How Colleges Are Organized in Colorado

Colorado's college map stretches from a flagship research university in Boulder to small trade and beauty academies in Front Range suburbs and mountain towns. Our database holds 169 college records for the state. They fall into three broad groups: public universities and community colleges, private career schools, and a few special cases such as the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs.

At the state level, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) carries out policy, while the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) sets statewide direction for public institutions, including admission standards and the financial aid framework. Each public campus still has its own governing board. The University of Colorado system, which includes CU Boulder, answers to an elected Board of Regents. Colorado State University-Pueblo and Colorado State University-Global Campus belong to the Colorado State University System. Arapahoe Community College and Pueblo Community College are part of the Colorado Community College System, which operates 13 colleges across the state.

Not every public college sits inside those systems. Aims Community College in Greeley is a local district college with its own board of trustees. Adams State University in Alamosa and Western Colorado University in Gunnison are four-year public universities with their own governing boards. Our listing carries the Gunnison school as Western State Colorado University, the name many people still use.

This split matters when you need something done. Admissions, transcripts, and financial aid offices belong to the individual campus, not to the state. CDHE can explain policy and point you to the right agency, but a transcript request goes to the registrar of the school you attended. Knowing which system a college belongs to tells you whose rules apply to tuition, transfer, and complaints.

Denver and the Front Range Versus the Western Slope and San Luis Valley

The Front Range corridor holds most of the state's campuses. In Denver, the listings cover career colleges, universities, and training programs, and you can browse them by county on the Denver County page. Colorado Springs has its own cluster, including Colorado Technical University-Online at 4435 North Chestnut Street. The El Paso County page shows how those listings spread across the Pikes Peak region.

The Air Force Academy sits apart from the rest. The Cadet Chapel at 2304 Cadet Drive is one of the best-known landmarks in the state, but it stands on a military installation with its own access rules. Check the Academy's current visitor information before you drive up, and call 719-333-2636 if you have questions about the chapel.

North and west of Denver, suburban campuses fill in the gaps. DeVry University-Colorado is at 1870 West 122nd Avenue in Westminster, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology is at 10851 West 120th Avenue in Broomfield, and Colorado Media School is on South Upham Street in Lakewood. Boulder and Longmont add CU Boulder on Regent Drive and Montage Academy on Ken Pratt Boulevard. The Boulder County page groups those entries together. Farther north, Aims Community College serves Weld County from 5401 West 20th Street in Greeley.

Outside the metro area, a single campus often serves a whole region. Adams State University anchors the San Luis Valley from Alamosa. Western Colorado University serves the upper Gunnison Valley. Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, at 1100 North Avenue, is the main four-year option on the Western Slope. The Pueblo Community College listing at 701 Camino Del Rio brings college courses to Durango, and the Fremont campus serves Cañon and the surrounding area. Glenwood Beauty Academy covers the Glenwood Springs area.

Rural offices tend to have smaller staffs and shorter hours than their metro counterparts. Winter weather on mountain passes can also change a trip. Call ahead, confirm the office is open, and ask whether the service you need is handled on site or by a main campus in another town.

Who Oversees a Colorado College: Public Boards, CDHE and Career School Rules

The type of school decides which office has authority over it. Public universities and community colleges answer to their governing boards and to the legislature, which sets state funding. Private degree-granting colleges are authorized through the state commission. Private career and trade schools, which make up a large share of our listings, generally fall under the Division of Private Occupational Schools within the Department of Higher Education.

Federal oversight sits on top of that. A school that offers federal student aid must be accredited by an agency the U.S. Department of Education recognizes. Programs in licensed trades also answer to the body that licenses the trade. A cosmetology student at Glenwood Beauty Academy or New Dimensions Beauty Academy in Parker, for example, trains for a state license issued through the Department of Regulatory Agencies, not for a college degree.

Before you enroll anywhere, check these points:

Get answers in writing. A reputable school will hand you its catalog and enrollment agreement before you pay a deposit.

Practical Steps for Colorado Students: Residency, Aid and Campus Visits

Start with financial aid, because deadlines vary by campus. Most students file the FAFSA. Students who cannot complete the FAFSA because of immigration status may be able to use the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid, known as CAFSA. Each college's financial aid office tells you which forms it needs and what it will award.

Residency affects what you pay. Public colleges charge lower in-state tuition to students who meet Colorado's domicile rules, and the college's registrar or residency office makes the final decision. Ask for the residency form when you apply, not after you receive a bill.

