Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Colorado by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Colorado ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Colorado

143

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$94,326

Across all Colorado programs

Average Annual Cost

$20,245

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$621,724	$74,891	$18,048	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Concorde Career College-Aurora Grad rate: 70.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$490,305	$70,709	$21,350	$30,500	Full ROI →
3	Denver College of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$469,747	$67,563	N/A	$30,750	Full ROI →
4	Colorado Mountain College Grad rate: 26.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$460,488	$67,405	$13,717	$14,946	Full ROI →
5	Pueblo Community College Grad rate: 31.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$446,588	$67,768	$19,251	$22,422	Full ROI →
6	Otero College Grad rate: 37.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$438,516	$68,085	$20,413	$31,376	Full ROI →
7	Community College of Denver Grad rate: 16.8%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$437,998	$67,727	$18,377	$29,472	Full ROI →
8	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$414,194	$64,998	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Aims Community College Grad rate: 35.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$407,691	$65,233	$14,478	$20,750	Full ROI →
10	Concorde Career College-Aurora Grad rate: 70.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$353,672	$63,523	$21,350	$25,250	Full ROI →
11	Morgan Community College Grad rate: 40.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$328,854	$61,186	$15,797	$17,238	Full ROI →
12	Arapahoe Community College Grad rate: 26.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$317,351	$61,578	$16,348	$30,750	Full ROI →
13	Arapahoe Community College Grad rate: 26.7%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$309,164	$59,093	$16,348	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Pikes Peak State College Grad rate: 23.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$302,803	$60,401	$18,345	$21,131	Full ROI →
15	Community College of Denver Grad rate: 16.8%	Legal Support Services.	+$296,946	$58,685	$18,377	N/A	Full ROI →
16	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$283,764	$57,993	$18,048	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$281,454	$58,361	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$261,114	$57,344	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs Grad rate: 18.6%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$242,418	$57,457	$21,694	$17,284	Full ROI →
20	Front Range Community College Grad rate: 28.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$241,102	$57,931	$18,087	$30,625	Full ROI →
21	Colorado Northwestern Community College Grad rate: 29.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$240,166	$57,491	$21,006	$20,475	Full ROI →
22	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$236,044	$56,525	$18,048	$13,600	Full ROI →
23	Community College of Aurora Grad rate: 26.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$231,380	$55,190	$16,210	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Trinidad State College Grad rate: 53.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$230,732	$57,078	$21,373	$20,801	Full ROI →
25	Lamar Community College Grad rate: 42.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$222,988	$55,086	$19,366	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Pima Medical Institute-Denver Grad rate: 63.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$221,730	$57,637	$25,147	$30,160	Full ROI →
27	Community College of Denver Grad rate: 16.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$198,039	$55,385	$18,377	$24,375	Full ROI →
28	Pikes Peak State College Grad rate: 23.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$195,050	$53,587	$18,345	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Grad rate: 71.6%	Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other.	+$189,946	$54,833	$33,357	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Colorado Northwestern Community College Grad rate: 29.0%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$189,089	$54,688	$21,006	$16,784	Full ROI →
31	Aims Community College Grad rate: 35.1%	Air Transportation.	+$186,104	$52,753	$14,478	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Pueblo Community College Grad rate: 31.7%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$181,918	$53,021	$19,251	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Concorde Career College-Aurora Grad rate: 70.2%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$140,031	$53,185	$21,350	$30,347	Full ROI →
34	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$136,004	$50,605	$18,048	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Front Range Community College Grad rate: 28.6%	Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications.	+$117,184	$50,980	$18,087	$19,438	Full ROI →
36	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians.	+$108,664	$49,238	$18,048	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Front Range Community College Grad rate: 28.6%	Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$105,266	$49,072	$18,087	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$87,834	$48,680	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Morgan Community College Grad rate: 40.8%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$56,186	$46,389	$15,797	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Grad rate: 71.6%	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians.	+$45,146	$47,593	$33,357	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Grad rate: 71.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$36,298	$48,327	$33,357	$17,428	Full ROI →
42	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$30,354	$45,806	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Concorde Career College-Aurora Grad rate: 70.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$23,374	$47,027	$21,350	$25,530	Full ROI →
44	Community College of Aurora Grad rate: 26.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$13,720	$44,307	$16,210	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	Health and Physical Education/Fitness.	+$11,134	$44,845	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Arapahoe Community College Grad rate: 26.7%	Legal Support Services.	-$1,008	$44,985	$16,348	$20,750	Full ROI →
47	Community College of Aurora Grad rate: 26.5%	Accounting and Related Services.	-$11,820	$43,030	$16,210	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Fire Protection.	-$12,456	$43,182	$18,048	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Arapahoe Community College Grad rate: 26.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$17,155	$44,215	$16,348	$21,303	Full ROI →
50	Aims Community College Grad rate: 35.1%	Precision Metal Working.	-$24,456	$42,225	$14,478	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.