The Best Colorado Big Colleges

These are the top ranked large, public and private, four-year colleges in Colorado as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have total enrollment of 20,000 or more. Leading the list for 2027 is University of Colorado Boulder. Learn how the Best Large Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.

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Colorado Large Public Private 4 Year
University of Colorado Boulder Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Boulder, CO
  • 4.0 | 6 reviews
  • 38,799 total enrollment

CU Boulder is a large public university known for undergraduate aerospace engineering, environmental sciences, and physics. The campus sits against the Flatirons in the college town of Boulder.

#2 Best Public Universities in Colorado 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1240-1430
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $26,231
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University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Denver, CO
  • 3.0 | 5 reviews
  • 23,124 total enrollment

CU Denver is a public university known for undergraduate architecture, business, and engineering. The urban campuses include downtown Denver and the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

#3 Best Value Colleges in Colorado 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $14,831
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Colorado State University Fort Collins Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Collins, CO
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • 34,096 total enrollment

Colorado State is a large public university known for undergraduate natural resources, agriculture, and engineering. The campus sits in the college town of Fort Collins near the Rocky Mountain foothills.

#4 Best Public Universities in Colorado 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $21,011
Details