Plan campus visits around the office you need. Large campuses such as CU Boulder, listed at 303-492-1411, run separate admissions, registrar, financial aid, and disability services offices, so ask the operator for the department by name. Bring photo ID, your transcripts, and any aid documents. Smaller sites, like Colorado State University-Pueblo at 719-549-2100 or Colorado Mesa University at 970-248-1020, often route you through a single welcome center.

High school students can also start early. Colorado law lets eligible students take college courses through concurrent enrollment, often paid for in part by the school district. Your school counselor can explain which partner college applies to you.

County pages are the fastest way to narrow a search. The Arapahoe County page, for instance, includes Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, National American University-Centennial, and Colorado State University-Global Campus in Greenwood Village. Remember that some entries in public datasets describe schools that have since closed. ITT Technical Institute-Aurora is one example, so confirm that a school is still operating before you drive to it.

Public colleges and universities in Colorado offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Colorado state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 38 cities across Colorado. They are spread across 25 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Colorado should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Colorado applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Colorado institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Colorado to find the nearest location.

Reading Colorado College Listings: Addresses, Campuses and Online Schools

Addresses in our Colorado listings follow federal and state records, so a few look odd at first glance. Empire Beauty School-Thornton appears with a Denver city name even though the school's own name points to Thornton. Altierus Career College sits at 9065 Grant Street in Thornton. The Adams County page is a good place to compare schools across the north metro area.

Online and system campuses add another wrinkle. Colorado Technical University-Online and Colorado State University-Global Campus list physical offices, but most coursework happens on the web. Some phone numbers also reach a shared enrollment line. The Empire Beauty School entries in Thornton and Arvada, for example, share the same 800 number. The Jefferson County page gathers the Arvada, Golden, and Lakewood entries, including Colorado Media School and the National Personal Training Institute of Colorado.

When in doubt, call the listed number and confirm the street address and hours before you visit.

No single office runs every campus. The Colorado Department of Higher Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education set policy for public institutions, but each university or community college system has its own governing board. Private career schools fall under the Division of Private Occupational Schools, which sits within the Department of Higher Education. Beauty and barber programs also connect to state licensing through the Department of Regulatory Agencies. For a complaint about a specific school, start with the school's own grievance process, then contact the agency that approves its programs.

Generally you must have lived in Colorado for at least 12 consecutive months and intend to make the state your permanent home. Colleges look at documents such as a Colorado driver license, voter registration, state tax filings, and a lease or deed. Dependent students are usually classified by their parents' residency. The college's registrar or residency office makes the final call, so ask for the petition form early. Students who attended a Colorado high school for at least three years may qualify under the ASSET law regardless of immigration status.

The College Opportunity Fund is a state stipend paid directly to a participating Colorado college to reduce tuition for eligible in-state undergraduates. You apply once through the state's College Opportunity website, then authorize the stipend at each school you attend. The legislature sets the per-credit-hour amount, so it changes with the budget, and there is a lifetime credit-hour cap. Ask the financial aid or registrar's office to confirm the stipend appears on your bill. Many private career schools do not participate, so check before you enroll.

Search the Colorado Department of Higher Education website or call the Division of Private Occupational Schools, which keeps records on approved schools and programs. Private career schools in our database include Empire Beauty School and Altierus Career College-Thornton. Degree-granting private colleges are authorized through the Commission on Higher Education instead. Ask any school for its approval status and accreditor in writing, along with the enrollment agreement. Read the cancellation and refund terms before you sign, and keep copies of every document you receive.

Yes. Cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, and similar trades are licensed in Colorado through the Division of Professions and Occupations in the Department of Regulatory Agencies. Graduating from a program such as Glenwood Beauty Academy, New Dimensions Beauty Academy in Parker, or Empire Beauty School in Thornton or Arvada is only one step. You must also meet the state's training requirements and pass the required exams before you can work for pay. Check the division's website for current requirements, fees, and application steps, because rules change.

Colorado's gtPathways program lists general education courses that are guaranteed to transfer among public colleges and count toward degree requirements. Students who finish an associate degree at a public community college, such as Arapahoe Community College or Aims Community College, can generally move to a public four-year school with their credits applied under statewide agreements. Major-specific rules still vary. Meet a transfer advisor before choosing courses, ask for a written degree plan, and request official transcripts early. Private and career schools set their own transfer policies, and credits often do not move freely.

Some records come from federal education datasets and may describe schools that have since closed or merged. ITT Technical Institute-Aurora, for example, belonged to a national chain that shut down in 2016. If you need a transcript or proof of attendance from a closed school, contact the Colorado Department of Higher Education to ask where records are held. For private occupational schools, the Division of Private Occupational Schools is a sensible first call. If you borrowed federal loans, the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office can explain whether a closed school discharge applies.