by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Colorado, narrowing things down is no easy task. Our ranking highlights **15** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual evaluated 15 graduate schools across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
The top-ranked graduate schools span the following early-career salary range:
Learn more about these excellent graduate schools below:
University Of Denver earned the #1 spot in this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Colorado. Located in Denver, CO, University Of Denver is a private not-for-profit institution. University Of Denver graduates 76% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,398. Median early-career earnings reach $56,999. Typical student debt is $22,534.
You'll be in good company at Colorado School Of Mines, which ranked #2 this year. Colorado School Of Mines is a public school based in Golden, CO. Roughly 82% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $21,914, while out-of-state students pay about $45,824. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $76,298. Colorado School Of Mines students take on a median of $24,521 in debt.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Colorado Boulder one of the top graduate schools in Colorado. This public school is set in Boulder, CO. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Early-career graduates earn a median of $55,861. Students borrow a median of $20,373 to complete a degree here.
Out of the 15 graduate schools in Colorado in this year's ranking, Colorado State University Fort Collins landed the #4 spot. Set in Fort Collins, CO, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. Roughly 66% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $51,693. Typical student debt is $22,843.
University Of Colorado Denver came in at #5 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Colorado. University Of Colorado Denver is a public school based in Denver, CO. University Of Colorado Denver posts a six-year graduation rate of 46%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,383, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. University Of Colorado Denver graduates report median early-career earnings of $66,022. University Of Colorado Denver students take on a median of $26,582 in debt.
Colorado College did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Colorado Springs, CO. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,734. Median early-career earnings reach $37,342. Students borrow a median of $17,921 to complete a degree here.
Rocky Vista University placed #7 among the best graduate schools in Colorado. Based in Parker, CO, Rocky Vista University is a private for-profit institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,332 early in their careers.
Regis University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Denver, CO. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. Students from in state pay about $28,140 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $72,028 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $31,773 in student loans.
Colorado State University Global Campus landed the #9 spot in Colorado this year. Colorado State University Global Campus is a public school based in Denver, CO. In-state tuition and fees average $9,000. Early-career graduates earn a median of $68,936. The median student debt is $31,361.
University Of Northern Colorado came in at #10 in this year's ranking. University Of Northern Colorado is a public school based in Greeley, CO. University Of Northern Colorado posts a six-year graduation rate of 51%. In-state tuition and fees average $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $45,705. Students borrow a median of $23,974 to complete a degree here.
Denver School Of Nursing ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Denver, CO, Denver School Of Nursing is a private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $19,458. Early-career graduates earn a median of $80,304. The median student debt is $32,832.
University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs did well this year, earning the #12 position. Set in Colorado Springs, CO, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a public institution. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs graduates 47% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $10,906, compared with $25,039 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $52,626. Graduates carry a median of $23,559 in student loans.
Metropolitan State College Of Denver placed #13 among the best graduate schools in Colorado. Located in Denver, CO, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 31%. Students from in state pay about $11,124 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,684 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $44,861 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,484 to complete a degree here.
Western State College Of Colorado placed #14 among the best graduate schools in Colorado. Western State College Of Colorado is a public school based in Gunnison, CO. Western State College Of Colorado posts a six-year graduation rate of 50%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,318, with out-of-state students paying around $24,434. Early-career graduates earn a median of $36,712. Graduates carry a median of $23,455 in student loans.
Colorado Christian University placed #15 among the best graduate schools in Colorado. Based in Lakewood, CO, Colorado Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. Students from in state pay about $28,846 in tuition and fees. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $47,333. Graduates carry a median of $36,092 in student loans.
Mesa State College ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Grand Junction, CO, Mesa State College is a public institution. Roughly 47% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,927, with out-of-state students paying around $25,124. Mesa State College graduates report median early-career earnings of $43,617. Typical student debt is $22,310.
Adams State College landed the #17 spot in Colorado this year. Based in Alamosa, CO, Adams State College is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 32%. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,824, compared with $21,944 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $48,101. Students borrow a median of $25,523 to complete a degree here.
Fort Lewis College ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Based in Durango, CO, Fort Lewis College is a public institution. Roughly 36% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $9,958, compared with $21,526 for out-of-state students. Fort Lewis College graduates report median early-career earnings of $30,676. Students borrow a median of $18,888 to complete a degree here.
Colorado State University Pueblo did well this year, earning the #19 position. Set in Pueblo, CO, Colorado State University Pueblo is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 40%. In-state tuition and fees average $9,720, while out-of-state students pay about $17,944. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $49,098. Typical student debt is $25,325.
Red Rocks Community College came in at #20 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Lakewood, CO. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,859, with out-of-state students paying around $17,459. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $76,340. The median student debt is $14,471.
Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs landed the #21 spot in Colorado this year. This private for-profit school is set in Colorado Springs, CO. Roughly 14% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750. Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs graduates report median early-career earnings of $62,222. Students borrow a median of $39,095 to complete a degree here.
Naropa University landed the #22 spot in Colorado this year. Located in Boulder, CO, Naropa University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 37%. In-state tuition and fees average $36,620. Early-career graduates earn a median of $27,750. Typical student debt is $33,250.
Denver Seminary ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This private not-for-profit school is set in Littleton, CO. Denver Seminary graduates report median early-career earnings of $46,243.
Taft University System landed the #24 spot in Colorado this year. Set in Denver, CO, Taft University System is a private for-profit institution. Taft University System graduates report median early-career earnings of $78,953.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Graduate schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.