Rankings / By State
Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado
- 14
- Schools
- $48,856
- Avg. Earnings
- 41%
- Avg. Graduation
- $15,104
- Avg. Net Price
- $18,616
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Graduate earnings span a wide band on this list, from $28,720 at the low end to $72,105 at the top. That 2.5× spread shows how much outcomes vary within a single category.
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Pikes Peak State College offers the strongest payback. Graduates earn a median of $40,796 against $6,007 in annual net price, the best earnings-to-cost ratio in this ranking.
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The most budget-friendly option on this list is Pikes Peak State College, at $6,007 annually in net price.
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Completion rates separate this field: Regis University graduates 61% of its students, well above the 41% list average. Finishing what you start matters as much as where you start.
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Debt-to-earnings ratios favor Pikes Peak State College: graduates owe only 0.22× their yearly income, the most manageable debt burden on the list.
Surprising Comparisons
- Price and payoff diverge sharply here. Pikes Peak State College ($6,007/yr) and Colorado Christian University ($29,500/yr) produce graduates earning $40,796 and $50,416 respectively, a far narrower earnings gap than the $23,493 cost difference would suggest.
- On a cost-adjusted basis, Pikes Peak State College outperforms Regis University: similar career earnings at a much lower net price.
- Completion is where this ranking's schools diverge most: Regis University graduates 61% of its students versus 18% at Community College of Denver. Access without completion is opportunity unclaimed.
The Takeaway
A consistent pattern: the schools that finish at the top get there by delivering strong earnings, manageable debt, and real mobility rather than by charging more or rejecting more applicants. Those outcomes are what define educational value.
What This Means for Students
For students evaluating these schools, begin with Pikes Peak State College and Regis University. Look past sticker price: pull each school's net price for your income level, compare it against projected earnings, and let the data guide the decision instead of the brand.
Why this ranking matters
Healthcare is one of the higher-return fields in the economy, but the payoff depends heavily on where you study it. Graduates of these programs earn a median of about $50K within a decade, and registered nurse roles are projected to grow 6%. We rank programs by the outcomes they produce for graduates, not by reputation.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-13
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Regis University #1 overall | $72,105 ▲ +48% vs avg | $18,397 | 61% | 84 |
| 2 Lamar Community College #2 overall | $38,719 ▼ -21% vs avg | $9,161 | 48% | 75 |
| 3 University of Northern Colorado #3 overall | $52,231 ▲ +7% vs avg | $17,760 | 51% | 73 |
| $52,093 ▲ +7% vs avg | $15,327 | 31% | 71 | |
| $40,796 ▼ -16% vs avg | $6,007 | 22% | 71 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado
This analysis ranks 14 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $48,856 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 41% and an average net price of $15,104.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Pikes Peak State College — Net Price: $6,007 | Graduation Rate: 22%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Regis University — 61% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Regis University — Median alumni earnings: $72,105
Our Analysis Found
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Healthcare Workforce Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about the U.S. healthcare workforce?
$48,383
Median earnings (10yr)
41%
Median graduation rate
$14,154
Median net price
1.3%
Avg. mobility rate
The healthcare workforce pipeline starts in classrooms and clinical rotations like the ones behind this list. An aging population, persistent nursing shortages, and rising demand for clinical services have made these programs essential infrastructure. The strongest ones stand out on clinical partnerships and licensure outcomes, the two factors that translate most directly into hiring.
Start with the medians across these 14 schools. Graduates earn a median of $48,383 ten years after enrollment, or about $383 above the $48,000 a typical American worker earns. The median graduation rate is 41%, and the typical net price (what students pay after grants) runs $14,154 a year with about $20,235 in federal debt. Pell grants reach 32% of students on average, and the average mobility rate, the share of students lifted from the bottom income quintile to the top, is 1.3%.
One pattern runs through this list: programs with deep clinical partnerships move their graduates into the workforce faster. Regis University tops the ranking, and the median graduate here earns $48,383 ten years after enrollment. Demand outruns supply in this field, so the bottleneck is training capacity and credential attainment rather than hiring.
