University of Colorado Boulder vs University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

On the numbers, University of Colorado Boulder comes out ahead: 80/100 to 76/100, a 4-point edge over University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. That gap comes from real differences in what each one costs, what its graduates earn, and the debt they leave with.

Start with what you'd actually pay. After aid, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus runs $11,900 a year against $25,346 at University of Colorado Boulder - $13,446 more a year, or about $53,784 across four years.

Then look at what that buys. Ten years after enrollment, University of Colorado Boulder graduates earn a median $69,738 against $64,270 at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. The cost earns itself back in 6.9 years at University of Colorado Boulder and 6.4 years at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus.

Finally, the debt you'd carry out. Graduates leave University of Colorado Boulder owing a median $19,500 versus $20,500 at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Their debt-to-earnings ratios are 0.46 and 0.42 - and the rule of thumb is to keep that under 1.0, meaning debt no bigger than a first year's pay.