Top Six Colorado Universities According to U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is out with its annual rankings of national universities.

And while six Colorado colleges made the cut, they didn't exactly challenge Princeton, Harvard and the University of Chicago (the three highest finishers) for academic supremacy.

Of 310 universities analyzed by the publication, Colorado's top school landed in 82nd place. Two others are within ten slots of that institution, but the remaining three are way down the list, with the last of them appearing under the heading, "Rank not published."

Continue to count down the photo-illustrated top six, supplemented by U.S. News & World Report data and an excerpt from the publication's description of each university, which offer a flavor of how these Colorado colleges are being portrayed to a national audience. Click to check out the complete national university rankings.

Number 6: University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO

Rank Not Published

...Outside the classroom, University of Northern Colorado students can get involved in approximately 150 organizations, about 20 fraternities and sororities and the Student Senate. Student athletes can try out for the UNC Bears varsity sports teams, which compete in various conferences of the NCAA Division I. Notable UNC alumni include actor Greg Germann, who appeared in the "Ally McBeal" television series, as well as the film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"....

Tuition and Fees
$20,002 (out-of-state)
$8,416 (in-state)

Undergraduate Enrollment
9,394

Number 5: University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO

#197 in National Universities (tie)

...In their free time, CU Denver students can get involved in more than 100 campus organizations, as well as student government, ROTC, The Advocate student newspaper and volunteer opportunities. CU Denver students can also check out the outdoor opportunities offered by the Rocky Mountains and the festivals, rodeos, museums and sports teams of the city of Denver. CU Denver does not offer varsity athletic teams on campus, but students can join intramural sports and "healthy moves" classes such as Pilates and yoga....

Tuition and Fees
$29,334 (out-of-state)
$10,404 (in-state)

Undergraduate Enrollment
14,036

Number 4: Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

#129 in National Universities (tie)

...Outside the classroom and research lab, students can get involved with the more than 350 campus organizations, including about 35 fraternities and sororities. Student athletes can find sports at the recreational, club and varsity level, with the CSU mascot and colors reflecting the school's past. CSU began as an agricultural school, so the sports teams were called the Aggies and their colors were green and gold to represent farming. The school held onto the colors, but the more than 15 varsity sports teams are now called the Rams. They compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference....

Tuition and Fees
$28,374 (out-of-state)
$11,080 (in-state)

Undergraduate Enrollment
24,433

Continue to learn about the top three universities in Colorado according to U.S. News & World Report.

Number 3: University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO

#92 in National Universities (tie)

...The Colorado Buffaloes compete in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference. The student athletes, called Buffs for short, are supported by two buffalo mascots: a costumed student called Chip and a live animal named Ralphie V. The university stresses its commitment to volunteer efforts like Better Boulder Better World, a day of community service in the surrounding neighborhoods. For trips off campus, there are 11 ski slopes within 3 hours of campus, and Rocky Mountain National Park is 45 miles away. A bit closer is Denver, the state capital, where students can catch professional sports matches or concerts in the unique outdoor concert hall, Red Rocks Amphitheatre....

Tuition and Fees
$35,079 (out-of-state)
$11,531 (in-state)

Undergraduate Enrollment
27,010

Number 2: University of Denver
Denver, CO

#86 in National Universities (tie)

...Student athletes compete on the Denver Pioneers sports teams, members of the NCAA Division I Summit League. The school's ski team has won more national championships than any other program in the country. On the professional level, Denver has a team in each of the four major sports leagues: the Denver Broncos in the NFL, the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL, the Denver Nuggets in the NBA and the Colorado Rockies in the MLB. For creative entertainment, students can check out musical, theatrical and innovative performances in the on-campus Newman Center. The university campus also hosts the Pen and Podium series, which brings in several famous authors and poets to speak each year. To explore downtown Denver, students can hop on the city's Light Rail system, a network of monorail trains that stops on campus and goes to more than 40 other locations. The city is known for its revitalized urban areas, including Lower Downtown, or LoDo, a hub of shopping, dining and nightlife that is 8 miles from campus....

Tuition and Fees
$46,362

Undergraduate Enrollment
5,758

Number 1: Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO

#82 in National Universities (tie)

...Cold-weather sports fans can partake in the annual Winter Carnival, a student-run affair packed with skiing and snowboarding at a local resort. The Mines sports teams, known as the Orediggers, compete in the NCAA Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is mostly made up of other teams from Colorado. The school mascot is Blaster the burro, and a giant "M" emblazoned onto nearby Mount Zion signifies the school spirit. There are more than 140 student clubs and organizations, including seven fraternities and three sororities. First-year students are required to live on campus. Even the student newspaper, The Oredigger, is decidedly science based; sections include weekly roundups of new discoveries and a Geek of the Week feature....

Tuition and Fees
$34,828 (out-of-state)
$17,383 (in-state)

Undergraduate Enrollment
4,608