Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublicHSI

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, Colorado·Public, 4-year or above·Rocky Mountains·msudenver.edu
6-yr Graduation
32%
-8.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
18,453
peer median 16,949
Avg net price
$15,327
+$3.6k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
11,622
11,622 candidates competed
Admitted
11,483
98.8% acceptance rate
Enrolled
2,196
19.1% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
32%-8.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
12%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
31%
Full-time retention
63%

Pell equity

4.2pp gap
Pell recipients
29%230 of 790
Non-Pell (all)
33%391 of 1179
Subsidized loan, no Pell
28%129 of 457
No Federal Aid
36%262 of 722

Non-Pell students graduate at a 4.2-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 132 Title IV programs, 51 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 80 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
132
Passing
51
38.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
0.8% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.8%
+0.2pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

132programs
  • Passing51 · 38.6%
  • No Data80 · 60.6%
  • Failing1 · 0.8%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
1
At Risk
2
Watch
6
Safe
43
No data
80

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

52
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-0.6%
$38,957 vs $39,174
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+8.5%
$42,490 vs $39,174
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+9.4%
$42,870 vs $39,174
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+16.8%
$45,766 vs $39,174
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+18.8%
$46,535 vs $39,174
Journalism
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+21.2%
$47,460 vs $39,174
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
+21.7%
$47,666 vs $39,174
History
Bachelor Degree · History
+23.9%
$48,518 vs $39,174

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-0.6%
−$217

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

49
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
61%
$26,090 debt · $42,490 earn
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
57%
$22,250 debt · $38,957 earn
Social Work
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
53%
$35,500 debt · $66,816 earn
History
Bachelor Degree · History
53%
$25,724 debt · $48,518 earn
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
52%
$27,092 debt · $52,414 earn
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
50%
$29,000 debt · $57,768 earn
Anthropology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
49%
$26,062 debt · $53,125 earn
Linguistic Comparative and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor Degree · Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
49%
$24,750 debt · $50,926 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1971Next review Aug 2027

Programmatic accreditations · 13

Action history · 11

  1. Jun 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary Withdrawal
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  2. Jul 2024Voluntary Withdrawal Received
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  3. Jul 2023Approved for Distance Education
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics
  4. Dec 2022Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary Withdrawal
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (NUR) - Baccalaureate program
  5. Apr 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$12,481
$30–48k$12,436
$48–75k$14,927
$75–110k$19,539
$110k+$23,822

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$15,327
+$3,606vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $11,721
Federal loans
27.7%
In-state tuition
$11,124
Out-of-state
$30,684

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 8,046 students received $40.6M in Pell grants, alongside $52.8M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
8,046
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$40.6M
$40,558,242 total
Direct Loans
$52.8M
9,648 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

7k
’20
6k
’21
6k
’22
7k
’23
8k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$16.4M
4,299 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$22.1M
4,447 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$10.6M
676 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.0M
174 loan awards
Grad PLUS$731K
52 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 4,492 borrowers who entered repayment, 126 (2.8%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
2.8%
+0.5pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
4,492
Defaulted
126
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
7.7%
2017
8.9%
2018
6.8%
2019
2.8%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Msudenver

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs114
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

2,422 total completions
01Business
58824.3%
02Public Admin
33213.7%
03Psychology
26911.1%
04Health Professions
2389.8%
05Liberal Arts
1857.6%
06Computer Sciences
1837.6%
07Multi/Interdisciplinary
1827.5%
08Education
1586.5%
09Security/Protective
1486.1%
10Biological Sciences
1395.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
18,453
12-mo unduplicated
22,297
Undergraduate
20,985
Graduate
1,312

Gender split

Men
44%9,819
Women
56%12,478

Race / ethnicity composition

White
41.8%
Hispanic
36.7%
Black
8.6%
Two or more
5.5%
Asian
4.5%
Unknown
1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
1.0%
Non-resident
0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.3%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
268
141 M · 127 W
Women athletes
47.4%
Athletic aid
$2.5M
Total student aid
Budget
$8.7M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.1M
$1.5M
Recruiting expense
$11K
$25K
Head-coach salaries
$67K
$71K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 8

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
92 M · 78 W
$514K
Soccer
35 M · 27 W
$1.0M
Baseball
45 M · —
$607K
Basketball
15 M · 14 W
$2.0M
Softball
— · 21 W
$544K
Tennis
9 M · 9 W
$386K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
4.95
87 offenses · 17,593 students

3-year trend

3.792 yrs ago4.001 yr ago4.95Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
222
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
65
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
8
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
51
Arson
13
Burglary
10
Aggravated assault
8
Rape
3
Fondling
2

