Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. UNM

Should I go to Metropolitan State College of Denver or University of New Mexico Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Metropolitan State College of Denver or UNM is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. University of New Mexico Main Campus comparison
Metropolitan State College of Denver University of New Mexico Main Campus College 3 College 4
Metropolitan State College of Denver University of New Mexico Main Campus
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Overview

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Location Denver, CO Albuquerque, NM
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 17,593 22,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #963 #671
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mscd.edu unm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Tuition (In State) $8,868 $6,803
Tuition (Out of State) $27,591 $25,138
Room & Board $14,679 $11,884
Avg Net Price $13,727 $7,528
Avg Grant Aid $9,341 $12,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 99%

Admission

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,403 12,907
Admitted 12,296 12,320
Acceptance Rate 99.1% 95.5%
Enrolled % 17.3% 29.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.03 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/26
SAT Range 880/1110 900/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Graduation Rate 21% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $201

Diversity

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
% Men 2% 11%
% Women 5% 14%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 35%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 22% 47%
% Native American 1% 6%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
% In-State 97% 84%
% Out-of-State 3% 15%

Campus

Metropolitan State College of Denver UNM
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of New Mexico Main Campus is larger than than Metropolitan State College of Denver based on total student enrollment (22,700 students vs. 17,593 students)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. UNM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Metropolitan State College of Denver or UNM?

  • Metropolitan State College of Denver is 30.4% more expensive to attend than UNM for in-state tuition ($8,868.00 vs. $6,803.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than University of New Mexico Main Campus ($27,591.00 vs. $25,138.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Metropolitan State College of Denver ($7,528 vs. $13,727)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of New Mexico Main Campus are 23.5% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($11,884 vs. $14,679)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Metropolitan State College of Denver (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of New Mexico Main Campus students is 31.2% larger than aid received Metropolitan State College of Denver ($12,252 vs. $9,341)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. UNM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Metropolitan State College of Denver or UNM? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNM or Metropolitan State College of Denver .

  • The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 69 points higher than at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971)
  • Incoming UNM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (21)
  • Accepted freshman UNM students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
  • Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (99.1%) than UNM (95.5%)

Metropolitan State College of Denver vs. UNM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Metropolitan State College of Denver or UNM? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UNM and Metropolitan State College of Denver.

  • The graduation rate at UNM is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (44% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of New Mexico Main Campus earn on average $100 more per year than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $42,600)
  • University of New Mexico Main Campus students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,250)
  • UNM graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($201 vs. $250)
  • More UNM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/