CU is committed to being a premier, accessible and transformative public university that provides a quality and affordable education with outstanding teaching, learning, research, service, and health care. Through collaboration, diversity, innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, CU will expand student success and the economic foundation of the State of Colorado.
Our strategic planning process resulted in the creation of four strategic pillars: (1) Affordability and Student Success; (2) Discovery and Impact; (3) Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Access; (4) Fiscal Strength. Each pillar has several areas of focus, some of which are campus specific while others are system-wide. This plan will align all elements of governance (regents, system, and campuses), make the case for CU with the state, and shine light on areas of success and need alike.
Strategic Planning Pillars
- Pillar 1: Affordability & Student Success
- Graduation Rate & Retention
- Campus Wellness & Mental Health
- Innovation in Learning & Teaching
- Pillar 2: Discovery & Impact
- Research/Scholarship/Creative Work and Graduate Programs
- Healthcare
- Pillar 3: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Access
- Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Access
- Pillar 4: Fiscal Strength
- Collaboration and Partnerships
- Deferred Maintenance and Sustainability
- Tech Enablement and Infrastructure
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Data Highlights
Retention Rates
Freshman retention rates are based on first-time, full-time freshmen returning for their sophomore year. The rate is the percentage of students enrolled their second fall term.
Retention rates are an early indicator of the cohort’s future graduation rate. While this first-time, full-time freshman cohort does not include part-time students or incoming transfer students, this measure has been a staple in the IPEDS data collection offering peer and national comparisons.
Minority includes: American Indian, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and 2 or more races
URM, or Underrepresented Minority, includes: American Indian, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Pacific Islander
Out-of-Pocket Costs
Out-of-Pocket Costs are calculated annually using the Average Cost of Attendance (COA) minus average grant aid package for each income group. This analysis is based on resident undergraduates applying for financial aid and averages have been adjusted for inflation.
Grant aid is the sum of federal, state, institutional aid and other scholarships.
On average, students in income groups under $60,000 have experienced a decline in out-of-pocket costs in the past 5 years.
Student Diversity
The percentage of Students of Color and URM (Underrepresented Minority) is shown for each campus and the CU System. For more information on CU’s student, faculty, and staff diversity, visit the Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Access pillar in our strategic plan and view our CU Diversity Report data visualization.
Students of Color include all non-white, non-international students while URM is limited to only those students identifying as American Indian, Black or African American, or Hispanic or Latino.
CU Anschutz Patients Served
The number of patients served by CU Anschutz faculty per year.
CU Anschutz faculty are the primary healthcare providers on the Anschutz Medical Campus, including the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Other Revenue per Employee
Other Revenue is calculated from Total Revenue less State Funding and Undergraduate Resident Tuition Revenue.
The largest contributors to Other Revenue are health services, sponsored research, fundraising, and auxiliary enterprises.
All Supporting Data
Affordability & Student Success
- Graduation Rate (4-Year and 6-Year)
- Freshman Retention Rate
- Percentage of students, faculty and staff that participates in mental health training
- Assess faculty, staff, and student perceptions of the campus wellness culture
- Innovation in Learning & Teaching Strategic Initiatives: Performance tracked through the completion of action steps
- Enrollment (Total FTE)
- Undergraduate Transfers to CU
- Colorado High School Graduate Population & Percent Directly Enrolling at CU
- Credit Load (Percent Taking 15 Credits in First Term)
- Credit Load (Percent Taking 30 Credits in First Year)
- Degrees Awarded
- Telehealth interactions
- High School Concurrent & Dual Enrollment
- Pre-Collegiate Development Program
- Online Enrollment
- Institutional Aid
- Undergraduate Student Loan Default Rates
- Average Undergraduate Student Debt
- Alumni Earnings Compared to Annual Debt Payment Ratio
- Out-of-Pocket Costs
- Total Aid for Students with Documented Need
- State Funding
- Tuition & Fees
- Average Cost of Attendance
Discovery & Impact
- Research Funding
- Patients Served by CU Anschutz Clinical Faculty
- Patents awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Access
- Percent of new student, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds (by race/ethnicity and veteran status)
- Culture Survey Results on Acceptance/Culture, Harassment & Discrimination, and Civility
- Faculty & Staff Retention (URM)
- Faculty & Staff New Hires (URM & Veteran)
- Faculty & Staff Diversity
- Population by Race/Ethnicity, Gender
- Student Diversity
- Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Residency, Federal Pell Status, First Generation, Students with Disabilities
- Freshman Applications by Race/Ethnicity
- Retention Rates by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Residency, Federal Pell Status, First Generation
- Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Residency, Federal Pell Status, First Generation
- Degrees Awarded by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Residency, Federal Pell Status
Fiscal Strength
- Gifts/Fundraising Revenue
- Other Revenue
- Facility Condition Index (FCI)
- Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Tech Enablement and Infrastructure Strategic Initiatives: Information Technology (IT) Governance Committee - Performance tracked through the completion of action steps
- Deferred Maintenance Campus Spending and Backlog
- Operating Efficiencies
- CFI (Composite Financial Index)
- Credit Rating
- Economic Impact