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Metropolitan State University of Denver

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a public campus in Denver proper — federal locale codes class it as urban.

What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$12,364

family income
under $30k

$12,005

$30–48k

$13,276

$48–75k

$19,263

$75–110k

$21,812

over $110k

These figures don't always rise with income — aid formulas can make a higher bracket cheaper.

Average net price

$15,3272023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Metropolitan State University of Denver rose from $9,165 (2008) to $15,327 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$9,165
2009	$9,576
2010	$9,416
2011	$10,231
2012	$10,586
2013	$10,378
2014	$9,521
2015	$13,270
2016	$13,276
2017	$16,204
2018	$14,257
2019	$14,313
2020	$13,806
2021	$15,602
2022	$14,294
2023	$15,327

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$24,6222024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Metropolitan State University of Denver rose from $12,182 (2009) to $24,622 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$12,182
2010	$12,824
2011	$13,037
2012	$13,869
2013	$14,034
2014	$14,522
2015	$13,871
2016	$18,017
2017	$18,550
2018	$21,702
2019	$19,730
2020	$19,975
2021	$21,062
2022	$22,428
2023	$22,825
2024	$24,622

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition (in-state vs out-of-state)

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition — data
Year	In-state	Out-of-state
2000	$3,002	$8,554
2001	$3,025	$8,865
2002	$3,315	$9,665
2003	$3,640	$10,309
2004	$3,768	$10,510
2005	$2,745	$9,975
2006	$2,815	$10,230
2007	$3,079	$11,179
2008	$3,427	$11,583
2013	$5,744	$17,837
2014	$6,070	$18,888
2015	$6,420	$20,057
2016	$6,930	$20,096
2017	$7,352	$20,149
2018	$7,666	$20,847
2019	$8,151	$21,728
2020	$8,693	$23,967
2021	$10,021	$27,502
2022	$10,260	$28,092
2023	$10,780	$29,503

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Metropolitan State University of Denver reports tuition of $11,124 for in-state students and $30,684 for out-of-state students. Check Metropolitan State University of Denver’s residency rules, attendance budget and aid offer. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a big school: 15,002 undergraduates at last count.

31.5% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Metropolitan State University of Denver within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

31.5%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Metropolitan State University of Denver rose from 18.9% (entered 1991) to 31.5% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	18.9%
1992 cohort	19.9%
1993 cohort	19.6%
1994 cohort	19.1%
1995 cohort	21.5%
1996 cohort	20.8%
1997 cohort	19.7%
1998 cohort	22.9%
1999 cohort	20%
2000 cohort	24.2%
2001 cohort	23%
2002 cohort	21.4%
2003 cohort	20.6%
2004 cohort	20.5%
2005 cohort	21.4%
2006 cohort	25%
2007 cohort	26%
2008 cohort	24.1%
2009 cohort	25.1%
2010 cohort	26.9%
2011 cohort	28.3%
2012 cohort	28.2%
2013 cohort	28%
2014 cohort	32%
2015 cohort	29.8%
2016 cohort	29%
2017 cohort	29.9%
2018 cohort	31.5%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$14,073	$4,000
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$13,375	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$12,173	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$12,278	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$12,595	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$12,750	$5,564
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$19,250	$6,117
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$21,000	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$21,000	$6,180
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$21,000	$6,562
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$16,750	$5,658
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$17,885	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$20,020	$6,121
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$21,522	$6,498
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$22,500	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$23,243	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$24,186	$6,926
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$23,922	$7,663
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$22,878	$9,175
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$22,015	$9,129
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$21,250	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$21,500	$8,366
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$21,500	$9,005

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$45,391

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$48,919

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$52,093

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Metropolitan State University of Denver admitted 11,483 of 11,622 applicants in Fall 2024. The 98.8% rate describes that application pool.

98.8%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $10,780 in-state tuition · 2023–24 15,002 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 880–11301600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Metropolitan State University of Denver received 11,622 applications and admitted 11,483 (98.8%), with 2,196 enrolling.

Metropolitan State University of Denver reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Metropolitan State University of Denver’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 450–570 and Math was 430–560 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 880–1130 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	450	510	570
SAT Math	430	500	560
ACT Composite	17	22	26

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

98.8%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	84.5%
Fall 2002	86.1%
Fall 2003	81.3%
Fall 2004	78.6%
Fall 2005	85.3%
Fall 2006	83.3%
Fall 2007	78.2%
Fall 2008	77.7%
Fall 2009	75.4%
Fall 2010	71.7%
Fall 2011	70.1%
Fall 2012	63%
Fall 2013	71.2%
Fall 2014	65.1%
Fall 2015	65.2%
Fall 2016	63.9%
Fall 2017	64.3%
Fall 2018	59.5%
Fall 2019	61.3%
Fall 2020	83.3%
Fall 2021	97.2%
Fall 2022	97.9%
Fall 2023	99.1%
Fall 2024	98.8%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

880–1130Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2002	840	1060
Fall 2003	840	1070
Fall 2004	890	1120
Fall 2005	890	1120
Fall 2006	860	1110
Fall 2007	880	1130
Fall 2008	880	1110
Fall 2009	870	1100
Fall 2010	880	1160
Fall 2011	910	1140
Fall 2012	890	1100
Fall 2013	930	1200
Fall 2014	920	1160
Fall 2015	880	1110
Fall 2016	880	1100
Fall 2017	900	1130
Fall 2018	900	1110
Fall 2019	890	1110
Fall 2020	870	1090
Fall 2021	910	1140
Fall 2022	910	1130
Fall 2023	880	1110
Fall 2024	880	1130

