Advantages & Disadvantages of Studying in Denver

You think about studying in Denver but want to get additional information about student life, career prospects, living costs, housing, safety, nightlife, public infrastructure and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of studying in Denver in the following chapters.

Table of Contents

Study in Denver – Overview

Number of Universities28 colleges and universities in the Denver region.
Quality of UniversitiesWhile overall education levels in Denver are decent, it is hard to find real world-class universities in this region.
Networking OpportunitiesThere are many important and influential people living in Denver and you will therefore be able to build a strong business network as a student in Denver rather quickly.
Student LifeYou can join student clubs and engage in extracurricular activities to make your student life in Denver even more interesting.
International StudentsSince Denver is not the most popular city for students on a global scale, you will meet fewer international students in Denver compared to people who study in Los Angeles or in other globally renowned cities.
Career ProspectsWhile graduates from University of Denver have decent career prospects, you will still not have the same great career options as people graduating from top-tier universities.
NightlifeNightlife in Denver is decent and you have many bars and clubs where you can meet up with like-minded people and can just have a great time with other students.
Living CostsEven though living costs in Denver are above national average, they are still lower than in many other big metropolitan regions.
HousingSince rents in Denver have skyrocketed over the past decades and housing shortage is a big problem, it is pretty hard for people who study in Denver to find a decent and affordable place to stay.
Weather & ClimateWhile summers are relatively warm and sunny, winters are pretty cold in the Denver region.
advantages and disadvantages of studying in denver

Advantages of Studying in Denver

  1. Students in Denver find solid quality of education
  2. Many different colleges to choose from
  3. You are able to specialize in rather exotic majors
  4. People who study in Denver can build a strong business network
  5. Students in Denver can experience real seasons
  6. Denver is surrounded by nature reserves and national parks
  7. Many recreational spaces in Denver
  8. Students in Denver can spend lots of time outdoors
  9. You can stay fit in the Denver region
  10. Denver is a rather relaxed city
  11. Students are welcome from all over the world
  12. Decent nightlife is attractive to many students in Denver
  13. Easy to get around for students in Denver
  14. Students will find most things they need close to their homes
  15. You can prepare for your exams in libraries and other quiet spaces
  16. Many student jobs in the Denver region
  17. Many graduates from University of Denver find decent jobs rather quickly
  18. Decent guest professors in Denver
  19. You can join student clubs and organizations
  20. Extracurricular activities can make your student life in Denver more interesting

Students in Denver find solid quality of education

One advantage of studying in Denver is that you will find many decent colleges so you can be sure to get solid education and can find a decent job once you graduate.

Many different colleges to choose from

Since there are so many different colleges and universities in the Denver region, you can also just choose the one that fits best to your personal preferences and where you feel most comfortable, at least as long as your grades are good enough so many colleges will accept you.

You are able to specialize in rather exotic majors

You can not only find many different universities in the Denver region but you can also specialize in rather exotic majors which you would often not find in smaller towns and therefore get the opportunity to become a real expert in a specific field.

People who study in Denver can build a strong business network

Since Denver is a strong economic center and many influential people live in this place, you can also start to build a strong business network rather early in your life from which you can benefit for quite a long time since the more people you know, the easier it will be for you to succeed in the corporate world and to climb the corporate ladder.

Students in Denver can experience real seasons

Another upside to studying in Denver is that you can also experience real seasons.

While summers are pretty warm and you can go swimming and do many other nice things, winters are pretty cold and you will have snow in the Denver region quite often which enables you to go skiing or doing other winter sports.

Consequently, compared to people studying in Austin or other warmer places, you can have a much more exciting student life in Denver when it comes to climatic conditions.

Denver is surrounded by nature reserves and national parks

You will also have many national parks and nature reserves surrounding Denver and this enables you to make many nice day trips and to spend lots of time in nature where you can relax and reload your batteries so you can study even harder in the long run.

Many recreational spaces in Denver

Not only will you have great nature surrounding Denver, but you will also find many parks and other green spaces within city borders and this allows you to just sit down on a bench in a quiet place so you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere while you can still study in an efficient manner since your brain will get lots of oxygen and this helps you perform in the best possible manner.

