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2024 Best Grad Schools in Colorado for Doctorate Degrees

10 Colleges
$80,948 Avg Salary

With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Doctor's Degree Colleges in Colorado ranking.

What's on This Page: * Our Methodology

Your Choice of Grad School Matters

We analyzed 10 grad schools across Colorado to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with a doctorate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue a doctorate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Student Loan Borrowing

In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their doctorate degree. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.

Additional Ranking Factors We Use

Our Best Doctorate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.

To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.

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You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best doctorate degree schools nearest you. Also, you may want to check out our other college rankings.

Not quite ready to work on your doctorate? Check out our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.

Top Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado

Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:

1
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado
88 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

Colorado School of Mines tops this year’s ranking as the best grad school for doctorate degrees in Colorado for overall quality. Colorado School of Mines is a medium-sized public school located in Golden, Colorado that handed out 88 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Learn More About Colorado School of Mines

2
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
396 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$74,834 Average Early-Career Earnings

The excellent doctorate degree programs at University of Denver helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Colorado. Located in Denver, Colorado, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 396 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a doctorate degree from DU go into careers with an average salary of $74,834 during the early years of their career.

Full University of Denver Report

3
579 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$58,172 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 10 doctorate degree schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Colorado Boulder landed the #3 spot on the list. CU - Boulder is a public institution located in Boulder, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 579 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a doctorate degree from CU - Boulder go into careers with an average salary of $58,172 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of Colorado Boulder

4
368 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$71,041 Average Early-Career Earnings

A rank of #4 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Colorado list means Colorado State University - Fort Collins is a great place for students working on their degree. Colorado State is located in Fort Collins, Colorado and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 368 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.

Those who receive a doctorate degree from Colorado State go into careers with an average salary of $71,041 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Colorado State University - Fort Collins

5
740 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$111,417 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado list. CU Anschutz is a large public school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 740 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from CU Anschutz is $111,417 during the early years of their career.

Learn More About University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

6
84 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$72,378 Average Early-Career Earnings

University of Northern Colorado did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado ranking, coming in at #6. University of Northern Colorado is a medium-sized public school located in Greeley, Colorado that handed out 84 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from University of Northern Colorado is $72,378 during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of Northern Colorado

7
Regis U crest
Regis University
Denver, Colorado
160 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$83,057 Average Early-Career Earnings

Regis University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Regis U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Denver, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 160 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Those who receive a doctorate degree from Regis U go into careers with an average salary of $83,057 during the early years of their career.

Learn More About Regis University

8
39 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs ranked #8 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado list. UCCS is a public institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 39 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Report

9

Colorado State University - Pueblo ranked #9 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado list.

Learn More About Colorado State University - Pueblo

10
Adams State crest
Adams State University
Alamosa, Colorado
7 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

Adams State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in Alamosa, Colorado, the small public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.

Full Adams State University Report

Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

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Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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