University of Denver acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 78%, University of Denver is an accessible private college in Colorado. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of 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 1380, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of 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.
Will I get into University of Denver?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Denver, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Denver?
University of Denver admits most qualified applicants (around 78%), 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 University of Denver in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Denver hard to get into?
University of Denver is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 78% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Denver?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Denver, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Denver reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Denver by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of 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 University of Denver with a 3.1 GPA and a 1330 SAT?
About 95% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1330 SAT, the middle of University of Denver's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1410 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
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/university-of-denver.
How to get into University of Denver
Built from University of 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 University of Denver, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Denver carries about a 3.14 core GPA and a 1360 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1240 to 1410 SAT (28 to 33 ACT). Submit a score at 1325 or higher; below 1240, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Denver rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: essays that sound like you and answer the actual prompt, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm University of Denver's exact dates at www.du.edu.
How many students apply to University of Denver, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of Denver received 19,214 applications and admitted 13,679, an acceptance rate of 71.2%. 1,458 enrolled. Only about 11% 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. University of Denver enrolls about 6,025 undergraduates in total, 55% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Denver?
The middle 50% of admitted students at University of Denver scored between 1240 and 1410 on the SAT (average 1355). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 28 to 33. A score above 1410 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1240 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of 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.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Denver looks for
What University of Denver weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of Denver leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Denver's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Denver
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Denver cost after financial aid?
University of Denver's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $78,476 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $61,398. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $36,131 a year, and it ranges from $20,097 for families earning under $30,000 to $47,222 for families earning over $110,000. 14% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
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 University of Denver graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Denver student who received federal aid earns $71,155 a year, up from $57,118 at six years. 76% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 89% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,844; 28% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Denver compares in Colorado
University of Denver ranks #7 most selective of 16 schools in Colorado in our database.
Among the 16 Colorado schools we track, University of Denver ranks #7 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.
Similar to University of Denver
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of Denver with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as University of Evansville, Elizabethtown College, and Hood College. 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Denver's acceptance rate?
University of Denver admitted 13,679 of 19,214 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 71.2% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 11% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Denver?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1410 on the SAT and 28 to 33 on the ACT. A score above 1410 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Denver is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Denver test-optional?
Yes. University of 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 University of Denver cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Denver, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $36,131 a year against a sticker price of about $78,476. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $20,097 on average.
What do University of Denver graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Denver are $71,155 a year among students who received federal aid, and 76% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Denver value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Denver weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Denver consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. University of Denver's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at University of 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 University of Denver specifically.
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.