Metropolitan State University of Denver — College Profile

About

Located on the unique, multi-institutional Auraria Campus in downtown Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) is an accessible, federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution known for high-value, career-focused education. The university stands out for its industry-leading Aviation and Aerospace Science program—featuring advanced flight simulation technology—alongside strong offerings in hospitality management, nursing, business, and teacher education. Campus culture is pragmatic and commuter-friendly, catering heavily to working and first-generation students who benefit from flexible scheduling, small class sizes, and direct pathways to internships across the city’s thriving metropolitan economy.

Wikipedia:Metropolitan State University of Denver is a public university in Denver, Colorado, United States. It is located on the Auraria Campus, along with the University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver, in downtown Denver, adjacent to Speer Boulevard and Colfax Avenue. In the fall 2025 semester, MSU Denver had an enrollment of 17,111 undergraduate students and 1,225 graduate students.

Location

Denver, CO, 80204 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

DEN · Denver

19 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$11,124$30,684

Books & supplies$1,460$1,460

Cost of attendance$24,622$44,182 est.

Average net price$15,327Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$30,684

In-state: $11,124

Books & supplies$1,460

Cost of attendance$44,182 est.

In-state: $24,622

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $15,327

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$12,481

$30–48k

$12,436

$48–75k

$14,927

$75–110k

$19,539

$110k+

$23,822

Your family's actual price → Metropolitan State University of Denver net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2024-25

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$3,283

First-years who got one51

Source: Metropolitan State University of Denver's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

31%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

12%

Back for yr 2

63%

Transferred

29%

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

32% graduated · 32% transferred · 3% still enrolled · 33% left or unknown

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$45,391

10 yrs after entry$52,093

Debt

Median at graduation$21,500

Monthly payment$228

Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$26k

90th percentile$38,884

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

99%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1019

R 450–570 · M 430–560

ACT midpoint

Comp 17–26 · E 19–25 · M 17–25

SAT middle 50%: 880–1130

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

How much essays count at Metropolitan State University of Denver: Considered (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)

Source: Metropolitan State University of Denver's Common Data Set for 2024-25 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If Metropolitan State University of Denver asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 45%Women 55%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

14 : 1

Pell grant

36%

First-gen

40%

Family income

$32,101

Independent

46%

Veterans

Age at entry

25.0

Part-time

44%

Race & ethnicity

White

42%

Hispanic

37%

Black

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

AI/AN

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division II without football · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Golf
Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$45,391

After 10 yrs

$52,093

Research and Experimental Psychology250

Criminal Justice and Corrections153

Biology, General134

Business Administration, Management and Operations134

Social Work116

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness112

Air Transportation102

Accounting and Related Services97

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods92

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing86

Computer Science82

Marketing73

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other72

English Language and Literature, General69

Finance and Financial Management Services67

Management Information Systems and Services62

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$29M

Full-time faculty

100%

Faculty salary

$10,105/mo

Teaching spend

$8,036

per student

Federal loans

28%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (larger programs)

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, inclusive admissions