IPEDS Fall 2002–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

17–26Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	16	21
Fall 2002	16	21
Fall 2003	17	22
Fall 2004	17	23
Fall 2005	17	22
Fall 2006	17	22
Fall 2007	18	23
Fall 2008	18	23
Fall 2009	18	22
Fall 2010	18	23
Fall 2011	18	23
Fall 2012	18	23
Fall 2013	18	23
Fall 2014	18	23
Fall 2015	18	23
Fall 2016	17	23
Fall 2017	17	22
Fall 2018	17	23
Fall 2019	17	23
Fall 2020	14	20
Fall 2021	18	24
Fall 2022	16	23
Fall 2023	17	23
Fall 2024	17	26

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

15,002Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Metropolitan State University of Denver fell from 18,013 (Fall 2002) to 15,002 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	18,013
Fall 2003	18,904
Fall 2004	19,375
Fall 2005	19,736
Fall 2006	19,931
Fall 2007	20,298
Fall 2008	20,656
Fall 2009	21,882
Fall 2010	22,974
Fall 2011	22,751
Fall 2012	22,373
Fall 2013	21,696
Fall 2014	20,583
Fall 2015	19,649
Fall 2016	19,334
Fall 2017	18,968
Fall 2018	18,809
Fall 2019	18,378
Fall 2020	17,255
Fall 2021	15,625
Fall 2022	14,947
Fall 2023	14,932
Fall 2024	15,002

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

63%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Metropolitan State University of Denver has held near 63% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	62%
Fall 2003 cohort	60%
Fall 2004 cohort	61%
Fall 2005 cohort	62%
Fall 2006 cohort	68%
Fall 2007 cohort	67%
Fall 2008 cohort	67%
Fall 2009 cohort	67%
Fall 2010 cohort	66%
Fall 2011 cohort	65%
Fall 2012 cohort	66%
Fall 2013 cohort	63%
Fall 2014 cohort	70%
Fall 2015 cohort	65%
Fall 2016 cohort	63%
Fall 2017 cohort	65%
Fall 2018 cohort	67%
Fall 2019 cohort	61%
Fall 2020 cohort	63%
Fall 2021 cohort	63%
Fall 2022 cohort	70%
Fall 2023 cohort	63%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Metropolitan State University of Denver

35.5% of Metropolitan State University of Denver's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Metropolitan State University of Denver as a primarily nonresidential campus — most of its 15,002 undergraduates live off campus, and 62.9% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Metropolitan State University of Denver's SAT section-percentile sums are 880–1130 — their midpoint is below the CO four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Metropolitan State University of Denver's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Metropolitan State University of Denver compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Metropolitan State University of Denver98.8%

Colorado median86.5%

National median76.8%

Tuition (in-state)

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Metropolitan State University of Denver$11,124

Colorado median$12,750

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Metropolitan State University of Denver's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Metropolitan State University of Denver$52,093

Colorado median$53,445

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado and national reference values
Metric & basis	Metropolitan State University of Denver	Colorado median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	98.8%	86.5%	76.8%
Tuition (in-state)Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$11,124	$12,750	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$52,093	$53,445	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Metropolitan State University of Denver, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Metropolitan State University of Denver federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 49 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Computer Science	$111,187
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	$100,358
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	$98,267
Management Information Systems and Services	$91,399
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$86,259
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians	$86,131
Economics	$80,907
Finance and Financial Management Services	$77,596
Chemistry	$76,759
Accounting and Related Services	$73,698
Air Transportation	$72,846
Geography and Cartography	$66,429
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$65,387
Mathematics	$65,179
Marketing	$64,069
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$63,175
Health and Medical Administrative Services	$62,250
Design and Applied Arts	$61,654
Political Science and Government	$60,639
Nutrition Sciences	$60,395
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	$59,502
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	$58,918
Biology, General	$57,920
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies	$57,810
Hospitality Administration/Management	$57,312
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$57,096
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	$57,065
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$56,564
Social Work	$55,915
Human Services, General	$54,896
Anthropology	$53,125
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	$52,747
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	$52,735
Sociology	$52,414
English Language and Literature, General	$51,955
Special Education and Teaching	$51,786
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	$50,926
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	$50,478
Psychology, General	$50,326
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$49,025
Research and Experimental Psychology	$48,655
History	$48,518
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$47,666
Journalism	$47,460
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	$46,535
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems	$45,766
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	$42,870
Fine and Studio Arts	$42,490
Music	$38,957

These 49 fields listed for Metropolitan State University of Denver measure earnings after completion. The $52,093 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 27 additional Metropolitan State University of Denver fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Metropolitan State University of Denver report?

Metropolitan State University of Denver's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 880–1130 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Metropolitan State University of Denver's acceptance rate?

98.8% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 11,483 admitted from 11,622 applicants.

How much does Metropolitan State University of Denver cost?

In-state tuition is $11,124; out-of-state students pay $30,684. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.

What earnings data does Metropolitan State University of Denver report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $52,093. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Colorado

Naropa University — 100% admitted
University of Northern Colorado — 85.9% admitted
Regis University — 86.5% admitted
Colorado State University Pueblo — 94.9% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.