I am going to save you the hard part. I will not tell you whether this university is "good" or "bad." That does not exist. What I can do is show you, using the official numbers the government requires it to report, what kind of school it is, who fits there, what it really costs, and what happens to the students who enroll. With that in hand, you decide whether it is worth your child investing time in getting to know it more deeply.
Let us start with the map.
A large, urban university built for commuting
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is in Denver, Colorado, within Adams County, right in the heart of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metropolitan area. It is a large city — one of those with 250,000 residents or more according to the census count. That still does not tell you how to get to campus or what there is to live near; you have to handle that yourself, literally. If your child plans to live at home, I recommend something simple: drive the route on a weekday, at the exact time of their classes. The actual time is almost never what the map says.
The system that classifies this country's universities — Carnegie — places it among the doctoral institutions with the highest research activity there is. That is a serious label. But the same classification also describes it as a large and primarily nonresidential school. That means either fewer than one in four undergraduate students live in institution-owned housing, or fewer than half study full time. The data do not clarify which of the two conditions was met, and it also does not mean there is no housing — there is, as you will see. But the general profile points to a community that moves around, comes and goes, rather than a campus where everyone lives door to door.
Carnegie also identifies it as a school that receives many transfer students. If your child plans to enroll here after studying somewhere else, this affects you directly: ask in writing, before they enroll, which courses will count and which will not. The label does not say how many credits transfer students arrive with or how many get left behind along the way.
It is a public four-year institution, with a doctorate as the highest level it reports offering, and degrees primarily at the bachelor's level or higher. That does not mean your child's specific major exists, or that it connects undergraduate study with graduate study — that must be verified program by program, not generally.
One note worth keeping clear: this university is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), tribal college or university, or land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 do have one of those three designations. CU Denver's absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: which cultural centers and student organizations exist today, and better still, talk with someone who already studies there.
A large community, and one in four people is like your child
Here is a number worth stopping to read carefully.
One in four undergraduate students at CU Denver reported being Hispanic or Latino. It is an official figure, reported by the institution itself to the federal government. Compared with 519 similar public schools — four-year institutions with selective admission — this proportion places it in the top quarter: three out of four schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion.
Put simply: if your child is Latino, they would not be the exception on this campus. They would be part of a sizable community.
But I want to be honest with you here, because this is one of those figures where it is easy to draw a conclusion the data do not support. A high percentage of Latino students is not the same as specific support for Latino students. The number counts how many there are. It does not say whether there is a counselor who speaks Spanish, whether there is targeted tutoring, or whether those students complete their degree at the same rate as everyone else. And it is the percentage for the whole school — not necessarily for the major that interests your child. Counting is not serving. Find out about the latter separately.
As for size: CU Denver reported 23,409 students enrolled in the official fall count. It is a large school — among the largest the government measures. But that total figure is a little misleading if your child is just beginning a bachelor's degree: it is divided into 14,027 undergraduate students and 9,382 graduate students. Nearly four out of ten people on this campus have already completed a degree and are studying something more advanced. If your child is thinking about their first college degree, the number that really matters is 14,027, not the total of 23,409.
Other context: there are more women than men (57 out of every 100 undergraduate students), nearly two out of ten students are between 25 and 64 years old — meaning not everyone comes directly from high school — and 85 out of every 100 newly admitted students already lived in Colorado when they applied. It is, overwhelmingly, a school for people from the state.
The calendar, credits, and academic offerings
The year at CU Denver is organized by semesters: two long periods of about 15 weeks each. The institution accepts credit for AP exams, but did not indicate that it grants credit for life experience. It also reports enrolling high school students in credit-bearing college courses through a formal dual-enrollment program, and accepting credit for military training.
Here is a hard truth that always applies, at any university: saying they accept AP does not mean they grant credit for every exam. We do not know what scores they require or how many credits they award, or whether those credits count toward your child's specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what can be studied: between July 2022 and June 2023, CU Denver awarded 2,559 bachelor's degrees, distributed across 23 academic program families. No field takes the largest share of the pie — not even business and administration, which was the most popular, reached only 17 out of every 100 degrees that year. It is a broad offering, without a single dominant specialty. But 23 families with reported programs do not equal 23 exact majors or guarantee that the particular major your child wants is active today — that must be confirmed by program name.
