam Berkhoel
- An American ice hockey goaltender.
- Will Butcher
- An American professional ice hockey defenceman.
- Adrienne Russell
- A Digital media scholar.
- Apryl A. Alexander
- An American clinical and forensic psychologist and researcher.
