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Best Nursing Schools in Colorado

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2023 Best Nursing Schools in Colorado

25 Colleges
$71,454 Avg Salary
$30,386 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, nursing was the most popular one in Colorado. In total, 6,496 people earned a degree or certificate in the field from a school in Colorado.

With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Nursing Schools in Colorado ranking. This report analyzed 25 schools in Colorado to see which ones offered the best programs for nursing students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Nursing Schools in Colorado

The colleges and universities below are the best for nursing majors pursuing a .

Top 10 Best Nursing Schools

Our analysis found Platt College - Aurora to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a degree in Colorado. Platt College - Aurora is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Aurora.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at Platt College - Aurora accumulate an average of around $48,125 in student debt.

Read full report on Nursing at Platt College - Aurora

Out of the 25 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the city of Denver, CU Anschutz is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at CU Anschutz take out is $31,125. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $191.

Full Nursing at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Report

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of Northern Colorado is a great place for nursing students. University of Northern Colorado is a fairly large public school located in the city of Greeley.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from University of Northern Colorado carry an average student debtload of $25,971. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $206, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

Out of the 25 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Red Rocks Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Red Rocks Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lakewood.

Read full report on Nursing at Red Rocks Community College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Denver College of Nursing. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Denver College of Nursing is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Denver.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Denver College of Nursing take out is $34,542. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $390.

Full Nursing at Denver College of Nursing Report

#6

Pikes Peak Community College

Colorado Springs, CO

Pikes Peak Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. PPCC is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Colorado Springs.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from PPCC carry an average student debtload of $23,844.

Read full report on Nursing at Pikes Peak Community College

#7

Otero Junior College

La Junta, CO

Otero Junior College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Otero JC is a small public school located in the remote town of La Junta.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at Otero JC accumulate an average of around $31,200 in student debt.

Read full report on Nursing at Otero Junior College

#8

Regis University

Denver, CO

With a ranking of #8, Regis University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the city of Denver, Regis U is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.

Nursing majors at Regis U take out an average of $29,111 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $373.

Full Nursing at Regis University Report

With a ranking of #9, Colorado State University - Pueblo did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Colorado State University - Pueblo is a medium-sized public school located in the medium-sized city of Pueblo.

Nursing majors at Colorado State University - Pueblo take out an average of $28,528 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Nursing at Colorado State University - Pueblo Report

With a ranking of #10, Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Colorado Springs.

Nursing majors at Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs take out an average of $29,303 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Nursing at Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs

Best Nursing Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Rocky Mountains Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Utah 17,535
Montana 745
Idaho 1,593
Wyoming 397

Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 266,651
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,104
Nursing Administration 9,838
Nursing Practice 7,992
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 5,092
Nursing Science 4,600
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,287
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,021
Nurse Anesthetist 1,936
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 1,883
Critical Care Nursing 773
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 563
School Nursing 553
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 509
Clinical Nurse Leader 444
Clinical Nurse Specialist 419
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 331
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 181
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 57
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 53
Palliative Care Nursing 14
Forensic Nursing 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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