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2023 Best Nursing Schools in Colorado

25 Colleges
$69,742 Avg Salary
$26,066 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

#1

Platt College - Aurora

Greenwood Village, CO

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 suburb of Greenwood Village.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Platt College - Aurora carry an average student debtload of $41,237.

Full Nursing at Platt College - Aurora Report

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 very large student population.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at CU Anschutz accumulate an average of around $43,423 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $211, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

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 medium-sized 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 $36,495. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $225.

Full Nursing at University of Northern Colorado Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Red Rocks Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Red Rocks Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lakewood.

Full Nursing at Red Rocks Community College Report

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Denver College of Nursing is a great place for nursing students. Denver College of Nursing is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Denver.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at Denver College of Nursing accumulate an average of around $25,043 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $411.

Read More…

#6

Pikes Peak Community College

Colorado Springs, CO

Pikes Peak Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Colorado ranking. PPCC is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Colorado Springs.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at PPCC take out is $12,946.

Full Nursing at Pikes Peak Community College Report

#7

Otero Junior College

La Junta, CO

Otero Junior College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the town of La Junta, Otero JC is a public school with a small student population.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Otero JC carry an average student debtload of $17,592.

Full Nursing at Otero Junior College Report

#8

Regis University

Denver, CO

Regis University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Regis U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at Regis U accumulate an average of around $33,000 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $446.

Read full report on Nursing at Regis University

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

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Colorado State University - Pueblo carry an average student debtload of $32,556.

Full Nursing at Colorado State University - Pueblo Report

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 262,974
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,647
Nursing Practice 8,862
Nursing Administration 8,663
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 4,717
Nursing Science 4,701
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,895
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,075
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 2,011
Nurse Anesthetist 1,768
Critical Care Nursing 747
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 622
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 567
School Nursing 539
Clinical Nurse Leader 502
Clinical Nurse Specialist 340
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 269
Women’s Health Nurse/Nursing 262
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 192
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 87
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 26
Forensic Nursing 23
Palliative Care Nursing 13

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 85,339

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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