Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UC Denver graduates experience consistent earnings growth throughout their early and mid-career periods. Median earnings increase from $52,475 six years after enrollment to $59,654 at eight years, reaching $64,270 at the ten-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $20,500 in debt with typical earnings.
UC Denver graduates complete their education with median debt levels of $20,500, comparable to the peer median of $20,000 and representing typical borrowing for public university students. Debt ranges from $5,500 at the 25th percentile to $25,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating meaningful variation in borrowing patterns across students.
UC Denver demonstrates well above average return on investment performance, ranking at the 83.6th percentile nationally on this comprehensive measure. Graduates earn $10,391 beyond expectations compared to similar students, placing the institution at the 86.3rd percentile for earnings uplift.
Approximately 27.4% of UC Denver graduates continue to graduate or professional study, indicating balanced preparation for both workforce entry and ad...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Engineering programs drive much of UC Denver's strong return performance, with Mechanical Engineering graduates earning $87,148 and Electrical Engineering graduates earning $86,977. Business Administration, the institution's largest program with 459 graduates, produces median earnings of $62,472 with strong value scores.
Health programs also contribute significantly, with Adult Health Nursing graduates earning $68,051. Applied Economics produces $65,621 in median earnings, while even liberal arts programs like Art History achieve competitive outcomes at $44,742.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at UC Denver spans from $40,026 at the 25th percentile to $93,795 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.3:1 ratio that reflects meaningful variation in career outcomes. Low-income graduates earn $71,800, demonstrating the institution's effectiveness in supporting economic advancement for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
