Colorado has some of the most affordable universities in the United States, with many schools charging around $15,000 per year in tuition fees – much lower than many other parts of the country. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that every university in Colorado is cheap and cheapest tuition in colorado as well; you’ll still want to research the costs and compare them to similar institutions across the country before choosing which school will give you the best education without bankrupting you and your family. Here are 10 universities in Colorado with the lowest tuition.
Cheapest Tuition in Colorado
1) University of Colorado Denver
As part of a public university system, students at CU Denver receive generous financial aid, and tuition is fairly low. The campus is located on Auraria Campus, which also includes Metropolitan State University of Denver and Community College of Denver. These three schools have over 40 degree programs, including bachelor’s degrees for art, design, business administration and health care; MBA programs are available as well. When you consider that tuition for an out-of-state student can be as low as $7,608 (for 20 credit hours), it’s easy to see why CU Denver ranks as one of Colorado’s most affordable universities. You won’t find many other schools offering such a low cost of education.
2) Aims Community College
Aims Community College is a community college located in Greeley, Colorado. The school has three campuses throughout Weld County as well as an online program. The primary campus is located right next to United States Highway 85 and north of Interstate 25; but it also has locations on West 23rd Street and South 8th Avenue. In 2015, Aims Community College had 3,516 students enrolled and 70 full-time instructors on staff. The cost for tuition at Aims Community College was $2,674 per year for residents of Colorado and $6,074 for non-residents.
3) Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College is an example of a community college that offers competitive tuition rates for students. Since it is a public college, students cheapest tuition in colorado can apply for scholarships and financial aid to help offset costs. It has one of the lowest tuitions in Colorado, but even if you don’t receive these grants or scholarships, classes here cost less than $2,500 per year. Located just outside of downtown Denver and offering a wide variety of degree programs, FRCC may be right for you if you are looking for one of cheapest tuition in colorado! More info.
4) Colorado Christian University
$26,410 per year for undergraduate, $37,540 per year for graduate. Although it’s one of the cheapest universities in Colorado and offers a solid education, CCU is worth knowing about because of its 2-to-1 student to faculty ratio. This means that students are bound to get more personalized attention from teachers, counselors and peers when they attend CCU. The Christian liberal arts college even provides housing options for those who want a guaranteed place to sleep once they finish their studies at CCU. If you go to CCU and live on campus, it will cost you anywhere from $6,990 – $11,700 depending on where you stay and your other expenses during college.
5) Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College is located in Durango, Colorado and was founded in 1994. This public university has an annual tuition of $2,494 for full-time students and accepts 72% of applicants. The most popular degree programs at Fort Lewis College are Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, General Studies, Healthcare Management and Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. Full-time undergraduates at Fort Lewis College can expect to pay $6,084 for room, board and other fees per year. Financial aid is available to students who qualify at Fort Lewis College which amounted to $7 million last year.
6) Regis University
The Regis University is a private Jesuit college that’s located in Denver, Colorado. The university has been consistently ranked as one of America’s Best Colleges by Forbes magazine for more than 10 years and was listed among The Top 100 Most Entrepreneurial College Campuses by Newsweek magazine. Ranking at #1 in Student Satisfaction and Graduation Rates among Coloradan universities, Regis University offers its students not only a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum but also an opportunity to make real-world connections between classroom studies and career preparation. It boasts numerous academic departments that offer undergraduate majors including business administration, communications, English literature, music therapy and biology to name just a few. Graduate programs are offered in psychology counseling and healthcare management among others.
7) Metropolitan State University of Denver
The University of Denver has more than 6,000 undergraduate students and offers bachelor’s degrees across 12 schools and colleges. Metropolitan State University is a public university serving more than 14,000 students across five locations in metro Denver. The school offers affordable tuition for residents and undergrads from out-of-state can take advantage of scholarships to bring down costs. The most expensive major at MSU Denver is criminology ($1,842 per semester), while students paying in-state tuition can major in art history for $16 per credit hour.
8) Regency Beauty Institute, Parker Campus
Regency Beauty Institute provides cosmetology and hair design training to students who want to pursue a career as a professional hairdresser. The institute offers nine week-long classes throughout the year. With an average tuition cost of $8,990, Regency Beauty Institute is one of cheaper universities in colorado and cheapest tuition in colorado. In addition to low tuition costs, students can also earn academic scholarships based on their GPA and work experience.
9) Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
RMCA+D is a non-profit, private college based in Lakewood, CO. The school’s focus is on art and design education (which makes sense since it was founded by Denver Art Museum), and students can choose from 11 different majors that include Animation and Motion Design, Fine Arts, Industrial Design and Visual Communication. In addition to allowing students to focus on one of 11 majors during their undergraduate career, RMCA+D has created nine bachelor’s degree programs for international students who are looking to study abroad for a period of time. Another great aspect of RMCA+D: tuition rates cost less than $9,000 per year!
10) University of Denver Sturm College of Law
One of only three private law schools in Colorado and cheapest tuition in colorado, University of Denver Sturm College of Law offers both full-time and part-time study options. An LLM degree can be earned as well. More than half of all students graduate debt free. For those who do not, loan amounts are almost always significantly lower than at other institutions. Low cost combined with good success rates make DU a wise choice for prospective law students seeking affordable education.
