Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Colorado (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 5 Liberal Arts programs in Colorado by median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. Colorado State University-Fort Collins leads the list with median earnings of $51,830 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the figures range from $51,830 to $18,771, with a median of $41,809. For 2 of the 5 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 4 of the 5 schools, with 1 private nonprofit program on the list. Colorado State University Pueblo posts the lowest average net price at $10,051.
University of Colorado Boulder ranks 174th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Liberal Arts Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $51,830 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports $51,830 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $21,279. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (55 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($51,830) | |||||
| 2 | Colorado State University Pueblo · Pueblo, CO | $43,508 | $10,051 | $9,374 | 94.9% |
| With an admission rate of 95%, Colorado State University Pueblo ranks 2nd on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 40%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (19 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($43,508) | |||||
| 3 | Adams State University · Alamosa, CO | $41,809 | $12,980 | $9,947 | Not reported |
| Adams State University shows median earnings of $41,809 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,947 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($41,809) | |||||
| 4 | Regis University · Denver, CO | $36,324 | $18,397 | $13,713 | 86.5% |
| A private nonprofit university in Denver, Regis University reports median earnings of $36,324 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (7 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $18,771 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder reports median earnings of $18,771 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 74%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (19 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Liberal Arts earnings cohort in Colorado appear. The figures are medians for federally aided Liberal Arts graduates who were working and not enrolled. For 2 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Colorado State University-Fort Collins to the bottom of the list is $33,059, with a gap of $8,322 between Colorado State University-Fort Collins and Colorado State University Pueblo.