The ratio of students to full-time instructional staff is 16 to 1. Compared with similar schools, it is a middle-of-the-road number, neither among the lowest nor the highest. Keep in mind: this is not class size. It is an institutional ratio that does not reveal what first-year classrooms feel like.
CU Denver also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only at night or on weekends, and teacher-certification pathways, including state approval for initial certification. It is worth asking about these if they fit what your child is looking for.
Getting in: what they require, and what actually happens
Let us get to the part that probably interests you most: how hard is it to get in, and what do they require?
CU Denver does not have open admission. There are elements it reviews before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marked three as required: the high school transcript, high school grade-point average, and English-proficiency examination — for those to whom it applies. Two other things are not required but are considered if you submit them: having completed the course plan the university recommends, and the personal essay.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, it is up to you to sort this out in time: ask today whether the English-proficiency examination applies to them and what exempts them from it. This is one of those things people discover late, when there is no longer time to respond.
The application fee is $50.
Now, the question that really matters: how likely are they to say yes?
In the 2023 cycle, CU Denver received 14,569 first-time applications and offered admission to 11,336. That yields 78 out of every 100 applicants admitted. It is an accessible rate — middle of the pack compared with similar schools, but clearly on the generous side. Thousands applied, and the great majority received a yes. Your child has a real reason to apply, and a real reason to put together their application completely and on time.
But here is something that is rarely discussed, and that has a lot to teach us: out of every 100 admitted students, only 14 enrolled. The other 86 do not appear enrolled here in the reported period — the data do not say whether they went to another school or what they did. Put another way: out of every 7 students who receive a yes from CU Denver, roughly one ends up coming.
Do not read this as a mark against the school. The fact that most admitted students did not enroll does not mean something is wrong here — the federal record simply does not explain why each person chose what they chose. What I can tell you is this: what others decided does not tell you what they will offer you. Wait for your letter with the net price — that is what the year will really cost you — and decide with that number in hand whether this school stays on the list.
As for exams: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains just as complete. Of the students who did enroll, 24 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, with the middle half scoring between 500 and 620 in reading/writing and between 480 and 600 in mathematics. That 500 is not a minimum score one must reach, and that 620 is not a guarantee of anything either. They are only the scores of people who were already enrolled and chose to submit them.
One more fact about transfers, because it connects to what we saw at the beginning about Carnegie: of the first-time, full-time cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree, 30 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing here. It is a high proportion compared with similar schools. And there is something important that almost no one explains: a student who transfers and completes their degree elsewhere does not count as a CU Denver graduate, even if they completed their degree. Keep this in mind when you get to the graduation section later — because it will change how you read those numbers.
The sticker price, and what is really paid
At University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, among 221 first-time, full-time students seeking a credential, who received federal Title IV aid and paid the in-state or district rate, whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $16,135. Among 146 students in the same population with EFC family income of $48,001 to $75,000, it was $19,871; among 143 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $23,355. For dependent students, the band adds their parents' income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lower-income band (221 students) and that for the higher-income band (143 students) is $7,220. Among first-year students who received any grant, the average was $15,303.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time students seeking a credential who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with grants, when shown, describes first-time, full-time students seeking a credential who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How it is paid for: grants, loans, and what each means
Aid that does not have to be repaid — scholarships and grants — reached 56 out of every 100 students seeking a degree at CU Denver. That is more than half, but not everyone. Among those who did receive it, the year's average was $9,686.
The Pell Grant — federal aid specifically for low-income families — reached a smaller group: 33 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, this places it in the quarter where general grant aid reaches fewer students.
Here is something worth doing when your own aid letter arrives: separate it by hand into three piles. What does not have to be repaid (grants), what must be repaid with interest (loans), and what must be worked for (work-study). Many letters mix them into one column, and that confusion is exactly where families face the hardest surprise later.
Regarding loans: 25 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the 2022-23 academic year. Among those who did borrow, the year's average was $7,185. Compared with similar schools, this proportion of students with loans is on the low side — seven out of ten similar schools had a higher proportion.
But this percentage describes other families, not yours. What your child would have to borrow comes only from their own financial-aid letter. And that average of $7,185 is for only one year, and only for federal loans in the student's name — it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing, bank debt, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt students leave with at graduation; for that, all years would need to be added, and that figure is not in this report.
CU Denver also reports a tuition installment-payment plan and participation in a Promise-type program. It is worth asking directly what that program covers and to whom it applies.
