University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Ready to start your journey?

Average Rating: 58.7 Average Consensus: 69 Average Review: 76.8
No College Consensus
AVERAGE: 69
No Publisher Consensus
AVERAGE: 58.7
75.7
Student Consensus
AVERAGE: 76.8
Publisher Ratings
Student Reviews
Scores last updated on January 6, 2024
85%
Percent Admitted
25%
4-year Graduation Rate
11,431
Enrollment
15.0:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
$6,741
Average Undergraduate Students Aid
$9,129
In-State Tuition and Fees
$22,041
Out-of-State Tuition and Fees
= Average
Sector
Public, 4-year or above
Carnegie Classification
Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Religious Affiliation
Not applicable

A mid-sized, public urban university in Colorado Spring, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs was founded in 1965 to provide an affordable higher education option for the people of the city. While the University of Colorado had held classes in various extension campuses in the area since the end of WWII (when returning veterans using their GI Bill to return to civilian life created the greatest demand for college education ever), a permanent space was not found for a full CU system university until the Cragmor Sanatorium (formerly a care facility for chronically ill Native Americans) was closed and sold to the state for $1. In the last five decades, UCCS has grown into a highly respected regional institution and up-and-coming research university.

Academic Programs

CU Colorado Springs has regularly been cited by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top regional universities in the west, with their business and nursing programs particularly noted for excellence in discipline-specific rankings. As an urban university with a focus on public needs, UCCS’s curriculum tends to put an emphasis on in-demand and practical programs, such as nursing, homeland security, criminal justice, and public affairs. Other, more unique programs (many particularly suited to the Colorado region), include areas like applied geography, geropsychology, and inclusive education,

One of the most remarkable, and most exceptional, of UCCS’s offerings is the Bachelor of Innovation, a whole new degree type that is the only one of its kind in the world – but not for long. The Bachelor of Innovation is not a major, but a degree type that includes majors in business, computer science, game design & development, and many more. With an emphasis on innovation, experimentation, and risk, the Bachelor of Innovation is multi-disciplinary, collaborative, and inventive, preparing students to take on leadership roles for the future of their field. It’s a bold idea that will undoubtedly be copied all over the world in due time.

Student Life

UCCS has a highly diverse student body, a legacy of its original mission, offering education to working adults, disadvantaged urban students, and others who lacked access to traditional education. That mission continues today; a third of UCCS students come from minority groups, and a third qualify as low-income, while UCCS’s low tuition rate ensures that students borrow far less than the national average and have the lowest loan default rate in Colorado – and one of the lowest in the nation. UCCS is also a military-friendly school, with more than 2000 veterans, personnel, and family members represented in the 12,000 strong student body.

CU Colorado Springs has a vibrant student life, both on campus and in the Colorado Springs area. The second-largest city in Colorado, after Denver, Colorado Springs was built at the foot of Pikes Peak, making it an international destination for tourists and adventure travellers, and UCCS students certainly make use of the outdoor recreation opportunities available to them. UCCS also gives students the kind of amenities expected of a large state university, from student-led clubs and organizations to arts and cultural events, music, and theater.

Ready to start your journey?

Ready to start your journey?