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Source: National Center for Educational Statistics. This is the most recent data available as of January 2023
Questions & Answers
What do all these numbers mean?
All costs shown here are the average net cost paid by families in each income bracket for one year at the college in question. Net cost is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus government grants and institutional scholarships. Figures are based on data from the 2020-21 school year, which is the latest available as of January 2023.
What is “Total Cost” on the chart?
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for one year at that particular college. It includes:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
There are detailed chart below for each school that shows these expenses. Click here to go to the individual cost breakdown for schools.
How can I use this information?
This information is useful for building a realistic college budget. It's a good place to start until you better understand your specific circumstances. For example, let's say your income is $100,000 per year. This chart shows that the average state school would run $18,351 and the average private school would be $26,344. You can also get information on specific Colorado schools in the chart above or the tables below.
Will my family pay the amount on this chart?
Probably not. The numbers are averages. You may be below average or above average. However, there are two key points we can learn from this data:
- Families with higher incomes ($75,000-$110,000 and $110,000+) will most likely pay close to full price at the public schools.
- Private colleges have a higher list price but offer more discounts. This brings their net price much closer to the cost of state-funded schools.
Where did this information come from?
As part of federal financial aid, colleges are required to provide detailed cost information to the U.S. government. This data is made available to the public through the National Center for Education Statistics. For more details, click here.
What about athletes, merit aid or minority students?
Athletes, high achieving students, and those with minority status are averaged in with everyone else. Within each income bracket, there are families that pay more than average and families that pay less than average.
The costs on this chart seem large. How can families afford to pay it?
For many families paying for college is not easy, but in the end they figure out. Most families will pay their net cost of college with some combination of:
- College savings and investments
- Payments from current income
- Loans
- Outside scholarships (check out the Scholarship Guide For Busy Parents to learn how your student can win scholarships)
- Tax planning
- Student work
Net Price:
Net prices is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus the average amount in government grants and institutional scholarships the school awards. This is an average, so you may pay above the average or below the average. Your exact net price is likely to be different and sometimes drastically different.
Most families will pay the net price with some combination of savings and investments, current income and various loans. Some students will also receive scholarships from sources other than the federal or state government or the college. Any scholarships and grants from these outside sources are not included in the data. However, government grants and institutional scholarships are included in the averages.
| Total Cost at University of Colorado Boulder (2020-21) | |
|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | $12,466 |
| Room and Board | $15,220 |
| Books | $1,200 |
| Other Expenses | $2,556 |
| Total | $31,442 |
Total Cost:
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for that particular institution for the 2020-21 school year. This is the latest data available as of January 2023. Total costs include:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
| College Total Cost | ||
|---|---|---|
| Family Income | CO Public $25,344 | CO Private $63,660 |
| $0 - $30k | $11,571 | $18,114 |
| $30,001 – $48k | $12,162 | $19,060 |
| $48,001 – $75k | $14,411 | $21,318 |
| $75,001 – $110k | $18,351 | $26,344 |
| $110,001+ | $21,549 | $36,752 |
Public vs. Private Averages
This table shows the average total cost of attendance for the Colorado public and private colleges we have included in our analysis. The costs include a breakdown of the average net price paid by family income. Notice that the average private college is $7,000-$16,000 more than the average public school, depending on your income bracket. It is important to stress that these are averages. Most families will not be average, and their individual circumstances could be drastically different. I encourage all families to work with their preferred colleges to get information specific to their family.
Below are similar charts for each individual private and public college in Colorado. Click a school to view its complete chart.
Public CO Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Adams State University
Alamosa Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $9,560 $9,680 Room and Board $8,916 $9,167 Books $1,800 $1,800 Other Expenses $3,105 $3,150 Total $23,381 $23,797 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,769 $10,961 $30,001 - $48k $11,978 $12,191 $48,001 - $75k $14,112 $14,363 $75,001 - $110k $18,980 $19,318 $110,001+ $20,621 $20,988 -
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $9,401 $9,384 Room and Board $13,380 $13,790 Books $1,800 $1,460 Other Expenses $6,255 $6,300 Total $30,836 $30,934 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,376 $8,403 $30,001 - $48k $9,701 $9,732 $48,001 - $75k $14,032 $14,077 $75,001 - $110k $20,018 $20,082 $110,001+ $22,082 $22,152 -
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $8,580 $8,766 Room and Board $10,920 $10,920 Books $1,800 $1,800 Other Expenses $4,660 $4,660 Total $25,960 $26,146 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,128 $11,208 $30,001 - $48k $10,541 $10,617 $48,001 - $75k $13,872 $13,971 $75,001 - $110k $18,515 $18,648 $110,001+ $20,336 $20,482 -
