CU Boulder vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Metropolitan State College of Denver? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or Metropolitan State College of Denver 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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University of Colorado Boulder vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
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Overview

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
Location Boulder, CO Denver, CO
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 39,585 16,995
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #990
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu mscd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $8,445
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $26,277
Room & Board $16,146 $12,411
Avg Net Price $21,836 $14,805
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $5,930
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 10,163
Admitted 43,416 9,951
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 97.9%
Enrolled % 16.4% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.03
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 16/23
SAT Range 1160/1390 910/1130
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 Jan 15, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
Graduation Rate 68% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $201 $250

Diversity

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
% Men 55% 43%
% Women 45% 57%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 58%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 22%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

CU Boulder Metropolitan State College of Denver
% In-State 53% 97%
% Out-of-State 45% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Metropolitan State College of Denver based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 16,995 students)

CU Boulder vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 36.4% more expensive to attend than Metropolitan State College of Denver for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,445.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.5% higher at CU Boulder than Metropolitan State College of Denver ($38,770.00 vs. $26,277.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Metropolitan State College of Denver than CU Boulder ($14,805 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Metropolitan State College of Denver are 30.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,411 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Metropolitan State College of Denver than University of Colorado Boulder (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 76.7% larger than aid received Metropolitan State College of Denver ($10,477 vs. $5,930)

CU Boulder vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 241 points higher than at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (21)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
  • Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or Metropolitan State College of Denver? 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 Metropolitan State College of Denver and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (68% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $14,300 more per year than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $42,600)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,250)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($201 vs. $250)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 47%)

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