University of Colorado - Denver vs University of Denver

University of Colorado - Denver vs University of Denver

University of Colorado - Denver is a public research university in Denver, Colorado. It has a mid-size enrollment with around 15,000 undergraduate students. Admissions are fairly competitive with an overall acceptance rate of roughly 78%. Popular majors are Business, Engineering, Health Professions, Social Sciences, and Computer Science. The six-year graduation rate is approximately 48%, and the median starting salary for CU Denver graduates is about INR 6,20,000 (nearly $74,000 median income at ten years post-graduation).

University of Denver is another renowned private university located in Denver, Colorado. It is a mid-tier university with around 12,000 undergraduate students. Admissions are relatively selective, with the overall acceptance rate of around 71%. Popular majors are Business, Social Sciences, Psychology, International Studies, and Engineering. The six-year graduation rate is around 77%, and DU graduates are awarded a median starting salary of around INR 7,20,000 (approximately $86,000 median income ten years after graduation).

Overview Comparison
University of ColoradoUniversity of Denver
Collegedunia Score5.2 Out of 104.2 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 351 Times Higher Education 2026
# 851 QS World University 2026
# 761 QS World University 2025
# 501 Times Higher Education 2026
# 1001 QS World University 2026
# 601 Times Higher Education 2025
Subject Strength# 136 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 251 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 151 for Law by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2021
# 181 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 401 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2022
# 251 for Law by Times Higher Education 2025
ProgramsUG Programs -61
PG Programs -56
UG Programs -74
PG Programs -47
Doctorate Programs -1
Acceptance Rate78.0 %71.0 %
Exam ScoreIELTS-6
SAT-1060
TOEFL-71
IELTS-6.5
SAT-1160
TOEFL-80
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   25736
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  31640
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 11670 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   44700
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  34128
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 27858 Per Year
placement (average package)

Average salaries are listed below:

  • Doctorate : $162,000 
  • MBA : $135,000 
  • Masters in Science : $113,000 
  • Master (Other) : $104,000 
  • Bachelor of Science : $77,000 
  • Bachelor of Arts : $75,000 

Six months after commencement, 92.1% of undergraduates, 93.5% of master’s students and 95.1% of doctoral students were employed, enrolled in continuing education or in service/military activities. Graduates of the Daniels College of Business and the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science had the highest average salaries among recent graduates, at $96,805 and $87,692, respectively.


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CollegeDunia Reviews6.8/10 Read 2 reviews8.2/10 Read 2 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 601 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 135 for Business by US News 2024
# 201 for Business by QS World University 2026
# 97 for Business by US News 2025
# 601 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
exam scoresDuolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 58/90TOEFL - 79/120Duolingo - 115/160IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -58000Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -48000
application datesSep 15, 2024 (Priority Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake)
Oct 15, 2024 (Final Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake)
Jan 15, 2025 (Priority Application Deadline For Summer 2025 Intake)
Mar 15, 2025 (Final Application Deadline For Summer 2025 Intake)
Mar 15, 2025 (Priority Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake)
May 15, 2025 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake)
Jan 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake)
ranking# 160 for Computer Science by US News 2025
# 301 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2023
# 186 for Computer Science by US News 2025
# 401 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2023
exam scoresDuolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 58/90TOEFL - 79/120IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -30641Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -44700
application datesOct 1, 2024 (Application Deadline For Spring Intake)
Nov 15, 2024 (Early Action Application Deadline For Fall And Summer Intake)
Jan 15, 2025 (Regular Decision Deadline For Fall And Summer Intake)
Nov 1, 2024 (Early Action Application Deadline For 2025 Intake)
Jan 15, 2025 (Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2025 Intake)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsUniversity of ColoradoUniversity of Denver
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1912
1864
Student:Faculty Ratio17:1
13:1
Male:Female44% Male, 56% Female47% Male, 53% Female
Location Facts

CU Denver, part of the Auraria Campus, is located to the southwest of downtown Denver in the Auraria Neighborhood, on Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway


The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. 


Library

The Auraria library on the CU Denver campus downtown serves the three institutions that share the campus — CU Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and Community College of Denver. The library houses nearly 1 million print books, 130,000 e-books, 44,000 e-journals and 300 databases.


The university library offers a rich collection of books, journals, primary sources, and media, but beyond the collections, it connects students, faculty, staff, and the broader University community to knowledge. Scholarly information is offered in a variety of formats and the library strives to make access to this knowledge as straightforward as possible for its students.


Campus Life
  • Student Life is one of several offices that are committed to your learning outside of the classroom.
  • The university events and programs will help you learn more about yourself and others in the following areas: Career Readiness Competencies, Cultural Competence & Cultural Humility, Leadership Development, Life Skills, Meaningful Connections.
  • The university has more than 130 student organizations which the students can join. 
  • The University of Colorado Denver Student Government Association (SGA) is the elected student government officials that work to provide the students with the best possible student experience and is here to represent you and the voices of all students.
  • Their priority is to provide the students with an enriching and fulfilling university experience, and to promote and maintain the general welfare of the student body. 
  • Campus activities (social events and programs) are offered weekly by Student Life and other campus partners. Attending an event provides you with a break from your academics and is often a great stress reliever. 
  • Best of all, it's a great way to meet other students and have some fun.  Participating in campus activities will also support your sense of belonging on campus.