By location

87total
  • On campus82
  • Public property5

Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

6
Domestic violence
4
Dating violence
9
Stalking
19 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Religion1
  • National origin1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons110
Drugs262
Liquor180

Residence-hall fires

  • Lynx Crossing1 fire
    A student purposefully lit another student's pile of clothes on fire within their dorm room.Damage $500,000-$999,999

Data quality: 2 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
14.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
574

Msudenver vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Msudenver selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectMetropolitan State University of Denver
32%—18,453$15,327Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Colorado State University Global
—98.4%10,257$16,510Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Southern Utah University
50%81.8%15,444$10,462Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Adams State University
32%99.2%2,901$12,980Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Weber State University
47%—32,701$10,258Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Utah Valley University
40%—46,807$6,376Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median40%98.4%16,949$11,721

Institutions like Msudenver

Explore the federal data for institutions in Msudenver's comparison group.

IPEDS

Msudenver Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Data & Analytics branch of the Office of Strategy and External Affairs
Address
890 Auraria Parkway, Denver, CO 80204

Institutional Research provides in-depth statistical data to state and federal agencies, and to internal and external constituents. They act as an institutional information resource for all units of the university, specializing in conducting research on national norms and statistics relevant to the college.

Visit IR office page
Team
3 members
  • Buffy Ribble, Ph.D.
    Executive Director of Data & Analytics
  • Jeff Barr
    Senior Institutional Research Analyst
  • Kellie Zolnikov
    Business Intelligence & Institutional Research Analyst

Common Data Set

Msudenver's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
99.0%
Accessible
Yield
21.0%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
17,593
16,430 UG · 1,163 grad
6-yr graduation rate
27%
First-year retention
70%
Student–faculty ratio
14 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$1,474
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
10,271
Admitted
10,164
Enrolled
2,132

10,271 applied → 10,164 admitted (99.0%) → 2,132 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
99.0%

Accessible — 99.0% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men98.7%
women99.2%
another gender98.4%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
880
Median
1010
75th
1070

Middle 50% SAT 880–1070 (median 1010).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
17
Median
20
75th
23

Middle 50% ACT 17–23 (median 20).

High-school class rank

C10
top tenth7%
top quarter3%
top half24%
bottom half37%
bottom quarter30%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Important1
Academic GPA
Considered6
Standardized test scoresExtracurricular activitiesCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationVolunteer workWork experience
Not Considered11
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankApplication EssayRecommendation(s)InterviewTalent/abilityAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentLevel of applicant’s interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$12,240
Tuition
$8,86872%
Fees
$1,91216%
Books
$1,46012%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $12,240 (2023-2024).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$12,240
Net (aided)
$1,474
Avg need grant
$10,766

Sticker $12,240 → about $1,474 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($10,766); 55% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Federal43.3%
State all states39.5%
Institutional12.0%
Scholarships/grants from external sources5.1%

12% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
55%
Avg debt
$24,785

55% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $24,785 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
27%
Retention
70%

6-year graduation rate 27%; first-year retention 70%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students27%
Pell recipients25%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts below the overall rate (25% vs 27%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students152
10-19 students330
20-29 students376
30-39 students190
40-49 students30
50-99 students6
100+ students7

44% of classes have under 20 students; 1% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
14 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
67%
Women faculty
58%

Key faculty indicators.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic42.8%
Hispanic/Latino36.9%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic7.5%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic5.4%
Asian, non-Hispanic4.4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.9%
Nonresidents0.6%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.3%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
95
Share
1%

1% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
16,43093%
Graduate
1,1637%

16,430 undergraduates and 1,163 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
2,118
Admitted
2,117
Enrolled
1,467

2,118 transfer applicants → 2,117 admitted (100.0%) → 1,467 enrolled

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Metropolitan State University of Denver

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Msudenver.

What is the graduation rate at Metropolitan State University of Denver?

Metropolitan State University of Denver reports a 6-year graduation rate of 32% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Metropolitan State University of Denver?

Metropolitan State University of Denver reports a total enrollment of 18,453 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Metropolitan State University of Denver?

The average net price at Metropolitan State University of Denver is $15,327 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Metropolitan State University of Denver?

Metropolitan State University of Denver's yield rate is 19.1%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Metropolitan State University of Denver located?

Metropolitan State University of Denver is located in Denver, Colorado 80217-3362.

Who runs Institutional Research at Metropolitan State University of Denver?

Metropolitan State University of Denver's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Data & Analytics branch of the Office of Strategy and External Affairs.

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.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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