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $12,466 $12,496 Room and Board $15,220 $15,676 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $2,556 $2,979 Total $31,442 $32,351 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,807 $14,206 $30,001 - $48k $15,194 $15,633 $48,001 - $75k $18,334 $18,864 $75,001 - $110k $25,611 $26,351 $110,001+ $29,352 $30,201 -
Colorado Mountain College
Glenwood Springs Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $2,340 $2,460 Room and Board $10,431 $10,880 Books $840 $750 Other Expenses $1,666 $1,666 Total $17,677 $18,156 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $2,657 $2,729 $30,001 - $48k $5,286 $5,429 $48,001 - $75k $4,213 $4,327 $75,001 - $110k $8,572 $8,804 $110,001+ $11,616 $11,931 -
Colorado School of Mines
Golden Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $19,100 $19,538 Room and Board $14,720 $15,286 Books $1,500 $1,500 Other Expenses $1,879 $1,879 Total $37,199 $38,203 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,417 $18,914 $30,001 - $48k $15,701 $16,125 $48,001 - $75k $16,812 $17,266 $75,001 - $110k $17,784 $18,264 $110,001+ $28,661 $29,435 -
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $11,814 $12,331 Room and Board $10,787 $13,016 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $1,665 $1,799 Total $25,466 $28,346 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,713 $13,038 $30,001 - $48k $12,221 $13,603 $48,001 - $75k $15,217 $16,938 $75,001 - $110k $21,820 $24,288 $110,001+ $26,972 $30,022
-
Fort Lewis College
Durango Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $8,896 $9,004 Room and Board $11,858 $12,012 Books $1,240 $1,240 Other Expenses $3,625 $3,714 Total $25,619 $25,970 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,069 $12,234 $30,001 - $48k $13,458 $13,642 $48,001 - $75k $14,487 $14,685 $75,001 - $110k $17,583 $17,824 $110,001+ $19,687 $19,957 -
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $8,686 $9,000 Room and Board $11,168 $11,265 Books $1,560 $1,560 Other Expenses $3,110 $3,110 Total $24,524 $24,935 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,638 $12,850 $30,001 - $48k $13,761 $13,992 $48,001 - $75k $15,258 $15,514 $75,001 - $110k $18,618 $18,930 $110,001+ $20,122 $20,459 -
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $8,693 $10,021 Room and Board $0 $0 Books $1,400 $1,460 Other Expenses $0 $0 Total $10,093 $11,481 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,223 $15,041 $30,001 - $48k $12,721 $14,470 $48,001 - $75k $14,567 $16,570 $75,001 - $110k $16,749 $19,052 $110,001+ $19,569 $22,260 -
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $10,062 $10,666 Room and Board $11,310 $12,152 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $3,104 $3,290 Total $25,676 $27,308 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,876 $13,694 $30,001 - $48k $12,561 $13,359 $48,001 - $75k $14,062 $14,956 $75,001 - $110k $17,247 $18,343 $110,001+ $20,511 $21,815 -
Red Rocks Community College
Lakewood Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $4,379 $4,379 Room and Board $0 $0 Books $1,800 $1,800 Other Expenses $0 $0 Total $6,179 $6,179 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,886 $8,886 $30,001 - $48k $9,168 $9,168 $48,001 - $75k $13,167 $13,167 $75,001 - $110k $15,835 $15,835 $110,001+ $17,278 $17,278 -
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Pueblo Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $8,591 $9,005 Room and Board $10,930 $11,170 Books $1,800 $1,854 Other Expenses $5,356 $5,516 Total $26,677 $27,545 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,777 $11,128 $30,001 - $48k $11,947 $12,336 $48,001 - $75k $14,603 $15,078 $75,001 - $110k $18,168 $18,759 $110,001+ $19,266 $19,893 -
Western State Colorado University
Gunnison Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $10,646 $10,662 Room and Board $9,874 $9,990 Books $1,300 $1,300 Other Expenses $3,105 $3,150 Total $24,925 $25,102 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $11,976 $12,061 $30,001 - $48k $13,037 $13,130 $48,001 - $75k $17,772 $17,898 $75,001 - $110k $18,893 $19,027 $110,001+ $21,338 $21,490
Private CO Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Colorado Christian University
Lakewood Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $34,750 $35,436 Room and Board $11,694 $11,194 Books $1,000 $1,000 Other Expenses $886 $500 Total $48,330 $48,130 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $22,965 $22,870 $30,001 - $48k $24,059 $23,959 $48,001 - $75k $21,688 $21,598 $75,001 - $110k $23,739 $23,641 $110,001+ $29,106 $28,986 -
Colorado College
Colorado Springs Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $60,864 $62,070 Room and Board $13,392 $13,668 Books $1,240 $1,240 Other Expenses $2,584 $2,584 Total $78,080 $79,562 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,023 $10,213 $30,001 - $48k $12,489 $12,726 $48,001 - $75k $17,057 $17,381 $75,001 - $110k $27,976 $28,507 $110,001+ $45,085 $45,941
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University of Denver
Denver Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $53,775 $54,819 Room and Board $14,178 $14,674 Books $1,000 $1,000 Other Expenses $2,976 $3,021 Total $71,929 $73,514 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $20,488 $20,939 $30,001 - $48k $19,490 $19,919 $48,001 - $75k $25,017 $25,568 $75,001 - $110k $27,569 $28,176 $110,001+ $43,170 $44,121 -
Regis University
Denver Year 2020-21 2021-22 Tuition and Fees $38,558 $39,610 Room and Board $12,838 $12,962 Books $1,800 $1,460 Other Expenses $3,104 $3,148 Total $56,300 $57,180 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,978 $19,275 $30,001 - $48k $20,203 $20,519 $48,001 - $75k $21,510 $21,846 $75,001 - $110k $26,091 $26,499 $110,001+ $29,647 $30,110
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