Students live on campus for their first two years at the university, so the community is constantly infused with new faces, ideas and experiences. Whether you test your wings in a living and learning community, club sports, or any of the student organizations based on campus, you're sure to find a home at the university. With five residence halls, a range of dining options and easy access to the Mile High City, students enjoy a range of facilities. Food options mere steps away from campus range from pizza to Thai and Lebanese, and with the rest of the city a bicycle or train ride away, you'll have the the opportunity to take advantage of Denver's growing and diverse cultural scene. Whether your tastes run toward taco trucks or tasting menus, thrift stores or boutiques, museums or mosh pits, Denver offers excitement and inspiration. Originally designed as an arboretum, the tree-lined campus offers extensive space for outdoor activities. The Newman Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 400 theater, music and dance performances a year, from student plays to internationally touring musicians. Participate in sport and fitness activities at the Ritchie Center, which serves as a venue for many of our club and intramural sports. It also houses the Coors Fitness Center, where swimmers and ice skaters can take advantage of the Olympic-sized pool and the Joy Burns Arena.


Hostel#Double Room with kitchen Per Semester - $4920
#Studio with kitchen Per Semester - $6750
#On campus - $12612
#Off campus (not with family) - $12612
#Off campus (with family) - $2634
Famous Alumni
  • Rick Alden, Class of 1996, Owner and CEO of Skullcandy
  • Insook Bhushan, Olympic table tennis player
  • Janet Bonnema, civil engineer, first woman allowed to enter a tunnel project in Colorado
  • Deanne Criswell, first female leader of Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • Daniel Gilbert (psychologist), Psychology 1981, author of Stumbling on Happiness and Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University
  • Christi Grimm, Principal Deputy Inspector General at the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Michael B. Hancock, Class of 1995, Mayor of Denver

Henry Otley Beyer, father of anthropology and ethnology in the Philippines.
Asa Grant Hilliard III, egyptologist and professor of educational psychology.
Arnold Kramish, nuclear physicist on the Manhattan Project who was almost killed in a radioactive explosion

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman/CEO of Emirates Airlines
Brad Anderson, former CEO of Best Buy
Dean Baker, macroeconomist


City Life
  • Denver’s famed ski slopes and beautiful, mountainous landscape are potentially the biggest draw for folks moving to Denver.
  • This intriguing combination of big-city amenities and culture, and natural beauty, draws upwards of 17 million visitors a year. 
  • The “Mile High City” is best known for being situated at the base of the Rocky Mountains, it’s also a thriving city with a culture and a feel all its own. There’s no denying that living in Denver means constant exposure to beautiful landscapes, largely thanks to the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. 
  • In addition to the pricey housing market, Denver’s rent prices have also been booming.

From sunny weather to winter sports, beautiful architecture to extensive parks, high-tech startups to farm-to-table restaurants, the city offers something for everyone. It offers great music too, including concerts at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater, an outdoor venue built of rock. This explains why it is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Denver has convenient public transportation, including bus, rail, and light rail. It is a top-five cycling city, with more than 196 on-street bike lanes. Denver also offers car, bike, and electric scooter rentals. Denver has more than 200 parks within the city, including nearby City Park, home to 330 acres of green spaces and the Denver Zoo. There are also more than 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains. Denver grows fresh produce throughout the city, including at the Colorado Convention Center’s Blue Bear Farm. 


Weather
Comparison Notes

University of Colorado - Denver vs University of Denver

Subject Strength & International Rankings (2025/2026)

The University of Colorado – Denver (CU Denver) tends to have a stronger international profile than the University of Denver (DU). According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, CU Denver sits between 851–900 and DU between 1001–1200. Under the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings, the two universities feature between 601–800. CU Denver is 440 in the US News Global Rankings 2026, well above DU's ranking of 1117. CU Denver is highly ranked in health sciences, business, and engineering, while DU is highly ranked in international studies, business, and social sciences.

General Information

The University of Colorado – Denver is a public research university in downtown Denver, Colorado, with a student population over 15,000. It is a part of the University of Colorado system and recognized for its urban, diverse student population and close connections to healthcare, business, and engineering industries.

The University of Denver is a private research university that was established in 1864 and has an enrollment of around 12,000 students. It is known for its liberal arts background and focused graduate programs in international relations, business (Daniels College of Business), and law.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

CU Denver's acceptance rate is 78%, which means admissions are moderately selective and open to a wide array of applicants.

DU's acceptance rate of 71% indicates slightly greater selectivity, which mirrors greater competition for some business, law, and international studies programs.

Research Impact & Facilities

CU Denver focuses on applied research, particularly in health sciences, engineering, and business, with particular proximity to the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of the largest health research centers in the U.S.

DU also has an active research culture, particularly in social sciences, international relations, law, and environment sustainability, complemented by its much smaller yet sufficiently resourced research centers.

Cost & Financial Aid

CU Denver, as a public institution, tends to be lower for students in-state, with out-of-state and international students paying more. DU, as a private school, is more expensive overall but offers a plethora of scholarships, need-based funding, and merit awards to help discount tuition.

Career Outcomes & Alumni Success

CU Denver graduates typically pursue robust career opportunities in healthcare, business, engineering, and technology, leveraging the university's urban partnerships and links to local industries.

DU graduates have a solid business, international affairs, and law reputation with an impressive global alumni network that facilitates careers in diplomacy, policy, and corporate leadership.