Business, Management, Marketing, at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

Based on comparable business programs nationwide, UC Denver's bachelor's degree suggests a debt burden around $24,600 against first-year earnings near $51,000—a ratio that looks manageable at first glance. That's roughly half a year's salary in debt, which falls within traditional affordability guidelines. However, without actual outcomes data from this specific program, families should recognize they're making decisions based on what typically happens elsewhere, not what UC Denver graduates have actually achieved.

The national benchmarks provide some guardrails: the estimated earnings match exactly what the median business bachelor's program produces ($50,740), while the debt estimate sits slightly below the national median of $26,000. This positions the program as neither a standout nor a red flag compared to peer institutions. Denver's strong job market for business graduates could work in students' favor, particularly given the school's urban location and access to internships. The 78% admission rate suggests reasonable accessibility, though the modest SAT average indicates it's not drawing the most competitive applicants who might leverage the degree differently.

For families weighing this investment, the lack of program-specific data means you're betting on UC Denver delivering typical outcomes. If your child has strong alternatives with actual reported results—or if borrowing significantly more than these estimates would require—proceed with extra caution. The fundamentals appear sound based on what similar programs achieve, but you're navigating with less certainty than ideal.