Best Colleges in Colorado of 2023

Colorado School of Mines is an R1 research institution with a focus on STEM education through engineering, science, and cutting-edge research. Each fall, roughly 7,000 students enroll and more than 650 faculty members teach at Mines. The school is nearly 150 years old and full of opportunities for its students - from interdisciplinary programs, a center for entrepreneurship and innovation to research fellowships, 70+ degree programs, and the world's first graduate program for space resources. With a rich history of silver and gold mining, the school is known for its geological and earth-related academia. The motto says it all: "Earth, Energy, Environment." Student life at Mines goes beyond the classroom with over 200 student organizations, hundreds of intercollegiate and intramural sports teams, and tons of opportunity for outdoor adventures in the beautiful city of Golden.

As the state's largest college, University of Colorado Boulder is home to over 35,000 students. The school awards more degrees than any other school in the state at over 7,000 degrees annually and offers an impressive 4,300 academic courses within 150 fields of study. CU Boulder is one of five R1 research institutes within the state, designating it as a school with very high research activity. For fiscal year 2022, the school received over $657 million in funding for research and creative work. The school focuses its research efforts on aerospace, bio, health, and energy sciences through its 12 research institutes and 75 research centers. There are both undergraduate and graduate research programs for students interested in a career within the innovative, ever-expanding field.

Yet another Carnegie Classified R1 research institute has made our list of top Colorado colleges: Colorado State University. Founded in 1870 as an agricultural college, CSU has grown and expanded its academic reach over the last 150 years. The university operates through eight colleges that teach students across a variety of disciplines - from agricultural sciences to veterinary medicine. CSU is home to the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a top school in the state that has taught veterinary medicine since 1883. The college provides both undergraduate and graduate degrees in biomedical, clinical, environmental, radiological, microbiological, immunological, and pathological sciences. Students also have the opportunity to attend the Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine program in order to become a practicing veterinary doctor, learning at the fully operational James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The University of Denver is the only private research institute in the state to receive the R1 research designation from the Carnegie Foundation. Although the funding amount for research at DU is much smaller than those of the public institutes listed above, the school is able to accomplish research with a $40 million budget. DU's approach to research is solution-based, focusing on how to solve the world's problems from divorce court to community sustainability. With the help of faculty, research students work alongside corporations and nonprofits alike to develop the skills and techniques they will need for their entry to the workforce. Students are able to inform and enrich their coursework by getting involved with one of the 50 research institutes and centers associated with DU.

Founded in 1874, Colorado College was a coeducational institution from day one, "open to both sexes and all races," a rather profound statement for the time. Today the school hosts a small but diverse student body of around 2,000 students. One of the most unique features of CC is its "block plan" approach to classes. Instead of students taking the traditional four classes during one semester, students take one class at a time that meets every weekday for 3.5 weeks (18 days). Between blocks, students have 4.5 days off, which is known as "block break." Professors are able to cover one semester's worth of material within one 18-day block, giving students time to develop deeper teacher and classmate relationships and be fully immersed in the subject material instead of bouncing from one subject to the next each day.

The University of Colorado Denver was established in 1973 and has provided its students a modern urban education for the last 50 years. The school prioritizes internship, apprenticeship, and research experiences for its students to enrich their coursework. CU Denver offers over 100 degree programs through its seven schools, ranging from architecture to public affairs. Research is also a large part of the work done at CU Denver, with over $20 million in funding going toward the multidisciplinary research conducted through the school. CU Denver is also committed to equitable education for all, seeking to become the "nation's first equity-serving institution." The school prides itself on the diversity of its students, with half of its student population identifying as students of color.

Regis University is a Jesuit Catholic school in Denver that has been educating Coloradans since 1877. As a Catholic university, Regis has a campus ministry division responsible for helping students "explore issues of faith, spirituality, and social justice." Services such as mass are held daily during the school year. Academically, the university is home to a top Colorado nursing school, the Loretto Heights School of Nursing. There are undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees and several nursing certificates available to Regis students. Nursing students have access to the Simulation Health Center where they receive hands-on practice with other students from pharmacy, counseling, and physical therapy programs. The interprofessional curriculum provides students with the experience to handle scenarios they will likely encounter while working in the field.

Spanning an impressive 18,500 acres at the base of the Front Range in Colorado Springs is the United States Air Force Academy. With an annual enrollment of 4,000 cadets, the USAFA is considered a midsized institution. The academy has plenty of faculty to accommodate its thousands of cadets with a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. Small class sizes help cadets get the most out of their education because it allows them to work closely with faculty members and fellow cadets. Tuition at the USAFA is free, but cadets will be required to serve in the U.S. Air Force or Space Force for a specific time period, depending on their chosen career. Cadets can choose from a variety of major and minor degrees within the traditional disciplines offered through liberal arts education, such as humanities, social sciences, technology, engineering, etc.

Located in a suburb of Denver is the Colorado Christian University, a 100-year-old private Christian school. There are two colleges within CCU called the College of Undergraduate Studies and the College of Adult and Graduate Studies. Both of these schools offer more than 200 academic programs for its students. The Campus Ministry department works to equip CCU students with the tools they need to further their spiritual lives and provides opportunities for students to worship, study holy scriptures, participate in local ministries, and travel the world on mission trips. The special CCU Academy was designed to partner with over 150 high schools, providing the opportunity for dual enrollment. This program allows high school students to earn college credit as they work their way toward earning a diploma.

Originally founded as the Metropolitan State College in 1965, the Metropolitan State University of Denver is an urban public institution located in downtown Denver. The school's mission is to "provide a high-quality, accessible, enriching education that prepares students for successful careers." With over 50% of the entire student population designated as transfers, the school has worked hard to make the transfer process as easy as possible. MSU has created online transfer guides and walkthroughs to help determine the documentation students will need to transfer to MSU. The university even has a Transfer Services Team to help students have a successful transfer. The Transfer Services Team also visits local community colleges and school fairs to reach out to students who are interested in making the switch to MSU.