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Most affordable public universities in Colorado

23 public universities in Colorado report net price data, ranging from $6,071 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $13,727. Colorado's public universities run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Colorado

$13,727

National median for public universities

$10,692

public universities reporting in Colorado

23

The most affordable public universities in Colorado, ranked by net price

1

Colorado Mountain College

CO

Net price

$6,071

Receive grant aid

62%

2

Net price

$7,651

Receive grant aid

68%

3

Red Rocks Community College

CO

Net price

$9,250

Receive grant aid

46%

4

Front Range Community College

CO

Net price

$9,256

Receive grant aid

38%

5

Pikes Peak State College

CO

Net price

$9,311

Receive grant aid

86%

6

Morgan Community College

CO

Net price

$9,416

Receive grant aid

91%

7

Community College of Denver

CO

Net price

$9,526

Receive grant aid

72%

8

Net price

$9,786

Receive grant aid

35%

9

Pueblo Community College

CO

Net price

$10,969

Receive grant aid

74%

10

Trinidad State College

CO

Net price

$11,323

Receive grant aid

100%

11

Colorado State University Global

CO

Net price

$12,475

Receive grant aid

56%

12

Metropolitan State University of Denver

CO

Net price

$13,727

Receive grant aid

65%

13

Net price

$13,800

Receive grant aid

91%

14

Colorado State University Pueblo

CO

Net price

$14,188

Receive grant aid

97%

15

Colorado Mesa University

CO

Net price

$15,076

Receive grant aid

81%

16

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

CO

Net price

$15,303

Receive grant aid

86%

17

Fort Lewis College

CO

Net price

$16,074

Receive grant aid

97%

18

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

CO

Net price

$16,816

Receive grant aid

74%

19

Western Colorado University

CO

Net price

$17,709

Receive grant aid

92%

20

University of Northern Colorado

CO

Net price

$19,115

Receive grant aid

94%

21

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

CO

Net price

$19,828

Receive grant aid

71%

22

University of Colorado Boulder

CO

Net price

$22,640

Receive grant aid

54%

23

Colorado School of Mines

CO

Net price

$29,785

Receive grant aid

94%

What makes a school affordable here

In Colorado, the most affordable public universities share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Colorado Mountain College, the most affordable on this list, 62% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Colorado, other types

Affordable public universities in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →