MSU Denver vs U of A

Metropolitan State University of Denver and University of Arizona, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students with diverse aspirations. Metropolitan State, an urban university in the heart of Denver, Colorado, boasts an open admissions policy, welcoming students from all backgrounds. In contrast, the University of Arizona, a public research university in Tucson, Arizona, has a more selective admissions process, resulting in a lower acceptance rate. While both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, Metropolitan State is known for its focus on career-oriented programs, while the University of Arizona excels in research and offers a broader selection of majors. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into the specifics of each university, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which institution best aligns with your academic goals and preferences.
Metropolitan State University of Denver logo

Metropolitan State University of Denver

University of Arizona logo

University of Arizona

Overview

Location Denver, Colorado Tucson, Arizona
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 63.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.8% 87.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $85
SAT range 910 - 1140 1120 - 1370
ACT range 18 - 24 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 32.0% 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 8.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 11,306 48,065
Total number of admissions given out 10,042 41,946
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,832 8,436
Yield rate 18.2% 20.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,721

Out of state: $48,202
In state: $30,136

Out of state: $54,658
Average net price $14,195 $17,242
Tuition
In state: $8,280

Out of state: $25,761
In state: $11,299

Out of state: $35,821
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,400

Meal plan: $5,050
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

61.0%
Average amount $6,912
92.0%
Average amount $13,790
Students receiving federal student loan 57.0%
Average amount $5,116
24.0%
Average amount $4,845
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $10,638
3.0%
Average amount $20,814

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 16,515
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
37,434
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 1,163
Men 21.6% Women 78.4%
10,840
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 2.4% 48.8%
International students 0.7% 6.5%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 7,036
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Colorado California Texas Arizona Florida Arizona California Washington Illinois Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 29.8% 64.3%
Dropout rate 26.8% 14.3%
Transferred out 37.3% 19.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,483
  • Year 2: $72,790
  • Year 3: $83,404
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,535
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $70,061
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,241
  • Year 2: $58,131
  • Year 3: $68,317
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,003
  • Year 2: $54,254
  • Year 3: $66,636
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,686
  • Year 2: $62,922
  • Year 3: $64,216
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,437
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $64,125
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,154
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $61,122
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,504
  • Year 2: $51,551
  • Year 3: $58,317
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,409
  • Year 2: $48,376
  • Year 3: $55,676
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,189
  • Year 2: $44,356
  • Year 3: $54,984
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,673
  • Year 2: $123,527
  • Year 3: $127,192
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,426
  • Year 2: $117,473
  • Year 3: $122,962
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,630
  • Year 2: $103,746
  • Year 3: $104,908
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,116
  • Year 2: $83,388
  • Year 3: $98,461
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,677
  • Year 2: $92,743
  • Year 3: $98,271
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $96,308
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,806
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $89,884
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,657
  • Year 2: $73,035
  • Year 3: $87,557
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,627
  • Year 2: $79,199
  • Year 3: $86,387
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,284
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: $83,742

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