Colorado has two ABA-approved law schools: the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in Denver. Colorado Law has the stronger current admissions profile and the public-school tuition advantage; Denver Law offers direct placement inside Colorado’s largest legal market, a part-time JD, a larger clinical/externship footprint, and broader scheduling flexibility.
For Fall 2026, Colorado Law reports a 166 median LSAT and 3.83 median GPA. Denver Law reports a 161 median LSAT and 3.70 median GPA. Colorado Law’s 2026–27 tuition and fees are about $38,680 for residents and $47,014 for nonresidents; Denver is a private school and its current cost is materially higher, although 72% of its Fall 2026 entering class received scholarships.
So the ranking question is simple to ask and more nuanced to answer: Colorado Law is the stronger default for selectivity, portability, and public-school value; Denver Law can be the better fit for students prioritizing the Denver market, part-time study, specific clinics, or a scholarship that closes the cost gap.
| Metric | Colorado Law (CU Boulder) | Denver Law (Sturm) |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 median LSAT | 166 | 161 |
| LSAT 25th–75th | 163–168 | 157–163 |
| Median GPA | 3.83 | 3.70 |
| GPA 25th–75th | 3.66–3.93 | 3.42–3.83 |
| Fall 2026 entering class | 186 | 276 |
| 2026–27 tuition/fees | $38,680 resident; $47,014 nonresident | Private-school pricing; scholarship-heavy entering class |
| Part-time JD | No standard part-time JD | Yes |
| Location | Boulder | Denver |
| Distinctive strength | Public value, environmental/natural-resources law, portability | Denver employer access, clinics, externships, part-time flexibility |
Colorado Law is the stronger default overall. It has the higher current LSAT/GPA medians, lower public-school sticker price, and a strong statewide reputation. For Colorado residents, the cost advantage is especially meaningful.
But the answer changes when you add three variables: Denver location, part-time study, and scholarship money. Denver Law is physically embedded in the state’s largest legal market and reports 748 externship placements plus eight clinical programs. A large Denver scholarship can therefore make the private-school option much more competitive than sticker price suggests.
The right comparison is not “CU ranks higher.” It is CU net cost + Boulder/Colorado reach versus Denver net cost + direct metro-market access.
Colorado Law’s Fall 2026 class reports a 166 median LSAT and 3.83 median GPA, with 163/166/168 LSAT percentiles. The school received 3,567 applications and enrolled 186 first-year students.
For 2026–27, tuition and fees are about $38,680 for Colorado residents and $47,014 for nonresidents. The school notes that nonresident students may establish Colorado residency after one year if they satisfy state requirements, which can materially change the three-year cost comparison.
Colorado Law’s strongest academic identity includes environmental and natural-resources law, energy, public lands, and the Mountain West regulatory ecosystem. But it is not only a specialty school. Its public flagship status and statewide network make it the broadest Colorado credential.
See Colorado Law’s Fall 2026 class profile and 2026–27 tuition.
Denver Law’s Fall 2026 entering class reports a 161 median LSAT and 3.70 median GPA, with 157–163 LSAT and 3.42–3.83 GPA as the middle 50%. It enrolled 276 first-year students: 233 full-time and 43 part-time.
The school’s strongest advantage is direct integration with the Denver legal market. It reports eight clinical programs and 748 externship placements, and its campus sits in the metro area where many of Colorado’s largest firms, companies, courts, agencies, and nonprofits operate.
Denver is also the only one of the two Colorado schools with a part-time JD. That can make it the obvious choice for a working professional even if Colorado Law is stronger on conventional admissions metrics.
Scholarships matter enormously. Denver reports that 72% of the Fall 2026 entering class received scholarships, ranging from $19,500 to full tuition plus stipend. The school also offers full-tuition Chancellor’s Scholarships for selected public-interest applicants.
See Denver Law’s Fall 2026 profile and scholarship information.
| If your priority is... | Start with... | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest public-school cost | Colorado Law | Resident tuition is materially lower, and qualifying nonresidents may establish residency after one year. |
| Highest current entering credentials | Colorado Law | 166 median LSAT vs. Denver’s 161. |
| Working while earning a JD | Denver Law | Part-time JD pathway. |
| Direct Denver networking | Denver Law | Campus and externship ecosystem are inside the metro legal market. |
| Environmental / natural-resources law | Colorado Law | Deep Mountain West and public-lands identity. |
| Large merit scholarship from Denver | Compare net price | A major award can erase much of CU’s sticker advantage. |
| Public interest with full-tuition opportunity | Denver Law | Chancellor’s Scholarship is a dedicated full-tuition public-interest program. |
Two ABA-approved law schools:
That makes Colorado one of the simplest state law-school markets to research. The complexity comes from comparing location, price, scholarships, and program format rather than from choosing among a long list of schools.
