10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$127,728at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO · 53 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 52 · Federal debt reported for 47
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$127,728 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
21.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−53%Estimated return after 10 years
$56,358Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $16,785 housing and food allowance plus $6,232 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$66,420
$8,000Annual price−$98,420
$15,000Current college-wide context−$126,420
$16,000Current college-wide context−$130,420
$24,000Annual price−$162,420
$32,000Annual price−$194,420
$40,000Annual price−$226,420
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
2,050 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Colorado run 3% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$15,327Average net price / year
$24,622Cost of attendance
$21,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$228/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$56,358Median earnings · year 5 after completion
31.5%Completion rate
98.8%Admission rate
1,019Average SAT score
21ACT midpoint
15,002Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Metropolitan State University of Denver
What does Metropolitan State University of Denver cost?
Metropolitan State University of Denver reports an average annual net price of $15,327 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Metropolitan State University of Denver graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $56,358 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Metropolitan State University of Denver graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Metropolitan State University of Denver worth the same?
No. The current release contains 53 field-and-degree records for Metropolitan State University of Denver; 52 report year-4 earnings and 47 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
22,297Students enrolled at any point
20,985Undergraduate students
1,312Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
41% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
450 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
46% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$48,401Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$54,980Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$55,742Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income41%
Middle income54%
Higher income57%
Undergraduate student composition
White42%
Black9%
Hispanic37%
Asian4%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$72,860Year 1
$107,966Year 5
$156,805Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$65,382Year 1
$92,715Year 5
$108,803Year 10
Air Transportation.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 49
$49,855Year 1
$83,018Year 5
$106,360Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$62,383Year 1
$71,182Year 5
$87,097Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$53,022Year 1
$72,718Year 5
$86,159Year 10
Applied Mathematics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 27
$47,705Year 1
$72,273Year 5
$85,664Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 26
$41,210Year 1
$57,826Year 5
$79,131Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 40
$45,591Year 1
$65,698Year 5
$79,032Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$44,523Year 1
$60,186Year 4
$56,358Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$111,1872Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$100,3583Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$98,2674Management Information Systems and Services · Bachelor's Degree$91,3995Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$86,2596Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$86,1317Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$86,0398Economics · Bachelor's Degree$80,907Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree · $58,918 reported+22%vs same-degree national median$19,998federal debt2Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree · $61,654 reported+20%vs same-degree national median$29,125federal debt3Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · $98,267 reported+20%vs same-degree national median$32,000federal debt4Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · $100,358 reported+19%vs same-degree national median$26,500federal debt5ChemistryBachelor's Degree · $76,759 reported+18%vs same-degree national median$29,318federal debt6Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree · $63,175 reported+15%vs same-degree national median$25,370federal debt
Comparable colleges in CO
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Colorado Springs, CO
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- Annual net price
- $15,788
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $58,557
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -44%
Colorado Mesa University
- Annual net price
- $15,103
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,835
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -63%
Arapahoe Community College
- Annual net price
- $11,571
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,777
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -66%
Colorado State University Pueblo
- Annual net price
- $10,051
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,133
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -59%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 53 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $111,187 | $22,736 | Not reported |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $100,358 | $26,500 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $98,267 | $32,000 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $91,399 | $26,482 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $86,259 | $30,119 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $86,131 | $31,998 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $86,039 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $80,907 | $23,750 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $77,596 | $29,799 | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $76,759 | $29,318 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $73,698 | $26,320 | 1 |
| Air Transportation | Bachelor's Degree | $72,846 | $24,356 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $66,816 | Not available | Not reported |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $66,429 | $35,136 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $65,387 | $25,800 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $65,179 | $33,279 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $64,069 | $24,000 | Not reported |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $63,175 | $25,370 | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $62,250 | $28,000 | Not reported |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $61,654 | $29,125 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $60,639 | $23,500 | Not reported |
| Nutrition Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $60,395 | $26,750 | 0 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $59,502 | $30,700 | Not reported |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $58,918 | $19,998 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,920 | $29,587 | Not reported |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $57,810 | Not available | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $57,768 | Not available | Not reported |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $57,312 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $57,096 | $22,292 | Not reported |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $57,065 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $56,564 | $26,130 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $55,915 | $29,578 | Not reported |
| Human Services, General | Bachelor's Degree | $54,896 | $29,913 | Not reported |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $53,125 | $31,135 | Not reported |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $52,747 | $31,966 | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $52,735 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $52,414 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $51,955 | $30,000 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $51,786 | $20,027 | 3 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $50,926 | $31,023 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Metropolitan State University of Denver program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.