University of Denver is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Denver, Colorado. It enrolls 6,025 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes85
Value19
Affordability7
Selectivity66
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
University of Denver admits 77.8% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
77.8%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1240 – 1410
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
28 – 33
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of Denver is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
12.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $36,131 a year on average, it sits above what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$61,398
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,759
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,967
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,409
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,201
Total Cost of Attendance
$78,476
Application fee: $65 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$20,097
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,211
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,940
$75,001 – $110,000
$31,759
Over $110,000
$47,222
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,24610%percentile
$7,76525%percentile
$21,844Medianpercentile
$27,15775%percentile
$37,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,000
↓ $2,844
No Pell $16,500
↓ $5,344
Dependent students $18,000
↓ $3,844
Independent students $19,055
↓ $2,789
Female students $18,560
↓ $3,284
Male students $16,307
↓ $5,537
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,835, less than completers ($21,844), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of students who start here finish within six years, and 88% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
88%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $71,155 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$71,155
Earning > $25K
85%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$57,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$77,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$66,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$60,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$68,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $19,200, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
14.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 6,025 students, a large student community.
Total Enrolled
6,025
Part-Time
5%
First-Generation
19%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 66.9%4,033
Hispanic 14.4%869
Other 7.0%421
Asian 3.8%230
Black 3.0%180
International 2.9%172
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at University of Denver. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
University of Denver offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
157 distinct programs across
25 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.8B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$112,711
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
779 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
246
32%
$150,258
Associate Professors
191
25%
$115,233
Assistant Professors
155
20%
$94,030
Lecturers
187
24%
$76,228
Pros & Cons of University of Denver
No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Denver is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, University of Denver is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of Denver
The questions families ask most about University of Denver, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is University of Denver hard to get into?
Not especially. University of Denver admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 77.8%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Denver?
77.8% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for University of Denver?
Aim for 1410 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1240 and 1410 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for University of Denver?
Aim for 33 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 28 and 33 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does University of Denver cost?
Budget around $36,131 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Denver worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $71,155 a year against a net price of $36,131, about 2.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is University of Denver known for?
Mostly Social Work, Law, Business. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do University of Denver graduates earn?
About $71,155 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Denver accredited?
Yes. University of Denver is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend University of Denver?
6,025 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of Denver?
69% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of Denver a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is University of Denver located?
University of Denver is located in Denver, Colorado.
What programs does University of Denver offer?
157 different programs, most commonly Social Work, Law, Business. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at University of Denver?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Colorado
Other colleges in Colorado share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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