by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Master's Degree Colleges in Colorado ranking.
What's on This Page: * Our Methodology
Our analysis looked at 15 grad schools in Colorado to determine which ones have the best master's degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue a master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their master's degree. The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Our Best Master's Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.
If you plan to take your education even further, you may want to visit our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Colorado School of Mines the best grad school in Colorado in terms of overall quality for students working on their master’s degree. Colorado School of Mines is a medium-sized public school located in Golden, Colorado that handed out 456 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Mines go into careers with an average salary of $83,652 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #2 on our Best Master’s Degree in Colorado list means University of Denver is a great place for students working on their degree. University of Denver is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 2,390 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,609 during the early years of their career.
The excellent master’s degree programs at Colorado State University - Fort Collins helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Colorado. Colorado State is a public institution located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,650 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Colorado State go into careers with an average salary of $53,850 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Colorado State University - Fort Collins
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Colorado Boulder. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado list. CU - Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,745 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a master’s degree from CU - Boulder go into careers with an average salary of $67,933 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Global Campus. The school came in at #5 in Colorado on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Located in Aurora, Colorado, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,473 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Colorado State University - Global Campus make an average of $66,563 per year during the early years of their career.
Regis University landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Regis University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 996 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Regis U make an average of $57,931 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Northern Colorado ranked #7 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado list. University of Northern Colorado is located in Greeley, Colorado and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 893 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from University of Northern Colorado is $48,276 during the early years of their career.
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in Denver, Colorado, the large public school awarded 2,029 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from CU Anschutz make an average of $60,594 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Colorado Christian University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado list. CCU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Lakewood, Colorado. It awarded 330 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,526 during the early years of their career.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs ranked #10 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado list. Colorado Springs, Colorado is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 569 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $55,869 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Adams State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking, coming in at #11. This small public school is located in Alamosa, Colorado, and it awarded 400 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Adams State is $48,350 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #12, Metropolitan State University of Denver did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado list. Metropolitan State University of Denver is a fairly large public school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 372 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from MSU Denver go into careers with an average salary of $49,163 during the early years of their career.
Colorado State University - Pueblo came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in Pueblo, Colorado, the medium-sized public school awarded 151 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Colorado State University - Pueblo go into careers with an average salary of $66,260 during the early years of their career.
Western Colorado University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in Gunnison, Colorado, the small public school handed out 133 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,674 during the early years of their career.
Naropa University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in Boulder, Colorado, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 125 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $28,247 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.