Current entering medians are 166 at Colorado Law and 161 at Denver Law.
| LSAT score | How to read it |
|---|---|
| 168+ | At/above Colorado Law’s current 75th percentile and above Denver’s; strong LSAT position at both. |
| 166–167 | Around/above Colorado’s median and well above Denver’s median. |
| 163–165 | Inside Colorado’s middle 50% and at/above Denver’s current 75th percentile. |
| 161–162 | Around Denver’s median and below Colorado’s current 25th percentile. |
| 157–160 | Inside Denver’s middle 50%; materially below Colorado’s current range. |
| Below 157 | Below Denver’s current 25th percentile; a higher LSAT can change both admission and scholarship leverage. |
These are positioning markers, not automatic admit/deny thresholds.
Often the question runs the other direction because Colorado Law is the public school and generally cheaper at sticker.
The useful comparison is:
CU net cost vs. Denver net cost after scholarship.
If Denver gives you a major award, the gap can narrow substantially. If it does not, Colorado Law’s lower sticker plus stronger current admissions profile is difficult to ignore.
It can be. Location is especially valuable for externships, part-time work, networking, judges, agencies, firms, and public-interest placements. Denver Law’s reported 748 externship placements show how central experiential work is to the school’s model.
But “being in Denver” should not justify unlimited debt. Compare the actual employer types, your scholarship, and whether Colorado Law graduates also reach the employers you want.
Colorado Law is the stronger default. Boulder’s program is deeply tied to environmental, natural-resources, public-lands, and energy law in the Mountain West.
Denver also offers relevant environmental and natural-resources coursework and the advantage of a major metropolitan market. But if environmental/public-lands work is the central reason for attending law school, Colorado should be the first program investigated.
Both can make sense. Colorado Law offers public-school pricing and statewide government/nonprofit access. Denver Law has a dedicated Chancellor’s Scholarship program offering full tuition to a limited number of students with strong public-service records.
For a public-interest career, debt may matter more than the admissions-median difference. Compare LRAP, PSLF eligibility, scholarship conditions, and the actual offices where students extern.
Denver Law. Its Fall 2026 class included 43 part-time students, and the school has a formal part-time JD structure.
Colorado Law does not operate a standard part-time JD. For a student who needs to continue working, that can end the comparison immediately.
Colorado Law states that nonresident students may establish residency after one year if they meet state requirements. That means a nonresident should not simply multiply the first-year nonresident rate by three.
Residency is governed by Colorado law, and qualifying requires more than simply attending school for a year. Review the official classification rules early if the cost difference matters to your decision.
Colorado Law is the stronger default overall because of its higher current entering credentials and public-school tuition. Denver Law can be the better fit for part-time students, Denver-specific networking, or applicants receiving a substantial scholarship.
Two ABA-approved law schools: University of Colorado Law School in Boulder and University of Denver Sturm College of Law in Denver.
Colorado has the stronger current admissions profile and lower public-school sticker price. Denver offers direct metro-market access, a part-time JD, extensive externships, and substantial merit scholarships. The better choice depends on net price and career goal.
Colorado Law’s Fall 2026 entering class has a 166 median LSAT, with a 163 25th percentile and 168 75th percentile.
Denver Law’s Fall 2026 entering class has a 161 median LSAT, with a 157 25th percentile and 163 75th percentile.
University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Colorado Law does not offer a standard part-time JD.
Current admissions data come from Colorado Law’s Fall 2026 entering-class profile and Denver Law’s Fall 2026 profile. Colorado Law’s price uses its 2026–27 tuition page. Denver scholarship and experiential figures come from its current admissions and financial-aid pages.
We do not treat a two-school state like a generic national ranking. The decision framework prioritizes net cost, Denver-market access, public-school value, part-time availability, and specialty fit.
Written by Ali Unar, Founder, Lovare Institut. Verified September 19, 2026.