Match #1
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate97%
- 8,697 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Acceptance rate 97%, close to 99%
- Average net price $14,954, close to $13,803
The colleges most similar to Metropolitan State University of Denver are University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Mesa University, and Adams State University. Metropolitan State University of Denver admits 99% of applicants and has an average net price of $13,803 a year; 3 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 2 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Metropolitan State University of Denver. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Metropolitan State University of Denver
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate82%
- 8,143 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Average net price $14,808, close to $13,803
- Same control type (public)
Match #3
Adams State University
Alamosa, CO
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate100%
- 1,250 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 37%, close to 31%
- Acceptance rate 100%, close to 99%
Match #4
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,519 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Enrollment 10,519 students, close to 15,002
- Same control type (public)
Match #5
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate86%
- 5,598 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #6
Western Colorado University
Gunnison, CO
Profile closeness57/100
Admit rate100%
- 1,586 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Acceptance rate 100%, close to 99%
- Average net price $16,756, close to $13,803
Match #7
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO
Profile closeness55/100
Admit rate77%
- 3,079 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 36%, close to 31%
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Colorado Mountain College
Glenwood Springs, CO
Profile closeness50/100
Admit rate—
- 2,816 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 26%, close to 31%
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
Profile closeness47/100
Admit rate89%
- 25,538 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
University of Colorado Boulder Main Campus
Boulder, CO
Profile closeness37/100
Admit rate78%
- 31,939 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Questions about Metropolitan State University of Denver alternatives
What colleges are similar to Metropolitan State University of Denver?
The closest matches to Metropolitan State University of Denver are University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Mesa University, Adams State University, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, and University of Northern Colorado. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Metropolitan State University of Denver hard to get into?
Metropolitan State University of Denver admitted 99% of its 11,306 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 2 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Metropolitan State University of Denver alternatives cost less?
3 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Metropolitan State University of Denver ($13,803 a year), including Colorado Mountain College ($8,218), Adams State University ($8,585), and University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ($10,217). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
