Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public · Large city · MSU Denver · MSUD

Public institution in Denver, CO · 14,932 undergraduates · 99% acceptance rate · $52,093 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 8%Undergraduates

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $14,294618th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $10,780664th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $29,5031,239th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $22,825551st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $21,500813th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $52,093957th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $45,391853rd highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 29.9%1,782nd highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 70.4%1,226th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 99.1%1,535th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1014923rd highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 21703rd highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 14,932168th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 14.0:11,172nd smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 35.1%944th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 19 mi (DEN)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: Free
Personal essay: Required
Writing supplement: Yes

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 63 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Computer Science	bachelors	$72,593	$72,790
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$62,866	$62,922
Electrical Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology	bachelors	$62,508	$54,254
Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology	bachelors	$58,673	$57,770
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology	bachelors	$56,931	$61,516
Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$56,776	$56,415
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$54,574	$51,551
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$49,899	$48,376
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$47,818	$44,691
Natural Resources Management and PolicyNatural Resources	bachelors	$47,729	$42,402
Air TransportationTransportation	bachelors	$46,193	$42,682
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$44,418	$41,667

Campus facts

Founded in 1965source
Athletic nickname: "Roadrunners"source
Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
Mascot: Rowdy the Roadrunnersource
Motto: ""Changemakers Wanted" / On Seal: "Excellence in Teaching and Learning""source
Campus size: about 126 acressource
Formerly known as "Metropolitan State College" (1965–1990)source
Formerly known as "Metropolitan State College of Denver"source
Formerly known as "(1990–2012)"source
Athletic conference: Rocky Mountainsource
A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
Notable alum: Pam Griersource

Athletics — 8 sports

NCAA Division II without football · NCAA Division II

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $2,548,135 (M $1,088,310 · W $1,459,825)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.