CU Denver vs. DU

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

 CU Denver DU
Location Denver, CO Denver, CO
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 23,409 13,387
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #391 #86
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdenver.edu du.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CU Denver DU
Tuition (In State) $9,096 $58,032
Tuition (Out of State) $27,288 $58,032
Room & Board $14,920 $17,049
Avg Net Price $15,303 $43,324
Avg Grant Aid $8,079 $32,023
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 99%

Admission

 CU Denver DU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,569 19,214
Admitted 11,336 13,679
Acceptance Rate 77.8% 71.2%
Enrolled % 14.4% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 29/32
SAT Range 980/1220 1240/1410
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 CU Denver DU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 CU Denver DU
Graduation Rate 40% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,200 $63,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,190 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $219 $245

Diversity

 CU Denver DU
% Men 14% 17%
% Women 26% 35%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 67%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 19% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 CU Denver DU
% In-State 85% 28%
% Out-of-State 13% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Denver is larger than than DU based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 13,387 students)

CU Denver vs. DU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or DU?

  • University of Denver is 538% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($58,032.00 vs. $9,096.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.7% higher at DU than University of Colorado Denver ($58,032.00 vs. $27,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than DU ($15,303 vs. $43,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Denver are 14.3% lower than costs at University of Denver ($14,920 vs. $17,049)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than University of Colorado Denver (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Denver students is 296.4% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($32,023 vs. $8,079)

CU Denver vs. DU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 194 points higher than at CU Denver (1055)
  • Incoming DU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Denver (23)
  • Accepted freshman DU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at CU Denver (3.46)
  • CU Denver has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than DU (71.2%)

CU Denver vs. DU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at DU is higher than University of Colorado Denver (78% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $4,800 more per year than DU graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $63,400)
  • University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $2,509 lower median federal student loan debt than DU graduates. ($21,190 vs. $23,699)
  • CU Denver graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than DU graduates. ($219 vs. $245)
  • More DU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Denver students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 61%)

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