There are 94 colleges in Colorado - 34 public and 60 private schools. At Colorado colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
Colorado Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Colorado colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 22.22%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 28.36%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $40,644 when living on campus and $43,217 when living off campus.
Colorado Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
15.87% (from $7,430 to $8,609) |
$8,609 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
14.91% (from $18,772 to $21,571) |
$21,571 |
| Private Colleges |
40.80% (from $19,945 to $28,083) |
$28,083 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 14.91%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 5.43% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Colorado colleges, living costs increased by 35.55% for on-campus and 50.50% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $17,692 (on-campus) and $20,265 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-3.49%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,381.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 22.22% when living on campus and 28.36% when living off campus at Colorado Colleges.
In private Colorado Colleges, the COA has increase by 36.97% (on-campus) and 42.73% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $40,644 when a student lives on campus and $43,217 when living off campus at Colorado Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Colorado Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Colorado Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$21,913 | $33,255 | $34,428 | $22,326 | $33,668 | $34,841 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$22,857
4.31% | $34,569
3.95% | $35,747
3.83% | $23,122
3.57% | $34,834
3.46% | $36,012
3.36% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$23,553
3.05% | $35,736
3.38% | $36,520
2.16% | $23,435
1.35% | $35,618
2.25% | $36,402
1.08% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$24,735
5.02% | $37,159
3.98% | $37,376
2.34% | $24,659
5.22% | $37,083
4.11% | $37,300
2.47% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$24,964
0.93% | $37,518
0.97% | $37,702
0.87% | $24,990
1.34% | $37,544
1.24% | $37,728
1.15% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$25,230
1.07% | $37,659
0.38% | $40,867
8.39% | $25,539
2.20% | $37,968
1.13% | $41,176
9.14% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$25,635
1.61% | $38,245
1.56% | $40,624
-0.59% | $26,021
1.89% | $38,631
1.75% | $41,010
-0.40% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$26,315
2.65% | $39,488
3.25% | $42,305
4.14% | $26,767
2.87% | $39,940
3.39% | $42,757
4.26% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$26,968
2.48% | $39,924
1.10% | $43,729
3.37% | $28,555
6.68% | $41,511
3.93% | $45,316
5.98% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$27,682
2.65% | $40,644
1.80% | $47,156
7.84% | $30,255
5.95% | $43,217
4.11% | $49,729
9.74% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Colorado Colleges is $10,121 for Colorado residents and $23,085 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,474.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $14,661 for Colorado residents and $23,252 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $22,703.
The tuition & fees has increased 14.91% for undergraduate programs and 5.43% for graduate programs at Colorado Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Colorado Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,430 | $18,772 | $19,945 | $10,818 | $20,544 | $18,282 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$8,077
8.71% | $19,789
5.42% | $20,967
5.12% | $11,280
4.27% | $20,599
0.27% | $18,892
3.34% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$8,312
2.91% | $20,495
3.57% | $21,279
1.49% | $11,048
-2.06% | $20,667
0.33% | $19,546
3.46% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,646
4.02% | $21,070
2.81% | $21,287
0.04% | $11,855
7.30% | $20,005
-3.20% | $19,624
0.40% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,637
-0.10% | $21,191
0.57% | $21,375
0.41% | $11,672
-1.54% | $19,824
-0.90% | $20,197
2.92% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,697
0.69% | $21,126
-0.31% | $24,334
13.84% | $11,945
2.34% | $19,986
0.82% | $20,287
0.45% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,918
2.54% | $21,528
1.90% | $23,907
-1.75% | $11,993
0.40% | $20,228
1.21% | $20,332
0.22% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$8,970
0.58% | $22,143
2.86% | $24,960
4.40% | $12,953
8.00% | $21,942
8.47% | $20,736
1.99% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$8,772
-2.21% | $21,728
-1.87% | $25,533
2.30% | $13,056
0.80% | $21,113
-3.78% | $23,796
14.76% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$8,609
-1.86% | $21,571
-0.72% | $28,083
9.99% | $13,068
0.09% | $21,659
2.59% | $21,358
-10.25% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,381 for Colorado Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Colorado Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,431 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,474
3.00% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,510
2.44% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,501
-0.60% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,443
-3.86% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,390
-3.67% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,342
-3.45% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,263
-5.89% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,236
-2.14% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,381
11.73% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Colorado Colleges, the living have increased 26.96% when a student lives on campus facilities and 40.93% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Colorado Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $13,052 | $13,933 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $13,306
3.78% | $14,283
1.43% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $13,731
2.99% | $14,644
-0.06% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $14,588
7.34% | $15,506
8.50% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $14,884
2.16% | $15,843
2.94% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $15,143
0.97% | $16,085
3.81% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $15,375
1.95% | $16,317
2.74% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $16,082
4.38% | $16,948
5.82% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $16,960
4.60% | $17,955
12.95% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $17,692
4.20% | $18,604
11.73% |
|---|