CU Denver vs. FLC

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

CU Denver FLC
Location Denver, CO Durango, CO
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 23,409 3,413
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #391 #824
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdenver.edu fortlewis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Denver FLC
Tuition (In State) $9,096 $7,560
Tuition (Out of State) $27,288 $18,688
Room & Board $14,920 $13,390
Avg Net Price $15,303 $16,074
Avg Grant Aid $8,079 $13,989
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 97%

Admission

CU Denver FLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,569 4,253
Admitted 11,336 3,964
Acceptance Rate 77.8% 93.2%
Enrolled % 14.4% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 16/24
SAT Range 980/1220 980/1220
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 Aug 1, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

CU Denver FLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

CU Denver FLC
Graduation Rate 40% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,200 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,190 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $201

Diversity

CU Denver FLC
% Men 14% 1%
% Women 26% 2%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 52%
% Black 5% 1%
% Hispanic 19% 11%
% Native American 0% 25%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

CU Denver FLC
% In-State 85% 38%
% Out-of-State 13% 61%

Campus

CU Denver FLC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Denver is larger than than FLC based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 3,413 students)

CU Denver vs. FLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or FLC?

  • University of Colorado Denver is 20.3% more expensive to attend than FLC for in-state tuition ($9,096.00 vs. $7,560.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46% higher at CU Denver than Fort Lewis College ($27,288.00 vs. $18,688.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than FLC ($15,303 vs. $16,074)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fort Lewis College are 11.4% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($13,390 vs. $14,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fort Lewis College than University of Colorado Denver (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fort Lewis College students is 73.2% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($13,989 vs. $8,079)

CU Denver vs. FLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 43 points higher than at FLC (1012)
  • Incoming CU Denver students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at FLC (22)
  • Accepted freshman CU Denver students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at FLC (3.3)
  • FLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than CU Denver (77.8%)

CU Denver vs. FLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Denver or FLC? 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 FLC and CU Denver.

  • The graduation rate at CU Denver is higher than Fort Lewis College (40% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $29,200 more per year than FLC graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $39,000)
  • Fort Lewis College students graduate with a $1,690 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Denver graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,190)
  • FLC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than CU Denver graduates. ($201 vs. $219)
  • More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FLC students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 57%)

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