Top Colorado Colleges and Universities

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Colorado is located in the beautiful Rocky Mountain region of the western United States and is home to many excellent universities. Five of Colorado's best institutions for higher learning are described below.
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Top Five Schools in Colorado

Colorado School of Mines

The Colorado School of Mines is located in Golden, Colorado, which is in the north central part of the state. It was founded in 1873 and has become the most selective public institution in Colorado. The academic focus of the university is engineering and applied science, and the 3,242 undergraduates are engaged in a very demanding environment. The university is ranked #75 by U.S. News and World Report's Guide to America's Best Colleges. One of the unique aspects of applied science that is researched in depth at Colorado School of Mines is the area of resource exploration and extraction.

University of Colorado-Boulder

Located in beautiful Boulder, the University of Colorado is one of the most respected institutions in the Rocky Mountains. The university was founded in 1876, and it has grown and developed to have earned the designation 'Public Ivy' by Richard Moll. There are currently 26,363 undergraduate students at the flagship campus of the University of Colorado. These students have the opportunity to choose from over 150 disciplines at this university, which is ranked #79 by U.S. News and World Report. The university also receives a generous amount of NASA funding, which contributes to its applied science research activities.

University of Denver

The University of Denver is a private, independent institution that was founded in 1864. The campus sits just seven miles south of downtown Denver, and students often take full academic and social advantage of studying at an urban university. There are currently 5,122 undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Denver, and the campus is ranked #85 by U.S. News and World Report. DU serves a large proportion of nontraditional students, many of whom commute from the Denver Metropolitan Area.

Colorado State University

Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is the flagship campus of the Colorado State University System and is a leading researcher in many scientific fields. There are currently 21,437 undergraduate students enrolled, many of whom study in one of the many areas of science that are explored at this institution. Particular areas of global research include the study of the reemergence of tuberculosis, bioterrorism and the level of pollution in Asian cities. Colorado State is ranked #124 by U.S. News and World Report. The campus of Colorado State is in Fort Collins, along the state's northern border with Wyoming.

Metropolitan State College of Denver

Metropolitan State College of Denver has one of the lowest tuitions of any university in Colorado and also has an open admissions policy to any student over the age of 20 with a high school diploma or GED. This accessibility has created a large student body since the campus was founded in 1965 as an 'opportunity school'; and the undergraduate students currently number 21,154 students. The most acclaimed programs at Metropolitan State College are the journalism and aviation departments.

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
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      • Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Performance Psychology (Qualitative Research)
      • Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Performance Psychology (Quantitative Research)
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
      • Education Specialist in Teaching and Learning
    Master's
      • M.S. Psychology with an Emphasis in Gerontology
      • M.S. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Human Factors
      • MA in Curriculum and Instruction
      • MS in Psychology: General Psychology
      • M.A. in Communication with an Emphasis in Education
      • M.Ed. in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in Humanities (ITL)
    Bachelor's
      • BS in Psychology
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      • Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an Emphasis in Interpersonal Communication and Human Relationships
      • Bachelor: Business Admin
      • BA in Digital Film - Screenwriting
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  • Online Programs Available
    2. Bryant & Stratton College

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • BA - General Management
      • BBA Human Resources Management
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    Associate's
      • Criminal Justice Studies - AAS
      • AS - Business
      • AS - Criminal Justice
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    Certificate
      • Business Assistant Diploma
      • Criminal Justice and Security Services Diploma
      • Business - AAS
      • Business Assistant - Diploma
      • Criminal Justice and Security Svcs. - Diploma
      • Accounting Assistant Diploma
  • Online Programs Available
    3. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Masters in Psychology
      • Masters in Dispute Resolution
      • Masters in Legal Studies
  • Campus and Online Programs
    4. Full Sail University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Science - Film Production
      • MS - Entertainment Business (Campus)
      • Game Design Masters - Campus
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      • Computer Science Masters - Online
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    Bachelor's
      • Sportscasting Bachelors - Campus
      • Bachelor of Science - Software Development
      • Communications Bachelors with Creative Writing Concentration - Campus
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      • Visual Arts Bachelors with Game Art Concentration - Campus
    Certificate
      • Computer Science Bachelors with AI Concentration - Online
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  • Online Programs Available
    5. Liberty University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • DME: Doctor of Music Education
      • LLM: International Legal Studies
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Elementary Education
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Middle Grades Education
      • EDD: Curriculum and Instruction/Secondary Education
    Bachelor's
      • Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
    Certificate
      • CTG: Communication
      • CTG: Criminal Justice
      • CTG: Curriculum and Instruction
      • CTG: Higher Education Administration
      • CTG: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
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  • Online Programs Available
    6. Fordham University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance
      • Masters in Social Work
  • Online Programs Available
    7. Penn Foster High School

    Program Options

    High School Diploma
      • HS Diploma
  • Campus and Online Programs
    8. The Chicago School

    Program Options

    Master's
      • M.A. Psychology
      • M.A. Behavioral Economics
      • M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
      • M.A. Forensic Psychology
      • M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: ARP Track
      • M.A. International Psychology
    Certificate
      • Suicide and Cyberbullying Prevention Certificate
      • Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning
      • Certificate in Forensic Psychology - M.A. Non-Licensure Track to Licensure Bridge Program
      • Certificate in Behavioral Economics
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  • Online Programs Available
    9. Penn Foster

    Program Options

    Certificate
      • Career Diploma - Dental Assistant
      • Career Diploma - Motorcycle Repair Technician
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      • Career Diploma - Medical Billing and Coding
  • Campus Locations:
    10. Universal Technical Institute

    Program Options

    Associate's
      • Aviation Maintenance AAS
    Certificate
      • Collision Repair and Refinish Technology
      • Motorcycle Technician Specialist
      • Automotive Technology
      • Wind Power Technician
      • Marine Technician Specialist
      • Diesel Technology

Featured Schools

Grand Canyon University

  • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
  • M.S. Psychology with an Emphasis in Gerontology
  • BS in Psychology

What is your highest level of education?

Bryant & Stratton College

  • BA - General Management
  • Criminal Justice Studies - AAS
  • Business Assistant Diploma

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Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

  • Masters in Psychology
  • Masters in Dispute Resolution
  • Masters in Legal Studies

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Full Sail University

  • Master of Science - Film Production
  • Sportscasting Bachelors - Campus
  • Computer Science Bachelors with AI Concentration - Online

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Liberty University

  • DME: Doctor of Music Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
  • CTG: Communication

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Fordham University

  • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance
  • Masters in Social Work

What is your highest level of education completed?

Penn Foster High School

  • HS Diploma

What is your highest level of education?

The Chicago School

  • M.A. Psychology
  • M.A. Behavioral Economics
  • Suicide and Cyberbullying Prevention Certificate
  • Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning

What is your highest level of education completed?