2023 Best Nursing Schools in Colorado
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Also there are many trade schools and bpptcamp that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Nursing Schools in Colorado to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 21 schools in Colorado to see which ones offered the best programs for nursing students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Schools in Colorado
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Red Rocks Community College the best school in Colorado for nursing students working on their degree. Red Rocks Community College is located in Lakewood, Colorado and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,069 degrees to qualified students.
Degree recipients from Red Rocks Community College accumulate an average of $29,998 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Red Rocks Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $53,516 during the early year of their career.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is a great place for nursing students. CU Anschutz is a large public school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 5,700 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from CU Anschutz accumulate an average of $49,067 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $325. Once they receive their degree, CU Anschutz graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $56,691 during the early year of their career.
Full University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Report
The excellent programs at University of Northern Colorado helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Colorado. University of Northern Colorado is located in Greeley, Colorado and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,848 degrees to qualified students.
Degree recipients from University of Northern Colorado accumulate an average of $30,656 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $346.After graduating from University of Northern Colorado, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $40,180 during the early years of their career.
The excellent programs at Pikes Peak Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Colorado. PPCC is a public institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,050 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from PPCC accumulate an average of $11,839 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, PPCC graduates make an average of $31,856 annually.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Regis University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Denver, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 2,060 students in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Regis U accumulate an average of $42,026 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $446 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Regis U graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $53,795 during the early year of their career.
Otero Junior College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Colorado ranking. Located in La Junta, Colorado, the very small public school awarded 349 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $12,460 in loans while pursuing their degree.After graduating from Otero JC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,585 during the early years of their career.
Colorado State University - Pueblo did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #7 on the list. Pueblo, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 974 students in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $23,860 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Colorado State University - Pueblo graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,728 during the early year of their career.
Colorado Northwestern Community College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Colorado Northwestern Community College is a small public school located in Rangely, Colorado that handed out 255 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,799 in student loans.After graduating from CNCC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $45,648 during the early years of their career.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. UCCS is a public institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,750 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from UCCS accumulate an average of $30,005 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $332. During the early years of their career, UCCS graduates make an average of $44,256 annually.
Morgan Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Colorado ranking. Morgan Community College is a public institution located in Fort Morgan, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 248 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Morgan Community College accumulate an average of $9,247 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Morgan Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,671 during the early year of their career.
Colorado Mountain College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Colorado Mountain College is located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,329 degrees to qualified students.
On average, students take out $11,304 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Colorado Mountain College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,074 during the early year of their career.
Colorado Mesa University landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Colorado Mesa is a medium-sized public school situated in Grand Junction, Colorado. It awarded 1,939 degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, students take out $21,449 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $208. Once they receive their degree, Colorado Mesa graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,493 during the early year of their career.
Trinidad State Junior College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Located in Trinidad, Colorado, the small public school awarded 701 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Trinidad State Junior College accumulate an average of $11,601 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Trinidad State Junior College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,359 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #15, Front Range Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working. Located in Westminster, Colorado, the fairly large public school awarded 5,675 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,422 in student loans.After graduating from FRCC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $36,174 during the early years of their career.
Aims Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. Aims Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Greeley, Colorado that handed out 1,595 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Aims Community College accumulate an average of $9,731 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Aims Community College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $37,230 during the early years of their career.
Lamar Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #17 on the list. Lamar Community College is a very small public school located in Lamar, Colorado that handed out 215 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,736 in student loans. During the early years of their career, LCC graduates make an average of $35,899 annually.
With a ranking of #18, Pueblo Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working. Located in Pueblo, Colorado, the medium-sized public school handed out 2,592 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Pueblo Community College accumulate an average of $11,809 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Pueblo Community College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $39,357 during the early years of their career.
Arapahoe Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Colorado ranking. Arapahoe Community College is a fairly large public school located in Littleton, Colorado that handed out 1,505 degrees in 2021-2022.
Degree recipients from Arapahoe Community College accumulate an average of $14,036 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Arapahoe Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $38,257 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #20, Colorado Christian University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working. CCU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lakewood, Colorado. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,497 degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $32,470 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $312. During the early years of their career, CCU graduates make an average of $42,552 annually.
Community College of Denver ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Colorado list. CCD is located in Denver, Colorado and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,239 degrees to qualified students.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,064 in student loans. During the early years of their career, CCD graduates make an average of $38,525 annually.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 21 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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