CU Denver vs. Red Rocks Community College

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

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
Location Denver, CO Lakewood, CO
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,409 7,382
Type Public 4 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking #391
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdenver.edu rrcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
Tuition (In State) $9,096 $3,936
Tuition (Out of State) $27,288 $16,176
Room & Board $14,920 $14,679
Avg Net Price $15,303 $9,250
Avg Grant Aid $8,079 $9,031
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 46%

Admission

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,569 -
Admitted 11,336 -
Acceptance Rate 77.8% Open
Enrolled % 14.4% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.46 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 980/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (39%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (5%)

Outcomes

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
Graduation Rate 40% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,200 $40,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,190 $9,072
Median Loan Payment $219 $93

Diversity

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
% Men 14% 0%
% Women 26% 1%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 70%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 19% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
% In-State 85% 99%
% Out-of-State 13% 1%

Campus

CU Denver Red Rocks Community College
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

  • University of Colorado Denver is larger than than Red Rocks Community College based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 7,382 students)

CU Denver vs. Red Rocks Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or Red Rocks Community College?

  • University of Colorado Denver is 131.1% more expensive to attend than Red Rocks Community College for in-state tuition ($9,096.00 vs. $3,936.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.7% higher at CU Denver than Red Rocks Community College ($27,288.00 vs. $16,176.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Red Rocks Community College than CU Denver ($9,250 vs. $15,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Red Rocks Community College are 1.6% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($14,679 vs. $14,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Denver than Red Rocks Community College (86% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Red Rocks Community College students is 11.8% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($9,031 vs. $8,079)

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

CU Denver vs. Red Rocks Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Denver or Red Rocks Community College? 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 Red Rocks Community College and CU Denver.

  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $27,300 more per year than Red Rocks Community College graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $40,900)
  • Red Rocks Community College students graduate with a $12,118 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Denver graduates. ($9,072 vs. $21,190)
  • Red Rocks Community College graduates are paying $126 less per month on federal student loans than CU Denver graduates. ($93 vs. $219)
  • More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Red Rocks Community College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 42%)

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