10 Best Colleges and Universities Near Arvada, CO

Straddling Jefferson County and Adams County in the metropolitan Denver area, Arvada is Colorado's seventh most populous city.

Just northwest of Denver, its residents get a small-town vibe even though they have access to everything the metro area offers.

Keep reading as we share information about the universities and colleges near Arvada, CO.

You should be able to find a program and campus lifestyle that fits you best.

Featured Universities and Colleges in Arvada, CO

The schools in this alphabetized list are colleges near Arvada, CO, where you can earn a bachelor's degree.

1. Colorado Christian University

In the neighboring city of Lakewood, Colorado Christian Academy is a nondenominational Christian university that is private and nonprofit with a residential campus.

With a 16:1 student-faculty ratio, CCU serves 7,600 undergrads.

You could earn degrees at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and professional doctorate levels at CCU.

Leading degree programs are in psychology, the health professions, business, and education.

CCU has an extremely strong (83%) first-year retention rate and an admirable 61% graduation rate.

75% of students come from out-of-state, and CCU's student population is divided between traditional and nontraditional ages.

Over 50% enroll exclusively in online courses.

2. Colorado School of Mines

You'll find the Colorado School of Mines on a residential campus in Golden, Colorado.

Founded in 1874 as a mining engineering school, the school has become the state's foremost public engineering and technical university, attracting half its students from out-of-state.

Offering degrees from a B.S. through a doctorate, CSM serves an undergraduate student population of 5,714 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1.

The most awarded bachelor's degrees are in mechanical engineering, computer science, and chemical engineering.

Annual tuition is $20,040 in-state and $42,120 out-of-state, although 98% of students receive financial aid.

Student satisfaction seems very high, reflected in a remarkable 94% first-year retention rate and 82% graduation rate.

3. Denver College of Nursing

A private, for-profit nursing school, Denver College of Nursing has degree programs at the associate, bachelor's, and master's levels at its non-residential campus.

With an undergraduate student population of 1034, 22% are enrolled in online learning.

The student-to-faculty ratio at Denver College of Nursing is 16 to 1.

More than two-thirds of students are over the age of 25, and 87% receive financial aid to offset the annual tuition of $10,759.

4. Metropolitan State University of Denver

A non-residential public university in Denver, the Metropilitan State University of Denver serves nearly 16,000 bachelor's-level students with a 16 to 1 student-faculty ratio.

One out of four students takes classes exclusively online.

The most popular academic degree programs include research and experimental psychology, biology, business, and criminal justice.

Annual tuition is $10,260 for Colorado students and $28,092 for non-residents, although 100% of students receive financial aid in the form of grants and/or scholarships.

5. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Also in neighboring Lakewood is the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.

This private, for-profit, non-residential college awards bachelor's and master's degrees. Its undergraduate student population is 2,050, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.

Charging sticker-price tuition of $22,607 per year (that is, before financial aid), about 60% of students enroll from out of state, and 69% are enrolled online only.

Popular degree programs include animation, interactive technology, video graphics, and special effects; computer graphics; game and interactive media design; illustration; and interior design.

6. University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado in Boulder, which is the flagship campus of the Colorado public university system, offers bachelor's through doctoral degrees.

This huge residential campus serves 31,000 undergraduate students and has a student-faculty ratio of 18:1.

Surprisingly, nearly half of UC's undergraduates come from out of state.

The university boasts a high rate of student satisfaction based on its extremely high retention rate of 88% and graduation rate of 75%. Tuition is $13,106 in-state and $40,356 for out-of-state before scholarships.

Of the degrees awarded in recent years, the largest number were in the fields of business & management, biology, engineering, social sciences, and communication/journalism (including public relations and advertising).

7. University of Colorado Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus

UC Denver is a sprawling urban campus in downtown Aurora, to the east of Denver, that includes campus housing.

Its academic programs provide bachelor's, master's, and both scholarly and professional doctorate degrees.

The Denver campus of UC serves 14,000 undergraduates and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1.

Tuition before scholarships, which 94% of students receive, is $9,562 in-state and $26,818 for non-residents.

The largest number of degrees are conferred in business, biology, nursing, psychology, and econometrics & quantitative economics. 13% of students take courses only online.

8. University of Denver

The University of Denver is a private, nonprofit university that charges an annual tuition of $56,439.

To help offset the high tuition, 100% of students receive financial aid.

The residential university awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Its undergraduate population is 6,151, with a phenomenal student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1.

University of Denver's degree programs represent a broad spectrum of the liberal arts and sciences.

This university can boast an extremely high retention (88%) and graduation (77%) rate.

Its academic reputation, coupled with its high rate of student satisfaction, results in the school attracting two-thirds of its students from out-of-state.

9. Arapahoe Community College

In Littleton, Arapahoe Community College serves more than 12,500 undergraduates, with a 23 to 1 student-faculty ratio.

Students are mostly of traditional college age and working towards an associate degree. 17% are engaged exclusively in online courses.

Arapahoe awards bachelor's degrees only in nursing and in crisis/emergency/disaster management. The school has a graduation rate of 27%.

10. Community College of Denver

The Community College of Denver serves a student population of 7,292 undergraduates, with a student-faculty ratio of 20 to 1.

While it awards many associate degrees, it but only awards bachelor's degrees in dental hygiene.

What Is the Biggest School Near Arvada, CO?

The largest university in the Arvada vicinity is UC Boulder, with 31,000 undergraduates.

How To Choose the Right College Near Arvada, CO?

Given the wide variety of available schools, think about the school's size, whether it is in an urban or suburban setting or on a traditional green campus, whether campus housing is available, its demographics, faculty-student ratio, and its academic programs.

Paying for Your Degree Near Arvada, CO

Despite the 'sticker prices' of tuition, be aware that almost no students pay those tuition rates.

The majority of students (sometimes 100%) at these colleges near Arvada, CO, receive substantial financial aid such as federal grants, scholarships, and/or student loans.

Be sure to apply for financial aid, using the FAFSA form, and work closely with your chosen school's financial aid officer to maximize the financial aid offer you may receive.

Start Your Degree Near Arvada, CO, Today

Since the metro Denver area is one of Colorado's educational hubs, you can be sure to find a place to fit your needs at a college near Arvada, CO.