Best Nursing Colleges in Colorado (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Health Professions Colleges in Colorado
This page ranks the 8 Nursing programs in Colorado by median earnings of Nursing graduates four years after completing. Colorado Christian University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $87,990 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the eight schools, the figures range from $87,990 to $78,402, with a median of $84,331.
The list includes 6 public and 2 private nonprofit institutions. Colorado State University Pueblo reports the lowest average net price at $10,051, while University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ranks 130th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Nursing Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Christian University · Lakewood, CO | $87,990 | $29,500 | $26,010 | Not reported |
| Colorado Christian University reports a six-year completion rate of 64% and an average net price of $29,500. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (100 graduates), Health and Medical Administrative Services (44 graduates), Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (29 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($87,990), Health and Medical Administrative Services ($60,115) | |||||
| 2 | Regis University · Denver, CO | $87,862 | $18,397 | $13,713 | 86.5% |
| Regis University posts median earnings of $87,862 for its Nursing graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 86%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (290 graduates), Health and Medical Administrative Services (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($87,862) | |||||
| 3 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $86,259 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| With an admission rate of 99%, Metropolitan State University of Denver ranks 193rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (97 graduates), Health and Medical Administrative Services (71 graduates), Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($86,259), Health and Medical Administrative Services ($62,250), Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems ($45,766) | |||||
| 4 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $84,950 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus lists an average net price of $11,900 and median earnings of $84,950 for its Nursing graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (243 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($84,950) | |||||
| 5 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $83,712 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| A six-year completion rate of 51% and an average net price of $12,695 for families earning under $30,000 are reported by University of Northern Colorado. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (178 graduates), Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (69 graduates), Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services (45 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($83,712), Communication Disorders Sciences and Services ($57,508), Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services ($55,946) | |||||
| 6 | Colorado State University Pueblo · Pueblo, CO | $80,676 | $10,051 | $9,374 | 94.9% |
| Colorado State University Pueblo reports median earnings of $80,676 for its Nursing graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 95%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (139 graduates), Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (44 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($80,676) | |||||
| 7 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO | $78,904 | $15,788 | $12,065 | 97.4% |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs ranks 394th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts a six-year completion rate of 47%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (200 graduates), Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (48 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($78,904), Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General ($60,605) | |||||
| 8 | Adams State University · Alamosa, CO | $78,402 | $12,980 | $9,947 | Not reported |
| Adams State University lists median earnings of $78,402 for its Nursing graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,980. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($78,402) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Nursing graduates four years after completing, highest first. The figures cover federally aided completers of Nursing programs who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. 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 the highest listed earnings to the lowest is $9,588.
Job market context in Colorado
Nursing graduates in Colorado enter a labor market linked to occupations such as Registered Nurses, Nursing Assistants, and Medical Assistants. The median annual wage across those occupations is $73,494, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $61,569. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 18.3% higher, with about 1,038 openings a year for every hundred graduates, suggesting more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, a different measure from the occupational wage figures reported here.