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Colorado Colleges

Choose a top degree program in Colorado! CollegeStats makes it easy to sort public and private Colorado colleges and universities by size, cost, demographics and more.

Find the Best Colleges in Colorado

A popular destination for college study, Colorado has more than 100 institutions of higher education. The list of reputable Colorado colleges and universities features large research universities, midsize universities, small public and private liberal arts colleges, community colleges, the United States Air Force Academy and more.
Most four-year colleges and universities in Colorado are located in the central region of the state, particularly in the capital city of Denver and the greater metropolitan areas of Boulder, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Two-year colleges for associate’s degrees and professional certificates can be found statewide. Many of the two-year and four-year schools offer high quality online degree programs in addition to a traditional college experience.

Colorado Colleges Overview

Here’s an overview of the Colorado college and university landscape to help guide your search for the best degree programs.

  • Four-year schools are plentiful in Colorado. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education oversees Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, the Fort Lewis College of liberal arts and other high quality institutions. Some are very selective, some are moderately selective and some have open enrollment. (Check out the admission rates with our search tool!) Many private not-for-profit colleges and universities in Colorado also offer bachelor degree programs.
  • Community colleges in Colorado have 35 campuses altogether. Many of these schools offer online classes and complete online programs for degrees and certificates.
  • Private colleges and universities in Colorado include technical schools, an art and design school, Christian schools and secular schools.
  • The United States Air Force Academy is based in Colorado Springs. This federal institution awards a Bachelor of Science degree. Men and women who graduate are commissioned as second lieutenants in the US Air Force.

Check out our list of top Colorado colleges below.

Rank School Name City State Net Cost School Level Retention Rate Distance Learning
1

Academy of Natural Therapy Inc

Greeley

CO

N/A

2 year

85.71%

No

2

Adams State University

Alamosa

CO

$9,886

4 year

58.29%

Yes

3

Aims Community College

Greeley

CO

$9,264

2 year

62.7%

Yes

4

American Sentinel University

Aurora

CO

N/A

4 year

N/A

Yes

5

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton

CO

$8,321

2 year

50.8%

Yes

6

Argosy University-Denver

Denver

CO

N/A

4 year

42.86%

Yes

7

Aspen University

Denver

CO

N/A

4 year

N/A

Yes

8

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder

Boulder

CO

N/A

Vocational

95.5%

No

9

Aveda Institute-Denver

Denver

CO

N/A

2 year

74.51%

No

10

Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology

Denver

CO

N/A

2 year

66.38%

No

11

Cheeks International Academy of Beauty Culture-Fort Collins

Loveland

CO

N/A

Vocational

50%

No

12

Cheeks International Academy of Beauty Culture-Greeley

Greeley

CO

N/A

Vocational

52.38%

No

13

College of International Esthetics Inc

Arvada

CO

N/A

Vocational

N/A

No

14

CollegeAmerica-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

CO

N/A

4 year

50%

No

15

CollegeAmerica-Denver

Denver

CO

N/A

4 year

42.86%

No

16

CollegeAmerica-Fort Collins

Fort Collins

CO

N/A

4 year

0%

No

17

Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology

Colorado Springs

CO

N/A

2 year

84.62%

No

18

Colorado Christian University

Lakewood

CO

N/A

4 year

72.05%

Yes

19

Colorado College

Colorado Springs

CO

N/A

4 year

94.06%

No

20

Colorado Heights University

Denver

CO

N/A

4 year

75%

No

21

Colorado Media School

Lakewood

CO

N/A

Vocational

68.49%

Yes

22

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction

CO

$13,000

4 year

65.6%

Yes

23

Colorado Mountain College

Glenwood Springs

CO

$9,523

4 year

51.41%

Yes

24

Colorado Northwestern Community College

Rangely

CO

$10,990

2 year

48.87%

Yes

25

Colorado School of Healing Arts

Lakewood

CO

N/A

2 year

73.53%

No

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Useful & Fun Facts About Colorado

Live, learn and thrive in Colorado! Check out these facts to better understand Colorado’s popularity among college students, tourists and permanent residents.

  • Denver is Colorado’s mile-high capital city. It formed as a gold rush town in the 1850s. Today it’s home to nearly 3 million people and is the state’s largest metropolitan area. There’s something in Denver for every mood and personality: seven professional sports teams, trendy shops, excellent restaurants, high quality museums and so forth. Snow-capped Rocky Mountains provide a beautiful backdrop.
  • Outdoor recreational opportunities are abundant in Colorado. Kayak the Colorado River, hike the Colorado Trail, climb Pike’s Peak, ski in Aspen or Vail, photograph wildlife and wildflower meadows, picnic alongside a pristine alpine lake… Boredom isn’t an option.
  • Colorado has many national parks and state parks. One unique destination is Great Sand Dunes National Park. It features the tallest sand dunes on the continent: They’re about 700 feet high and are open for sledding. This park is also popular for swimming, camping, picnicking and hiking.
  • Glenwood Springs is an hour outside of Aspen. Burn energy on the slopes, then relax in hot mineral pools.
  • Employment opportunities are strong in Colorado. Given this fact plus all of the above, it’s not surprising that in 2012 Colorado was America’s top choice for relocation among people aged 25 to 44 who are focused on career and family.

Rich with opportunities for education and recreation, Colorado is a top choice state for higher learning. Build your list of best colleges and universities in Colorado today! Find and compare the state’s many schools according to acceptance rates, graduation rates, cost and other important statistics.