Colorado Christian University
Lakewood, Colorado · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 34/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Colorado Christian University (CCU) is a private evangelical Christian institution in Lakewood, Colorado (Denver metro), enrolling approximately 5,549 students. Its ROI score of 34 places it in the Below Benchmark tier. Tuition is $41,342, and the average net price of $29,500 produces a four-year cost estimate of $118,000. Six-year average earnings of $37,600 and ten-year median earnings of $50,416 are modest relative to cost. The payback period of 16.7 years is long. Median debt of $28,312 is high, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.753 reflects significant leverage. Repayment rates at year three are 70.7%. Pell Grant recipients represent 37.5% of students. CCU's program-level outcomes show significant variation: business and computer science graduates perform reasonably, while nursing carries above-average debt, and bible/biblical studies and criminal justice produce the weakest financial outcomes. CCU appeals to students seeking a distinctively Christian worldview integrated into academics, but the financial metrics demand careful scrutiny at the current net price.
How Colorado Christian University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score34/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Colorado Christian University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,342/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,342/yr |
| Average net price | $29,500/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $118,000 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,416 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,312 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $300 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,549 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $41,342/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,500/year, or roughly $118,000 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $26,010/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,274/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $28,312, which works out to about $300 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,600) and comes to 0.75, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $26,010 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,819 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,203 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,257 |
| $110,001+ | $33,274 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students with family incomes below $30,000 pay an average net price of $26,010 per year - roughly $104,000 over four years. Against six-year average earnings of $37,600 and a 16.7-year payback, this is a serious financial risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001 - $75,000) face net prices of $24,819 - $27,203. The relatively compressed range suggests limited additional merit differentiation for this income band. At $25,000 - $27,000 per year, business and CS graduates can justify the investment; most other programs produce concerning long-term financial outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($75,001 and above) pay $26,257 - $33,274. For families able to finance attendance without heavy borrowing, CCU's Denver location and evangelical academic community provide real value. The financial risk falls primarily on borrowers - families who can cash-flow attendance change the ROI calculation materially.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Colorado Christian University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $72,519 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $87,990 | D |
| Psychology | $54,887 | F |
| Teacher Education | $43,168 | C |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $44,270 | F |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $28,534 | C |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $60,115 | D |
| Accounting | $64,060 | D |
| Human Resources Management | $69,617 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $44,245 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business (120 graduates) earns a B grade - CCU's strongest tracked program. Year-one earnings of $56,606 and four-year earnings of $72,519 are solid. Median debt of $24,870 and a ratio of 0.439 are well-controlled. Business graduates from CCU's Denver-area campus find placement in the growing Colorado economy across finance, corporate services, and tech-adjacent roles.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer Science (10 graduates) earns a C+ grade with year-one earnings of $75,288 and four-year earnings of $91,195. Median debt of $35,886 and a ratio of 0.477 reflect higher borrowing than the institutional average. The earnings potential is strong, but the debt load is higher than expected - students should use the net price calculator and minimize borrowing where possible.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (74 graduates) earns a D grade - an unusual result for nursing. CCU's nursing program appears to incur debt well above program-level norms, significantly degrading ROI.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies (37 graduates) earns an F grade with year-one earnings of $39,272, median debt of $51,000, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.299. Graduates owe more than 1.3 years of income at entry. This program carries the highest debt burden on campus alongside weak starting wages.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Colorado Christian University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 5,549 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 37.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,470 |
CCU does not report admission rate or standardized test data, consistent with its broadly accessible enrollment model. The primary enrollment filter is alignment with the university's evangelical Christian community and lifestyle standards, not academic selectivity.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Christian University (this school) | 34 | $29,500 | $50,416 |
| Evangel University | 35 | $18,669 | $46,573 |
| William Carey University | 34 | $14,258 | $43,087 |
| Lancaster Bible College | 34 | $25,480 | $44,096 |
| Bethel University | 34 | $12,595 | $47,482 |
| Mississippi College | 33 | $27,712 | $47,485 |
Who Thrives Here
CCU is best suited for students deeply committed to its evangelical Christian mission and worldview integration who plan to enter business, computer science, or allied health fields. Students who receive substantial institutional grants that reduce net price below $20,000 have a more defensible financial case. Students considering biblical studies, criminal justice, or psychology at CCU's current net price earn less than the business, computer science, and allied health tracks.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Colorado Christian University scores 34/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $29,500 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $50,416 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.7 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,312 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Colorado Christian University: Common Questions
Is Colorado Christian University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Colorado Christian University scores 34/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $29,500 a year after aid against $50,416 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Colorado Christian University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $29,500 a year, or roughly $118,000 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Colorado Christian University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,416 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,616 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Colorado Christian University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 16.7 years for Colorado Christian University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Colorado Christian University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $28,312, against average earnings of $37,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Colorado Christian University?
The six-year graduation rate is 64.4%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.