Students in Denver can spend lots of time outdoors

Since there are so many things to do outdoors, students in Denver also have the incentive to spend lots of time in the fresh air and may therefore be in a better mood compared to students in regions where there is just not much to see and who often just stay indoors watching TV or playing video games.

You can stay fit in the Denver region

Since you can spend lots of time outdoors, you will also get enough exercise in a completely natural manner and this will also help you stay fit and in shape so you will not be at great risk of becoming overweight or even obese.

Denver is a rather relaxed city

Another benefit of studying in Denver is that it is also a pretty relaxed city.

In fact, people are not in the same rush as in many other big cities and while students in NYC often complain about hectic people around them, people in Denver will usually take more time to help you out on various occasions of daily life.

Students are welcome from all over the world

Since Denver is a pretty tolerant place, you will also be welcome no matter where you come from and can have a great time with many other people from all over the US and even the world.

Decent nightlife is attractive to many students in Denver

You will also find many decent bars and clubs in the Denver region where you can meet many like-minded people and you will also have more than enough opportunities to party with other students until the early morning.

Easy to get around for students in Denver

Since public transport is decent near the city center and traffic is not a big problem compared to many other bigger cities yet, students in Denver can also get around in a pretty efficient manner and don’t have to waste as much time in traffic jams as people who study in Chicago or other more crowded places.

Students will find most things they need close to their homes

Thanks to decent public infrastructure, you will also find most things for daily life within walking distance to your home and this allows you to manage your student life in Denver in a pretty efficient manner and you don’t have to waste lots of time on unimportant things but can rather really focus on your studies.

You can prepare for your exams in libraries and other quiet spaces

There are also many decent libraries and other quiet spaces in Denver where you can prepare for your exams in a pretty efficient manner so you can get the best grades possible and will be well-prepared for the job market.

Many student jobs in the Denver region

Since Denver is a big and important economic region, you will also find more than enough student jobs and opportunities to work as an intern and while you can make some money, you can also gain valuable work experience so you can improve your chances of finding a decent job once you graduate.

Many graduates from University of Denver find decent jobs rather quickly

Since there are many big corporations to work for in the Denver region, students from University of Denver who want to stay in this region may also find a decent job rather quickly and will have an easier time in this regard compared to students in Philadelphia or other regions where unemployment is a bigger problem.

Decent guest professors in Denver

Since Denver is well-known all over the US and even the world, you will also be able to attend lectures from many decent guest professors and this enables you to get a different perspective on certain topics so you can get a more comprehensive picture of reality.

You can join student clubs and organizations

There are also many student clubs which you can join so you can meet many new people and have a pretty easy time socializing as a student in Denver.

Extracurricular activities can make your student life in Denver more interesting

Once you join student clubs, you will also have the opportunity to engage in many extracurricular activities so you can not only get a fancy degree but can also work on additional projects so you can do good for society at the same time.

As you can see, there are many reasons for studying in Denver.

However, you should also know that it is not all sunshine and we also have to talk about the drawbacks of studying in Denver so you will get a much better idea of whether you still want to study in Denver or rather want to move to a different city instead.

Disadvantages of Studying in Denver

  1. Many students in Denver complain about high rents
  2. Hard to find a decent place to live in Denver
  3. People who study in Denver often worry about high living costs
  4. High overall financial pressure for students in Denver
  5. Students in Denver cannot enjoy the beach
  6. Cold winters may deter many people from studying in Denver
  7. Hard to find really good education in Denver
  8. Studying in Denver may not be great for your CV
  9. You may have worse career prospects than graduate from elite schools
  10. Many students have to stay in rather dodgy districts of Denver
  11. Crime rate in Denver is above national average
  12. Student jobs in Denver often don’t pay great money
  13. Tuition for students in Denver can be pretty high
  14. You may have to use student loan debt to finance your degree

Many students in Denver complain about high rents

One problem with studying in Denver is that rents have skyrocketed over the past decades and many students in Denver are simply no longer able to afford a decent place to stay and have to spend enormous amounts of money on housing while students in Dallas and other less expensive regions have a much easier time in this regard.

