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AccessibleReviewed for the 2026-2027 cycle

Metro State Denver acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 99%, Metro State Denver is an accessible public university in Colorado. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at Metro State Denver
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Metro State Denver weighs, where it ranks among Colorado schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
99%
Accessible
SAT middle 50%
880-1130
of admitted students
Type
Public
Denver, CO
Average net price
$15,327
per year after aid

What do students study at Metro State Denver?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Business, Management and Marketing · 509 (19.9%)Psychology · 276 (10.8%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 189 (7.4%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 139 (5.4%)Computer and Information Sciences · 136 (5.3%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 136 (5.3%)Education · 130 (5.1%)Visual and Performing Arts · 129 (5%)Public Administration and Social Service · 106 (4.1%)English Language and Literature · 105 (4.1%)Social Sciences · 98 (3.8%)Multi and Interdisciplinary Studies · 91 (3.6%)

Will I get into Metro State Denver?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Metro State Denver, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Metro State Denver?

Metro State Denver admits most qualified applicants (around 99%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Metro State Denver in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Metro State Denver hard to get into?

Metro State Denver is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 99% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Metro State Denver?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Metro State Denver, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Metro State Denver reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

Calculate your chances at Metro State Denver →

Your chances at Metro State Denver by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Metro State Denver for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Metro State Denver with a 3.1 GPA and a 1010 SAT?

About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1010 SAT, the middle of Metro State Denver's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1130 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Metro State Denver by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 88025th pctSAT 1010middleSAT 113075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.578%Safety93%Safety98%Safety93%Safety
2.895%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety
3.198%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety
3.498%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/metro-state-denver.

How to get into Metro State Denver

Built from Metro State Denver's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Here is how to get into Metro State Denver, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Metro State Denver carries about a 2.91 core GPA and a 1080 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Decide on scores with the real range

The admitted middle 50% is 880 to 1130 SAT (17 to 26 ACT). Submit a score at 1005 or higher; below 880, apply test-optional if the policy allows.

Step 3
Build the file around what Metro State Denver weighs

Metro State Denver rates rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 4
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Metro State Denver's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.msudenver.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Metro State Denver →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.msudenver.edu ↗

How many students apply to Metro State Denver, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Metro State Denver received 12,403 applications and admitted 12,296, an acceptance rate of 99.1%. 2,132 enrolled. Only about 17% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Metro State Denver enrolls about 15,002 undergraduates in total, 55% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.

Applied
12,403
fall 2023
Admitted
12,296
99.1% of applicants
Enrolled
2,132
17% yield
Undergraduates
15,002
Denver, large city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Metro State Denver?

Admitted students at Metro State Denver post SAT scores of 880 to 1130 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1019. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 17 to 26. A score above 1130 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 880 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Metro State Denver is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.

SAT middle 50%
880-1130
average 1019
ACT middle 50%
17-26
of admitted students
Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Metro State Denver looks for

What Metro State Denver weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, Metro State Denver leans most on rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Metro State Denver's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Standardized test scores
Considered

SAT score positioning at Metro State Denver

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Metro State Denver
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1100 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Metro State Denver cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Metro State Denver (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $24,622 a year. Tuition and fees are $11,124 for CO residents and $30,684 for out-of-state students, a $19,560 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $15,327 a year, and it ranges from $12,481 for families earning under $30,000 to $23,822 for families earning over $110,000. 36% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$24,622
per year, before aid
Average net price
$15,327
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$11,124
$30,684 out of state
Pell recipients
36%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$12,481
$30k to $48k$12,436
$48k to $75k$14,927
$75k to $110k$19,539
Over $110k$23,822

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Metro State Denver graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Metro State Denver students ten years after entry are $52,093 ($45,391 at the six-year mark). 32% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 63% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 28% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$52,093
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
32%
within six years
Retention
63%
return for year two
Median debt
$21,500
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Metro State Denver compares in Colorado

Metro State Denver ranks #15 most selective of 16 schools in Colorado in our database.

Among the 16 Colorado schools we track, Metro State Denver ranks #15 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like U.S. Air Force Academy (14%) and Colorado College (18%) sit nearby, which makes Colorado a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

U.S. Air Force Academy
14%acceptance · CO
Colorado College
18%acceptance · CO
Colorado School of Mines
61%acceptance · CO
Colorado Christian University
68%acceptance · CO
Fort Lewis College
77%acceptance · CO
University of Colorado
78%acceptance · CO
University of Denver
78%acceptance · CO
Colorado Mesa University
82%acceptance · CO
See all Colorado schools →

Similar to Metro State Denver

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around Metro State Denver with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Southeastern Louisiana University, University of South Dakota, and University of Southern Mississippi. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

Southeastern Louisiana University
99%acceptance · LA
University of South Dakota
99%acceptance · SD
University of Southern Mississippi
99%acceptance · MS
Utah Valley University
99%acceptance · UT
Adams State University
99%acceptance · CO
Central State University
99%acceptance · OH

Frequently asked questions

What is Metro State Denver's acceptance rate?

Metro State Denver admitted 12,296 of 12,403 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 99.1% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 17% of admitted students enrolled.

What SAT score do you need for Metro State Denver?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 880 to 1130 on the SAT and 17 to 26 on the ACT. A score above 1130 is in the top quarter of admits. Metro State Denver is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.

Is Metro State Denver test-optional?

Yes. Metro State Denver reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.

How much does Metro State Denver cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Metro State Denver, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $15,327 a year against a sticker price of about $24,622. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,481 on average.

What do Metro State Denver graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Metro State Denver are $52,093 a year among students who received federal aid, and 32% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Metro State Denver value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Metro State Denver weighs rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Metro State Denver favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Metro State Denver generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.

How can I improve my chances at Metro State Denver?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Metro State Denver specifically.

How does residency affect admission to Metro State Denver?

As a public university, Metro State Denver typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.

What are the admission requirements for Metro State Denver?

Metro State Denver reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.