Match #1
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate97%
- 8,697 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 49%
- Same control type (public)
The colleges most similar to University of Northern Colorado are University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Mesa University, and University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. University of Northern Colorado admits 86% of applicants and has an average net price of $18,711 a year; 6 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 5 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 University of Northern Colorado. 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 University of Northern Colorado
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate82%
- 8,143 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 43%, close to 49%
- Enrollment 8,143 students, close to 5,598
Match #3
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,519 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 49%
- Same control type (public)
Match #4
Western Colorado University
Gunnison, CO
Profile closeness73/100
Admit rate100%
- 1,586 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 48%, close to 49%
- Average net price $16,756, close to $18,711
Match #5
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO
Profile closeness69/100
Admit rate77%
- 3,079 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Average net price $20,090, close to $18,711
- Acceptance rate 77%, close to 86%
Match #6
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO
Profile closeness64/100
Admit rate99%
- 15,002 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
Profile closeness59/100
Admit rate89%
- 25,538 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 86%
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Adams State University
Alamosa, CO
Profile closeness56/100
Admit rate100%
- 1,250 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
University of Colorado Boulder Main Campus
Boulder, CO
Profile closeness48/100
Admit rate78%
- 31,939 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 78%, close to 86%
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO
Profile closeness47/100
Admit rate61%
- 6,155 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 6,155 students, close to 5,598
- Same control type (public)
Questions about University of Northern Colorado alternatives
What colleges are similar to University of Northern Colorado?
The closest matches to University of Northern Colorado are University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Mesa University, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, Western Colorado University, and Fort Lewis College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is University of Northern Colorado hard to get into?
University of Northern Colorado admitted 86% of its 10,152 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 5 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which University of Northern Colorado alternatives cost less?
6 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than University of Northern Colorado ($18,711 a year), including Adams State University ($8,585), University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ($10,217), and Metropolitan State University of Denver ($13,803). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
