College tuition fees rose 2.7% in Denver County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $17,760 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $470 more than the previous school year.
Among the 11 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, the University of Denver stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $56,439. Regis University followed with an average of $42,220 per year. United Beauty College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,030.
At the time, at least $94.1 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Denver County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $19.3 million.
Currently there are 12 higher education institutions in Denver County, including Aveda Institute-Denver, Emily Griffith Technical College, and Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 12 institutions in Denver County, Denver College of Nursing did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln College of Technology-Denver | 759 | $2,668,465 | $3,516 | 594 | $4,451,342 | $7,494 |
| Emily Griffith Technical College | 674 | $3,327,334 | $4,937 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| University of Denver | 1,608 | $51,492,328 | $32,023 | 588 | $5,087,156 | $8,652 |
| Aveda Institute-Denver | 147 | $626,285 | $4,260 | 223 | $1,377,034 | $6,175 |
| Montessori Education Center of the Rockies | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | 1,007 | $9,406,311 | $9,341 | 372 | $2,461,236 | $6,616 |
| Regis University | 417 | $12,725,584 | $30,517 | 213 | $1,520,104 | $7,137 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 1,294 | $10,454,115 | $8,079 | 515 | $3,740,194 | $7,263 |
| United Beauty College | 22 | $105,614 | $4,801 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Community College of Denver | 340 | $2,947,847 | $8,670 | 106 | $566,737 | $5,347 |
| National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA) | 40 | $310,650 | $7,766 | 7 | $49,550 | $7,079 |
| Denver College of Nursing | — | — | — | — | — | — |
