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Denver, CO · Public · 15,002 undergraduates · urban

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Less selective

MSU Denver is an applied urban university built around direct access to downtown Denver industries rather than a traditional isolated college campus.

Onetwo1 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Institutional profile

Regionally focused Solid in student experience, and solid in affordability.
Academic Emerging Affordability Solid Career Steady Mobility Steady Experience Solid
Academic standing Emerging
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Steady
Mobility Steady
Student experience Solid
Admission
99.1% admitted

12,403 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
38.1%

$52,093 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets Metropolitan State University of Denver apart

Academic design

Business, aviation, hospitality, engineering technology, education, health, and professional programs emphasize workforce-facing study.

Campus pattern

The Auraria Campus is shared with other institutions immediately beside downtown Denver.

Career & value signal

Location supports internships in aviation, hospitality, healthcare, government, finance, technology, and regional business.

Can I get in?

99.1% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

12,403

About 99 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 99.1%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%880–1110
7401260
ACT middle 50%17–23
1327

Of admitted students, 30% submitted an SAT, and 3% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.

Academic benchmarkLess selective

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for Metropolitan State University of Denver, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What Metropolitan State University of Denver weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Business, aviation, hospitality, engineering technology, education, health, and professional programs emphasize workforce-facing study.

02

Make institutional fit specific

MSU Denver is an applied urban university built around direct access to downtown Denver industries rather than a traditional isolated college campus.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular Decisionrolling
Fee and waiverNo application fee

Fee waiver: accepted

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

Teacher preparationAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$34,431
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$15,000
Affordability profileSolid

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at Metropolitan State University of Denver

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years38.1%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one66.4%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$52,093

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Research and Experimental Psychology

Recent graduates250
Median earnings$48,655

Criminal Justice and Corrections

Recent graduates153
Median earnings$56,564

Biology, General

Recent graduates134
Median earnings$57,920

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Recent graduates134
Median earnings$65,387

Admits separately

Social Work

Recent graduates116
Median earnings$55,915

What is campus life like?

Metropolitan State University of Denver beyond the classroom

The Auraria Campus is shared with other institutions immediately beside downtown Denver.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Business, aviation, hospitality, engineering technology, education, health, and professional programs emphasize workforce-facing study.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

The Auraria Campus is shared with other institutions immediately beside downtown Denver.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

Location supports internships in aviation, hospitality, healthcare, government, finance, technology, and regional business.

15,002 undergraduatesMountain Westurban settingPrimarily off-campus housing