UCCS vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver

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

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
Location Colorado Springs, CO Denver, CO
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 11,213 17,593
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #654 #963
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uccs.edu mscd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
Tuition (In State) $8,012 $8,868
Tuition (Out of State) $18,792 $27,591
Room & Board $12,278 $14,679
Avg Net Price $16,816 $13,727
Avg Grant Aid $6,698 $9,341
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 65%

Admission

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,103 12,403
Admitted 12,653 12,296
Acceptance Rate 96.6% 99.1%
Enrolled % 13.8% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.03
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 17/23
SAT Range 1020/1240 880/1110
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

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
Graduation Rate 41% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,999 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $217 $250

Diversity

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
% Men 7% 2%
% Women 9% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 58%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 22%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver
% In-State 81% 97%
% Out-of-State 18% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Metropolitan State College of Denver is larger than than UCCS based on total student enrollment (17,593 students vs. 11,213 students)

UCCS vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Cost Comparison

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

  • Metropolitan State College of Denver is 10.7% more expensive to attend than UCCS for in-state tuition ($8,868.00 vs. $8,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.8% higher at Metropolitan State College of Denver than University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($27,591.00 vs. $18,792.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Metropolitan State College of Denver than UCCS ($13,727 vs. $16,816)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Colorado Springs are 19.6% lower than costs at Metropolitan State College of Denver ($12,278 vs. $14,679)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Colorado Springs than Metropolitan State College of Denver (74% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Metropolitan State College of Denver students is 39.5% larger than aid received University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($9,341 vs. $6,698)

UCCS vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCCS 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 UCCS .

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Colorado Springs (1088) is 117 points higher than at Metropolitan State College of Denver (971)
  • Incoming UCCS students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (21)
  • Accepted freshman UCCS students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Metropolitan State College of Denver (3.03)
  • Metropolitan State College of Denver has a higher acceptance rate (99.1%) than UCCS (96.6%)

UCCS vs. Metropolitan State College of Denver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCCS 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 UCCS.

  • The graduation rate at UCCS is higher than Metropolitan State College of Denver (41% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Colorado Springs earn on average $3,800 more per year than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $42,600)
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs students graduate with a $3,251 lower median federal student loan debt than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($20,999 vs. $24,250)
  • UCCS graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Metropolitan State College of Denver graduates. ($217 vs. $250)
  • More UCCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Metropolitan State College of Denver students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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