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Colorado Christian University

#6 Best Psychology Colleges in Colorado
Private nonprofit Lakewood, CO · Suburban · Rocky Mountains · 87% data
B- Earnings C Graduation C+ Diversity
Graduation Rate
60% C
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$50,416 B-
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$29,500 F
72% more than the typical college
Enrollment
5,549
Earnings +24% vs avg
Graduation +5% vs avg
Net Price 72% vs avg
Mobility Top 98%

Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 10.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $10.8 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Psychology Colleges in Colorado.

10.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $10.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,161,727.

What The Data Says

  1. A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 24% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $10.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Colorado Christian University Matters

Colorado Christian University is a private university in Lakewood, CO and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
5,549
Setting
Suburban
Designations
88
Primary Strengths
Psychology, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Education

Why students choose Colorado Christian University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Psychology
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C-
Top 64% overall
B-
Earnings
$50,416 median
D+
Value
1.7× net price
F
Affordability
$29,500/yr net
C
Graduation
60% graduate
F
Social Mobility
0.4% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Diversity
0.60 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

More than 5,500 students call Colorado Christian University home, making it a vibrant community focused on personal and spiritual growth. The school's graduation rate stands at 60%, indicating that a significant number of students successfully complete their degrees.

Data from Opportunity Insights suggests that while specific mobility metrics are not available, graduates can expect a solid financial return on their education. With a 10-year earnings average of $50,416, alumni are positioned to achieve a comfortable standard of living. This is particularly relevant for students from lower-income backgrounds, as 37% of the student body receives Pell Grants.

The net price to attend Colorado Christian University is $29,500, and the median student debt upon graduation is $28,312. Those who thrive here often gravitate toward programs in Psychology, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Education, and Humanities. This diverse academic landscape caters to students looking to combine a quality education with a supportive community.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Colorado Christian University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Colorado Christian University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Colorado Christian University, located in Lakewood, Colorado, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

Retention Rate
84%
Full-Time Faculty
20%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,470
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.60
First-Gen Students
45%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Colorado Christian University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Colorado Christian University is $41,342, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $29,500. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $26,010 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $28,312 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$41,342
Out-of-State
$41,342
Avg Net Price
$29,500
Median Debt
$28,312
Pell Grant Rate
37%
Federal Loan Rate
45%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$26,010
Family Income $30K–$48K
$24,819
Family Income $48K–$75K
$27,203
Family Income $110K+
$33,274

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Colorado Christian University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Colorado Christian University earn a median of $50,416, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$41,623
8 Years
$44,365
10 Years
$50,416
Debt-to-Earnings
0.56x
Earning > $25K
60%

Earnings Trajectory

$41,623 6yr $44,365 8yr $50,416 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (203)
54%
100% (203)
54%
100% (203)
54%
100% (203)
54%

How Colorado Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation60%Earnings 10yr$50KNet Price$30KRetention84%Median Debt$28KPell Grant Rate37%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$26K$0-30K$25K$30-48K$27K$48-75K$33K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%4.1%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%8.6%MOBILITY0.36%

College ROI Calculator

Is Colorado Christian University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Colorado Christian University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $29,500/year ($118,000 total). Graduates earn $50,416 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,279,727 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,161,727 (10.8× your investment). The median debt is $28,312, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$118,000
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,279,727
Net Return
$1,161,727
ROI Multiple
10.8×
Cost Per Year
$29,500
Median Debt
$28,312
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
60%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Colorado Christian University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Colorado Christian University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.36%, a more modest figure. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $98,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
0.36%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
8.6%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
4.1%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$98,600

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Colorado Christian University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Colorado Christian University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.84
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.05
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.9%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$6,129,395
Federal Grants
$5,728,445
Investment Income
$-4,807,524

Top Programs

The fields Colorado Christian University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Colorado Christian University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Colorado Christian University, located in Lakewood, Colorado, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Colorado Christian University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Colorado Christian University is $41,342, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $29,500. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $26,010 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $28,312 in federal student loans.

Is Colorado Christian University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Colorado Christian University earn a median of $50,416, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Colorado Christian University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Colorado Christian University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.36%, a more modest figure. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $98,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Colorado Christian University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Colorado Christian University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys