Colleges › Colorado › University of Denver
University of Denver
Most applicants get into University of Denver — 77.8% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
University of Denver sits in Denver proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $121,993 four years out. Faculty pay averages $156,120 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 6,025 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 88.9% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1240 and 1410 — above the CO middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of Denver's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
You can apply to University of Denver without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1240 and 1410; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 630 | 670 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 610 | 650 | 700 |
| ACT Composite | 29 | 30 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Denver received 19,214 applications and admitted 13,679 (71.2%), with 1,458 enrolling.
How University of Denver compares
| University of Denver | Colorado median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 77.8% | 86.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $61,398 | $12,750 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $71,155 | $53,445 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Denver student earns $71,155 — 33% above the Colorado median of $53,445 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
University of Denver lists tuition at $61,398 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. University of Denver's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $61,398 as the ceiling, not the bill.
University of Denver enrolls 6,025 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Denver's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
75.6% of University of Denver students finish a bachelor's within six years — 20.7 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $61,398 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of Denver
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $121,993 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $104,087 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $99,135 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $96,903 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $93,026 |
| Real Estate | $87,026 |
| Economics | $84,328 |
| International Business | $80,511 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $75,118 |
| Marketing | $74,173 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $74,033 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $69,725 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $69,251 |
| Political Science and Government | $66,288 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $63,727 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $63,374 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $61,241 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $59,895 |
| Criminology | $57,858 |
| Psychology, General | $56,161 |
| Biology, General | $54,513 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $49,287 |
| Music | $48,461 |
Median earnings for these 23 University of Denver programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $71,155 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 56 additional University of Denver programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Denver?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1240–1410 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 77.8% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of Denver's acceptance rate?
71.2% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 13,679 admitted from 19,214 applicants.
How much does University of Denver cost?
At University of Denver, published tuition is $61,398 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is University of Denver's ceiling, not a quote.
What do University of Denver graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $71,155 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Colorado
- Fort Lewis College — 77.3% admitted
- Colorado School of Mines — 60.7% admitted
- University of Colorado Boulder — 78.1% admitted
- Colorado Mesa University — 82% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.