The campus, mode of study, and available support
CU Denver does have institution-owned housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 1,250 students. It is not required that all first-time students live there — but that also does not mean no program requires it. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. For the 2023-24 year, the institution publishes typical charges of $9,840 for housing and $5,080 for food.
Having a room does not guarantee you a bed, and having a meal plan does not mean it is automatically included. Request in writing this year's rate, the deadline for applying for housing, and whether you are guaranteed a space or placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: the institution reports opportunities for Army and Air Force. The Navy is not marked. Appearing in the report is not the same as being accepted, and IPEDS does not clarify whether the program is taken exactly on this campus. Ask about this by name before building a plan around it.
In athletics: CU Denver reports that it does not participate in intercollegiate athletics and does not belong to any national athletic association — neither NCAA, nor NAIA, nor any other the government measures. If sports are an important part of your child's plan, this weighs on the decision. It is worth asking directly whether intramural leagues or clubs exist — which are not the same as an official varsity team.
Regarding distance education: it is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 13 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load at a distance, and 87 took at least one in-person class. The institution also reports having at least one program in which all required courses can be completed at a distance — but the data do not confirm whether that specific program is undergraduate. Confirm it by major.
The library operates with employed staff and exceeded the annual spending threshold recorded by the government ($100,000), with physical and digital materials and interlibrary loan. That is a floor, not a guarantee that specialized databases exist for your child's exact major — ask about that by program name.
And regarding general support, CU Denver reports: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, child care on campus, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military members, a student veterans organization, and a published services page for people with disabilities.
What happens after enrolling: retention and graduation
Here we reach the hardest part to read, and where I most ask you not to draw hasty conclusions.
Of the cohort that enrolled full time in fall 2022, 71 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion — that is, they were still enrolled at CU Denver or had already completed a bachelor's degree one year later. Compared with similar schools, this places it in the lower part of the group: seven out of ten similar schools retained a higher proportion.
Among part-time students who enrolled that same fall, retention was only 48 out of every 100 — but this is a different group, with different circumstances. Do not compare these two figures as though they were comparable.
Now graduation, where it is useful to remember what we saw earlier about transfers: a student who leaves for another school and graduates there does not count as a CU Denver graduate.
Of the students who entered a bachelor's program in 2017, full time and first time, 47 out of every 100 had a degree from this school six years later. At four years — the timeframe most families budget for — the figure was only 28 out of every 100, nineteen points lower than at six years. Compared with similar schools, it falls below the middle of the group.
It is, almost literally, half and half: after six years, 47 out of every 100 had a degree from here, and 53 did not. The report does not explain the reasons in each case — we do not know how many transferred and graduated elsewhere, how many are still studying, or how many paused for life reasons. What I can tell you with complete clarity is this: before deciding, ask what specific support the school offers to finish on time, and how long your child's exact major takes on average. Every extra semester has a real cost, and that cost does not appear in any federal report — it appears in your budget.
There is one final measure, at eight years, for a different and broader cohort (including full-time and part-time students, first-time students, and those who already had prior college experience). Of those 3,935 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, 51 out of every 100 had a degree or certificate from here eight years later. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the result was a little better: 53 out of every 100, three points above those who did not receive one. Compared with similar schools, it still falls below the middle of the group.
This measure is a snapshot taken at a fixed point in time, not a measure of eight continuous years of study, and it does not say how much each person paid or how much they gave up earning along the way. What you can do, before signing any commitment, is request in writing how long the exact program your child wants usually takes, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the path takes longer.
What you already know, and what you still need to find out
You now know in considerable depth one of the three pieces you need to make this decision with your family: what CU Denver is, how accessible admission is, what it really costs, and what has happened to students who have already gone there. It is a large, urban university with a sizable Latino community, relatively accessible admission, a high sticker price but real aid available, and graduation outcomes that are, honestly, in the middle of the pack.
None of these numbers decides anything on its own. And none yet tells you whether this is the right school for your child — that depends on two pieces this article cannot give you: what they want to study and what they have already built, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A plan is born from those three pieces together.
Your child needs to research the exact program, visit if possible, and decide whether they can imagine themselves there. You need to handle the money, the deadlines, the financial-aid letter when it arrives, and ask the questions this article has already prepared for you: residency classification, the actual equivalency of their AP credits, and the real time to graduate in their major. It is not a path you have to walk alone, and it is not one you have to walk for them. You walk it together.
Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS system, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus or any government agency; this article is an independent informational resource.