The podium
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Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Regis University lands at #1 with a 84/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (58/100). Graduates earn a median $72,105 a decade after enrolling, 48% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,397 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Lamar Community College lands at #2 with a 75/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (64/100). Graduates earn a median $38,719 a decade after enrolling, 21% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,161 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
University of Northern Colorado lands at #3 with a 73/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (62/100). Graduates earn a median $52,231 a decade after enrolling, 7% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,760 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Metropolitan State University of Denver lands at #4 with a 71/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (62/100). Graduates earn a median $52,093 a decade after enrolling, 7% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,327 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Pikes Peak State College lands at #5 with a 71/100 composite, led by value per dollar (86/100) and pulled down by academic quality (56/100). Graduates earn a median $40,796 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,007 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Fort Lewis College lands at #6 with a 70/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (59/100). Graduates earn a median $46,349 a decade after enrolling, 5% below this list's average, and net price runs $17,296 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Denver, CO · 75% accepted · $11,900 net
Why it ranks #7
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus lands at #7 with a 67/100 composite, led by value per dollar (73/100) and pulled down by social mobility (60/100). Graduates earn a median $64,270 a decade after enrolling, 32% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,900 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Colorado State University Pueblo lands at #8 with a 67/100 composite, led by value per dollar (71/100) and pulled down by social mobility (54/100). Graduates earn a median $55,563 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $10,051 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Community College of Aurora lands at #9 with a 66/100 composite, led by value per dollar (83/100) and pulled down by social mobility (43/100). Graduates earn a median $44,592 a decade after enrolling, 9% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,656 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Colorado Christian University lands at #10 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (38/100). Graduates earn a median $50,416 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,500 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Adams State University lands at #11 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (51/100). Graduates earn a median $44,372 a decade after enrolling, 9% below this list's average, and net price runs $12,980 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Colorado Springs, CO · 97% accepted · $15,788 net
Why it ranks #12
University of Colorado Colorado Springs lands at #12 with a 62/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (67/100) and pulled down by social mobility (58/100). Graduates earn a median $54,659 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,788 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Community College of Denver lands at #13 with a 55/100 composite, led by value per dollar (78/100) and pulled down by academic quality (37/100). Graduates earn a median $39,095 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,450 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Naropa University lands at #14 with a 52/100 composite, led by social mobility (65/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (40/100). Graduates earn a median $28,720 a decade after enrolling, 41% below this list's average, and net price runs $29,179 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 14 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs — and the jobs are
Where these graduates work
Graduates of these programs most often become Registered Nurses and related roles — a field with $86,070 median pay and 6% projected growth.
See the Registered Nurse career guide →Choosing the right nursing program can be a pivotal decision for students looking to enter a rewarding field. In Colorado, various colleges offer nursing programs, but their outcomes can vary significantly, impacting long-term career success.
What sets the best nursing schools apart are key metrics like earnings, graduation rates, student debt, and overall program effectiveness. The list below highlights institutions that not only prepare students for their nursing careers but also support their financial well-being after graduation.
For example, Regis University leads with an average earning of $72,105 and a graduation rate of 61%, while Community College of Aurora, with earnings of $44,592 and a 31% graduation rate, presents a different trade-off. This contrast illustrates the importance of weighing both financial outcomes and completion rates as you consider your options.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 7 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 1.3%. Lamar Community College leads the group at 2.2%, with Adams State University (1.9%) and Regis University (1.6%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 8.8% of students start in the bottom income quintile. Lamar Community College leads at 21.7%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 17.6% across this list. Regis University posts the highest success rate at 41.2%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.57 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Colorado Christian University reaches 1.84, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
When comparing nursing programs, it's essential to consider why one school might outperform another. For instance, Regis University not only has the highest earnings at $72,105 but also boasts a graduation rate of 61%. In contrast, Colorado State University Pueblo shows earnings of $55,563 but has a much lower graduation rate of 39%. This indicates that while earnings are crucial, completion rates also play a significant role in long-term success.
As you sift through the various nursing programs, think about your personal priorities. Consider location, the specific nursing specialties offered, and overall campus vibe alongside financial metrics. Are you willing to incur more debt for a program with higher earnings potential? Determine what balance of cost, debt, and outcomes makes the most sense for your situation.
Ultimately, this data reflects the critical link between education and career stability. For many families, choosing the right nursing school can lead to a fulfilling career and financial security. Each decision made now can significantly impact your future, so weigh your options carefully.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado ranking? +
Regis University in Denver, CO ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $72,105 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 61% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Regis University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $72,105 ten years after enrollment, well above the $48,856 average across the 14 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Pikes Peak State College leads: graduates earn a median $40,796 against net price of about $6,007 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Regis University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 61%, compared with a 41% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $15,104 a year across the 14 ranked schools with cost data. Pikes Peak State College is among the most affordable at roughly $6,007. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 14 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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