Hard to find a decent place to live in Denver

Since housing shortage is a big problem and housing is pretty expensive, it is also pretty hard for many students to find a decent place to stay in the Denver region within a reasonable amount of time and some students even have to search for months before they find something appropriate.

People who study in Denver often worry about high living costs

Not only high housing costs are a big problem, but also living costs are above national average and if you don’t have enough money in the bank and also don’t get financial support from your parents, you may run out of money rather quickly in the Denver region.

High overall financial pressure for students in Denver

Since living and housing costs are pretty high, many students in Denver also complain about high financial pressure since they often have to worry about financial problems and are often not able to really focus on their studies due to that.

Students in Denver cannot enjoy the beach

Since Denver is not located at the coast, people who study in Denver are also not able to go surfing or do many other water sports and you may therefore envy people studying in San José or other coastal areas who have much more opportunities in this regard.

Cold winters may deter many people from studying in Denver

You should also know that winters are pretty cold in the Denver region and if you are a person who can’t stand the cold at all, you may be better off studying in Fort Worth or other warmer regions instead.

Hard to find really good education in Denver

While you will have many decent colleges in the Denver region, it is still hard to find world-class education in this area and if you aspire to getting the best education possible, you may be better off studying at Yale or other top-tier colleges.

Studying in Denver may not be great for your CV

Since you will have a hard time finding really good education, studying in Denver may also not be as great for your CV compared to studying at top-notch universities.

You may have worse career prospects than graduate from elite schools

Since most universities in Denver are not ranked at the very top in most studies, you may also have worse career prospects compared to graduates from Harvard or other elite schools.

Many students have to stay in rather dodgy districts of Denver

Since rents are pretty high, many students in Denver are also not able to afford a place to stay in a nice neighborhood and may end up in cheaper and more dodgy districts where they often don’t feel safe.

Crime rate in Denver is above national average

Another downside to studying in Denver is that crime rate is pretty high and if you live in the wrong parts of Denver, you may not feel welcome or safe and your overall quality of student life may therefore suffer significantly due to that.

Student jobs in Denver often don’t pay great money

While you will find many student jobs in the Denver region, you should also know that many of them also don’t pay great money and working in those jobs will often not be enough to finance your degree.

Tuition for students in Denver can be pretty high

Since tuition costs can be pretty high in the Denver region, you will also make a big financial commitment with studying in Denver and before enrolling in such a program, you should make sure that this is what you really want and are also willing to make this huge financial commitment.

You may have to use student loan debt to finance your degree

Since housing and living costs are pretty high and tuition costs may be high as well, many students who don’t get financial support from their parents may also have to take on student loan debt to finance their degree and may have to pay back huge amounts of money later in life.

Top 10 Studying in Denver Pros & Cons – Summary List

Studying in Denver ProsStudying in Denver Cons
Many student clubs in DenverMany students in Denver complain about high rents
Decent quality of education in DenverLiving costs in Denver are above national average
You can do many extracurricular activitiesHousing shortage makes it hard to find a decent place to stay
Many recreational spaces in DenverHigh overall financial pressure for people who study in Denver
Decent libraries and other quiet places to prepare for examsMany students in Denver have to live in rather dodgy districts
Decent public infrastructure in DenverCrime is a big problem in Denver
Many decent bars where you can socialize as a studentStudents in Denver are not able to relax at the beach
Denver is a pretty relaxed cityYou may have to finance your degree with student loan debt
Students in Denver find most things close to their homesStudent jobs in Denver often don’t pay great money
Many things to do in nature in the Denver regionHigh tuition in Denver

Is Denver A Good City For Students?

While Denver can be a great place to study since you will find decent universities and can join student clubs so you can engage in many extracurricular activities and can also build a strong business network, you should also know that it is hard to find world-class education in the Denver region and studying in this city is also pretty expensive.

Alternative Cities To Study

If you don’t want to study in Denver anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in San Francisco

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Seattle

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Charlotte

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/denvercountycolorado

Own research.

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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