University of Denver
Denver, Colorado · Private · 6,025 undergraduates · du.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
85%
of 16,637 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1160 to 1360
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$94,670Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at University of Denver
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
85% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$94,670
a year in 2027-28, from a $94,670 sticker price
What to do with your 1280
Send your score
About 66% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1150, and yours is above it.
Named scholarships you may qualify for (2)
$5,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs other requirements.
$3,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs other requirements.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Admission Standards | University of Denver · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan15Early Decision II · January 15, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
85%
of applicants were admitted: 14,205 of 16,637 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 1/15.
Early Decision
Binding. 85% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
22 students were offered a spot; 0 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 25% of them sent SAT scores and 11% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1160 to 1360
Reading and Writing 600 to 700
Math 560 to 670
ACT composite 27 to 32
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160017%
- 1200 to 139954%
- 1000 to 119923%
- 800 to 9995.8%
- 600 to 7990.3%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.68
- 4.036%
- 3.75 to 3.9921%
- 3.50 to 3.7418%
- 3.25 to 3.4911%
- 3.00 to 3.247.7%
- 2.50 to 2.996.7%
- Below 2.500.3%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$94,670
a year
- Tuition$68,920
- Fees$1,710
- Food and housing$20,350
- Books and supplies$1,080
- Transportation and other$2,610
University of Denver published $87,528 for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$15,042
- $30,001 to $48,000$15,009
- $48,001 to $75,000$19,505
- $75,001 to $110,000$29,756
- Over $110,000$46,868
Financial aid
88%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$48,039
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
49%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $28,815 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 15-Feb
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Merit Scholarship (first-year)
$15,000 to $40,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
To keep it: stay a full-time student (at least 12 credit hours each quarter), and stay on track toward your degree under the college's academic progress rules.
DetailsEarly Decision Scholarship
$5,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
- Early Decision applicant awarded a merit scholarship
Residence Hall Grant
$3,000 a year
Automatic · No separate application
- merit scholarship recipient living on campus full-time
To keep it: live in eligible on-campus housing.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
38 of 38
Earn credit with a score of 3
13 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,890Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 5 | ARTS 1100 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 4 | ARTS 1200 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 4 | HIST 1XXX |
| Art History | 3 | 4 | ARTH 2801 |
| Art History | 5 | 8 | ARTH 2801, 2802 |
| Biology | 4 | 5 | BIOL 1011, 1021 |
| Biology | 5 | 10 | BIOL 1010, 1020, 1011, 1021 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 1951 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 1951 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 1951, 1952 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 12 | MATH 1951, 1952, 1953 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHEM 1010, 1240 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 12 | CHEM 1010, 1020, 1240, 1250, CHEM 1XXX |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | CHIN 2XXX |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | CHIN 2XXX |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | CHIN 2XXX |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PLSC 1110 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | COMP 1351 |
| Computer Science A | 5 | 8 | COMP 1351, COMP 1XXX |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | COMP 1XXX |
| Drawing | 3 | 4 | ARTS 1250 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 4 | WRIT 1122 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 4 | WRIT 1122 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 8 | WRIT 1122, ENGL 1XXX |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 8 | WRIT 1122, ENGL 1110 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 4 | ENGL 1110 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 8 | WRIT 1122, ENGL 1110 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | ENVI 1XXX |
| European History | 4 | 4 | HIST 1XXX |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FREN 2XXX |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FREN 2XXX |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | FREN 2XXX |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | GERM 2XXX |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | GERM 2XXX |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | GERM 2XXX |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 | GEOG 1410 |
| Human Geography | 5 | 8 | GEOG 1410, GEOG 1XXX |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | ITAL 2XXX |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | ITAL 2XXX |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | ITAL 2XXX |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | JAPN 2XXX |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | JAPN 2XXX |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | JAPN 2XXX |
| Latin | 3 | 4 | |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | |
| Latin | 5 | 12 | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 1020 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 1030 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 8 | MUAC 1XXX |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 5 | PHYS 1111 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 15 | PHYS 1111, 1112, 1113 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 5 | PHYS 1113 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 5 | PHYS 1213 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 5 | PHYS 1211 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 1001 |
| Psychology | 5 | 8 | PSYC 1001, PSYC 1XXX |
| Research | 4 | 4 | WRIT 1133 |
| Seminar | 4 | 4 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN 1XXX |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN 1XXX |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | SPAN 1XXX (8 credits), SPAN 2XXX (4 credits) |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN 1XXX |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN 1XXX |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 12 | SPAN 1XXX (8 credits), SPAN 2XXX (4 credits) |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | INFO 1020 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PLSC 1000 |
| United States History | 4 | 4 | HIST 1XXX |
| United States History | 5 | 4 | HIST elective |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
74%
Come back for a second year
89%
Typical earnings
$77,205
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Denver$64,644
- All colleges$54,104
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 22 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Denver. The University of Denver logo is a trademark of the college.