More selective than 50% of Colorado colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $29,254. College Scorecard.
Higher than 65% of Colorado colleges we cover and 44% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 63% of Colorado colleges we cover and 47% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Northern Colorado acceptance rate & admissions
Of 10,274 applicants, University of Northern Colorado admitted 8,880 and 1,229 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 950–1190 on the SAT or 21–26 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Northern Colorado tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Colorado residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Northern Colorado costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Northern Colorado took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Colorado. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,695 | $54,842 | 4.7 years |
| $30–48k | $13,290 | $57,413 | 4.9 years |
| $48–75k | $16,038 | $69,284 | 6.0 years |
| $75–110k | $18,441 | $79,665 | 6.9 years |
| $110k+ | $24,306 | $105,002 | 9.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (37% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($52,231) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,621 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Northern Colorado majors, earnings & careers
University of Northern Colorado offers 45 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Health & Medicine · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Northern Colorado
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $95,775 | — |
| Nursing | $83,712 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration | $74,278 | $21,125 |
| Physics | $73,186 | $27,000 |
| Political Science | $65,783 | $20,250 |
| Chemistry | $65,414 | $26,626 |
| Economics | $65,025 | $21,000 |
| Geography | $62,369 | — |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- American Sign Language—
- Anthropology$51,715
- Area Studies—
- Biology$53,470
- Business Administration$74,278
- Chemistry$65,414
- Communications$56,520
- Computer Engineering$95,775
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$55,282
- Dietetics$55,946
- Economics$65,025
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$45,008
- Education (Subject Teaching)$47,303
- English$46,455
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Geography$62,369
- Geology / Earth Science$57,989
- Health Sciences$54,921
- History$52,423
- Human Services—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies$55,967
- Journalism$57,603
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$52,016
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics$51,939
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$48,643
- Music$37,749
- Nursing$83,712
- Nutrition Science$45,979
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$52,363
- Philosophy—
- Physics$73,186
- Political Science$65,783
- Psychology$49,455
- Sociology$48,154
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$51,008
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$57,508
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$46,502
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre$46,089
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Greeley
Overall prices in the Greeley, CO area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,647. Housing costs 13% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 15 inches of rain a year, 35 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Weld County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Weld County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Northern Colorado with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Colorado by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Northern Colorado | 86% | $17,760 | 51% | $52,231 | This school |
| Colorado Mesa University | 82% | $15,103 | 41% | $45,823 | |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | 95% | $10,051 | 40% | $55,563 | |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 97% | $15,788 | 47% | $54,659 | |
| Fort Lewis College | 77% | $17,296 | 36% | $46,349 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Northern Colorado would cost you $2,657 more per year than Colorado Mesa University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Northern Colorado, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$3,470).
- University of Northern Colorado gives aided families $2,551 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Colorado resident | University of Northern Colorado | Colorado Mesa University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,416 | $9,927 | +$2,489 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,800 | −$600 |
| Housing & meals | $15,230 | $11,760 | +$3,470 |
| Personal & travel | $3,238 | $3,275 | −$37 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,830 | −$2,716 | −$114 |
| Sticker price | $29,254 | $24,046 | +$5,208 |
| Average grants | −$11,494 | −$8,943 | −$2,551 |
| You pay | $17,760 | $15,103 | +$2,657 |
“+” means University of Northern Colorado costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Northern Colorado
What is the University of Northern Colorado acceptance rate?
University of Northern Colorado accepts 86% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 8,880 of 10,274 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 950–1190 on the SAT or 21–26 on the ACT.
How much does University of Northern Colorado cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $29,254 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,760 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,695 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,306.
How much do University of Northern Colorado graduates earn?
Former University of Northern Colorado students earn a median $52,231 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Northern Colorado graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Northern Colorado degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Northern Colorado costs about $69,284 after grants ($16,038 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,231 ten years after starting, $11,621 more than high school graduates in Colorado ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 6.0 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Northern Colorado: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-northern-colorado (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).