Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Colorado
Ranked by graduate earnings
Metropolitan State University of Denver, Regis University and Denver College of Nursing are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Colorado by graduate earnings. Metropolitan State University of Denver leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,333, College Scorecard. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver College of Nursing and Regis University award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Colorado: 506, 431 and 292 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 27 Colorado colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 3,577 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,333 | 83 | 32% | — | $30,119 |
| 2 | Regis University Denver Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,736 | 292 | 61% | $22,407 | $29,427 |
| 3 | Denver College of Nursing Denver Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,161 | 431 | — | — | $34,914 |
| 4 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,503 | 506 | 46% | — | $30,500 |
| 5 | University of Northern Colorado Greeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,308 | 162 | 51% | — | $26,000 |
| 6 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,864 | 219 | 47% | — | $28,000 |
| 7 | Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,714 | 151 | 40% | — | $27,562 |
| 8 | Colorado Christian University Lakewood Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,388 | 77 | 64% | $23,447 | $54,709 |
| 9 | Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,631 | 157 | 41% | — | $27,000 |
| 10 | Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $87,579 | 420 | 19% | $16,966 | $30,319 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morgan Community College Fort Morgan Public · Associate degree | $76,759 | 40 | 45% | — | $17,238 |
| 2 | Front Range Community College Westminster Public · Associate degree | $76,014 | 183 | 35% | — | $30,625 |
| 3 | Otero College La Junta Public · Associate degree | $74,179 | 42 | 38% | — | $31,376 |
| 4 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo Public · Associate degree | $72,520 | 148 | 31% | — | $22,422 |
| 5 | Concorde Career College - Aurora Aurora Private for-profit · Associate degree | $70,663 | 36 | 64% | $18,015 | $30,500 |
| 6 | Trinidad State College Trinidad Public · Associate degree | $66,009 | 53 | 55% | — | $20,801 |
| 7 | Arapahoe Community College Littleton Public · Associate degree | $73,926 | 118 | 29% | — | $30,750 |
| 8 | Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs Public · Associate degree | $72,869 | 234 | 21% | — | $21,131 |
| 9 | Colorado Northwestern Community College Rangely Public · Associate degree Small program | $70,087 | 15 | 34% | — | $20,475 |
| 10 | Northeastern Junior College Sterling Public · Associate degree Small program | $68,853 | 9 | 56% | — | $23,625 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Colorado
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver Public | 506 | $75,503 |
| 2 | Denver College of Nursing Denver Private for-profit | 431 | $76,161 |
| 3 | Regis University Denver Private not-for-profit | 292 | $76,736 |
| 4 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Public | 219 | $71,864 |
| 5 | University of Northern Colorado Greeley Public | 162 | $74,308 |
| 6 | Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Public | 157 | $69,631 |
| 7 | Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo Public | 151 | $71,714 |
| 8 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver Public | 83 | $77,333 |
| 9 | Colorado Christian University Lakewood Private not-for-profit | 77 | $71,388 |
| 10 | Community College of Aurora Aurora Public | 50 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 17 Colorado colleges offering Registered Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs (Online) | Colorado Springs | Private for-profit | 420 |
| Pikes Peak State College | Colorado Springs | Public | 234 |
| Front Range Community College | Westminster | Public | 183 |
| Pueblo Community College | Pueblo | Public | 148 |
| Arapahoe Community College | Littleton | Public | 118 |
| Colorado Mountain College | Glenwood Springs | Public | 68 |
| Trinidad State College | Trinidad | Public | 53 |
| Otero College | La Junta | Public | 42 |
| Morgan Community College | Fort Morgan | Public | 40 |
| Concorde Career College - Aurora | Aurora | Private for-profit | 36 |
| Aims Community College | Greeley | Public | 32 |
| Adams State University | Alamosa | Public | 17 |
| Lamar Community College | Lamar | Public | 16 |
| Colorado Northwestern Community College | Rangely | Public | 15 |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Aurora | Aurora | Private for-profit | 11 |
| Northeastern Junior College | Sterling | Public | 9 |
| Red Rocks Community College | Lakewood | Public | 7 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Colorado
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Colorado.
Which Colorado colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (506 graduates a year), Denver College of Nursing (431 graduates a year) and Regis University (292 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 27 Colorado colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Colorado?+
By graduate earnings, Metropolitan State University of Denver leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Colorado, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,333, College Scorecard. Regis University and Denver College of Nursing follow. By degrees awarded, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is the largest, with 506 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Metropolitan State University of Denver tops the list at $77,333. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Colorado?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Colorado is $99,370 (median $100,260), across about 54,490 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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